THREE THINGS: What you need to know about Kirby Dach
Get to know Chicago's third overall pick Kirby Dach
ByCarter Baum
Blackhawks.com
VANCOUVER - The Chicago Blackhawks found their man in Kirby Dach with the third overall pick at the 2019 NHL Draft. Here's what you need to know about the newest member of the organization.
NHL-READY
Outside of the top two picks in this year's draft, many think Dach is perhaps the most NHL-ready forward available in 2019. With 73 points (25G, 48A) last year for the Saskatoon Blades (WHL), the 18-year-old hopes to follow in the footsteps of the last Blackhawks center taken third overall in Vancouver.
SIZE
At 6 foot 4 inches tall and 198 lbs, Dach would tie Artem Anisimov as the biggest forward on the Blackhawks roster if he does, in fact, make the jump to the NHL right away. Not only is the center a large, power forward presence in the lineup, but he boasts the skill set of a dynamic forwards smaller in stature. Scouts have raved over the rare mix of both skill sets.
VISION
A pass-first forward, Dach's vision and patience on the ice has been heralded as what sets him apart from the rest of the field. "He's got a very high hockey IQ," Blades head coach Mitch Love has said in the lead up to the draft. "His playmaking ability is second to none. there aren't many 6-foot-4, 200 pound, (18)-year-old centers who can play center the way he can."
