Blackhawks: Team Canada will be great with Kirby Dach as captain

Chicago Blackhawks forward, Kirby Dach, will be the captain of a great Team Canada.

We all know that Hockey Canada does great things. Hockey is a sport that Canada has dominated for a very long time. They are always great but some other countries have closed the gap a little bit. The United States, Sweden, Finland, and Russia always have great programs, and the 2020-21 World Juniors will be no different. However, Team Canada is a different beast this season. They are going to run the show with Chicago Blackhawks forward, Kirby Dach leading the way.

By leading the way, it is a term that can be used literally as well. He has been named to be the captain of this year’s squad. Colorado Avalanche prospect Bowen Byram and Buffalo Sabres prospect Dylan Cozens are going to serve as alternates. It is a phenomenal leadership group that is all going to be great NHL players in the not so distant future.

Being the captain of the World Junior squad, especially this year’s version of Team Canada, is a big deal. That means that the Blackhawks know that they have a kid that could grow up to be a captain or alternate captain for their teams someday. His play on the ice will have to grow as well but it should grow based on the skills he clearly possesses.

This, in addition to having some new leadership experience, will really help Dach on the ice as well. He is going to be playing on a team that has so much NHL talent. 20 of the 22 skaters, including Dach, are first-round NHL picks. That is a lot of talent to be surrounded by ahead of his season with the Blackhawks that looms.

Dach looked like a rookie during the 2019-20 season for a lot of it. There were also times where he looked like a player who could take over games. The “take over the game” part was extra noticeable during the “Return to Play” bubble in Edmonton. The Blackhawks defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the “play-in” round and Dach was a major reason why.

If he is able to produce like that next season, it could be a breakout year for him. Serving as the captain of the best team at the World Junior Championships would be a great start for him. Hopefully, dominating that tournament will help him arrive in Chicago with a lot of confidence.