Chicago Blackhawks: Would Kirby Dach be back for playoffs?

The Chicago Blackhawks are a much better team than we thought. Going into the season, finding out that Kirby Dach was going to be out for 4-6 months felt like that meant that his season was over before it started. From a competitive standpoint, it was tough to hear that news but the worst part of it was that he would lose a whole year of development.

This is a player that was the third overall pick in the 2019 draft so you know the Hawks see him as a very important player. With that, the future is the most important thing. However, the Hawks have been a good team so far this season and now the playoffs look like something that can be realistic for them. If they are a clear playoff team later in the season, Kirby Dach can be back in the mix at some point.

If his recovery goes well, there is no reason to think that the 4-6 months can’t be on the lower end so he can be in the playoffs with his team. Of course, the thing that they need to think about the most in terms of a potential return is his health. He should only consider coming back if he is 100 percent healthy. The Hawks, you would think, will be all over making sure they do the right thing.

If all things add up and he is able to get in before the regular season ends and then the playoffs, that would be a huge boost to the Chicago Blackhawks. They have played the entire season without a true number one center as both Jonathan Toews and Kirby Dach have been out. They certainly wouldn’t be a Cup team or anything like that but they would gain so much more depth to give themselves a chance on a nightly basis.

As mentioned before, the end of the regular season could even be a target for Dach. It would make the most sense if they are in the playoff chase but Dach getting a few games would also just be good for him as an individual player.

The Hawks, down the middle, do need help right now. Most of their production is coming from wingers. It is working for now but it may not work forever. Dach probably won’t be that effective until next season but helping them in the playoffs would be fun to see.

There is no speculation about his timeline or anything like that but with the way the Hawks are playing, it is hard to not think about that because it would affect them in the playoffs. As for now, the Hawks just need to keep playing the way they are playing to even think about this premise at all late in the season. The Hawks are back in action tonight when they play the Carolina Hurricanes. That will be the first of a two-game set down there in Raleigh.