Kirby Dach Is Producing in the 2026 Playoffs — And the Props Are Catching Up Late

Kirby Dach entered the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs as a liability question mark. As The Hockey Writers detailed, a defensive breakdown in Game 2 against Tampa Bay — one that led directly to J.J. Moser's overtime winner — had Montreal fans calling for his benching and Dach deleting his Instagram to escape the fallout. That was two rounds ago. What's happened since is one of the more compelling individual turnarounds in this postseason.

Coach Martin St. Louis pulled the trigger on a position switch that changed everything. Moving Dach from wing back to center and pairing him with Alexandre Texier and Zachary Bolduc, St. Louis built a third line with teeth. The trio combined for six points in Game 3 alone. Then in Game 5 at Tampa, Dach improvised a goal — losing the puck, kicking it skate-to-stick, and finishing — that showcased the kind of high-end skill that gets a player drafted third overall. Against Buffalo in the second round, trailing 4-2 late in the second period, Dach scooped up a neutral-zone turnover, dragged a defender out of position with patience, got his shot stopped, and backhanded the rebound over Alex Lyon while falling to the ice. This is not a hot streak manufactured by easy minutes or sheltered deployment. This is a player playing through adversity and producing.

The underlying concern hasn't vanished. Dach's faceoff numbers remain a genuine liability — a real problem for a coach who prioritizes draw competence and will yank a center from the dot without hesitation. To hold the center role long-term, that has to improve. But for the duration of this playoff run, St. Louis has clearly decided the offensive upside and the line chemistry with Texier and Bolduc outweigh the faceoff deficit. That's a coaching vote of confidence that carries weight in how you project his ice time and opportunities going forward in this series against Buffalo.

From a prop standpoint, Dach's points line is the most interesting number on the board right now. Sportsbooks set his points props conservatively based on a regular season that was injury-interrupted and inconsistent — they haven't fully recalibrated for what's happened over the last six games. A player logging top-six center minutes in the playoffs, with demonstrated chemistry with Bolduc and Texier, and two separate multi-point outings in recent memory, is undervalued at the standard 0.5 points threshold. His shots-on-goal total is similarly worth a look: the center role opens up more direct shooting lanes than the wing, and his goal in Game 5 was the product of persistent puck pursuit, not a fortunate bounce from the perimeter.

The Sabres series is shaping up to be competitive and physical — exactly the kind of environment where Dach's combination of size, hands, and now positional comfort can continue to pay dividends. The market is still pricing the version of Dach who disappeared after a defensive miscue in Game 2. The on-ice product right now is something different. Lean into his points and shots props while the number stays soft.