The Dach-ey news: He’s ahead of sked
After returning to team practices Monday, Blackhawks center Kirby Dach spoke Wednesday for the first time since his wrist surgery in December.
“It’s good to be back,” Dach said. “It’s been a long time coming.”
Dach, 20, is a non-contact practice participant for now and admitted that the little bumps that inevitably occur in noncontact practice have made his wrist occasionally sore.
Once that stops being the case — once the pain has ceased — he’ll be allowed to join in contact practices. His cardio and lower-body capabilities have been at full strength the whole time. He rode a stationary bike frequently while rehabbing on his own the last few months. It’s just about getting his right wrist back to full strength.
“There are some movements and things like that, in terms of mobility and strength, that are kind of restricted,” he said. “But the medical staff and the doctors are doing a good job of monitoring that . . . so when the time comes to play, there are no lingering issues.”
Dach’s timeline was originally set at four to five months, meaning he’d return in late April at the earliest.
He said he’s “a little bit ahead of schedule” but remains cautious because that optimism could still fade based on “how my body reacts” to the next steps.
Dach was most emphatic, however, about the decision to play in the World Junior Championship.
He was set to be Canada’s captain, but his run was cut short when he was injured in a pre-tournament exhibition game against Russia. Even now, he insists he has no regrets about attending the tournament.
“It’s the game of hockey,” he said. “I could’ve gotten hurt in the summer skating with my buddies.
“As a Canadian kid, you grow up dreaming about playing for that team, and it’s even better when you get to wear the ‘C.’ . . . I don’t have any regrets going. Once again, I want to say thanks to [general manager] Stan [Bowman] and the Blackhawks’ organization for giving me that opportunity.”