(670 The Score) Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach will miss four to five months after undergoing right wrist surgery in Chicago on Monday, the team announced.
Dach, who turns 20 in January, suffered a wrist fracture last Wednesday while playing for the Canadian national team at the World Junior Championships in Edmonton. The timeline for his recovery and return to “hockey-related activities,” as team physician Dr. Michael Terry termed in a statement, in four to five months means he’s almost certain to miss the entire regular season, which begins Jan. 13. The playoffs are expected to start on May 11.
The loss of Dach is a huge blow for the Blackhawks, who selected him at No. 3 overall in the 2019 NHL Draft. He scored 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 64 games last season and is viewed as a cornerstone of the franchise’s future. Dach was set to fill the second-line center role for the team.