Kirby Dach is working on very specific aspects of his game to keep moving forward with the Montreal Canadiens. The young striker wants to make subtle changes to his throwing technique.
In a very interesting interview with Montreal Hockey Now’s Marc Dumont, throwing art specialist Tim Turk, who has worked with the likes of Connor Bedard and Brendan Gallagher, explained in detail what modifications he would like to make to Badger’s Shootout.
“I told him to add some movement to his shot, which makes his attack angle more unpredictable. It’s all in the wrists. I said to him, “As the puck leaves your racquet, activate your wrists a little more and it will rotate the puck, creating more spin.” The more the puck rotates, the faster it pierces the air.
Turk also causes Dach to slightly close the space between his body and the puck so he can better hide his intentions from the goaltenders.
“It is not self-evident that a larger man closes this room,” admitted the specialist. Larger players have longer limbs. It is a movement that can therefore be uncomfortable. However, the closer your arm is to your body, the more difficult your intentions are to read.
Dach also had a habit of carrying the puck too far from his body when crossing the neutral zone early last season. Opposing defenders could easily stop the game.
“You’ll find he’s getting more and more comfortable with the Canadiens,” Turk said. And as he does so, his stance lowers. The lower your body, the more stable you are and the longer your reaction time. The position of his puck and arm help him in counterattack situations.
Dach will normally be one of the Habs’ key forwards in 2023/24 alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. The third overall pick in the 2019 draft has shown signs of flowering over the past season, recording 38 points and 14 goals in just 58 games.