Canadiens qualifying offer to Kirby Dach a slap in the face?

Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach caught a lot of flack over the weekend when it was revealed that he would be filing for salary arbitration despite a qualifying offer of $4 million from the Canadiens, but new details regarding that qualifying offer paint a very different picture.

It's no secret that Dach, a once highly touted prospect who was selected in the first round (3rd overall) of the 2019 National Hockey League Entry Draft, has seen his NHL career largely derailed by injuries. While that has been a difficult reality for Dach, the harsh reality check he received in the form of the Canadiens qualifying offer likely still came as quite the shock.

Since Dach played less than 60 games last season, he only played 37, and appeared in less than 180 over the last 3 season, he appeared in just 96, the Canadiens were given the option of qualifying Dach on a two-way contract. Given that the Canadiens could have opted to give Dach a standard qualifying offer, their decision not to do so speaks volumes.

Canadiens insider Eric Engels, who confirmed that Dach was only offered a two-way deal, remarked on the unusual practice on the part of the Canadiens.

While Dach's decision to file for arbitration may have initially resulted in some pushback from fans, it hardly comes as a surprise given this new information. Dach may very well have felt insulted by the two-way deal but, given his extreme struggles with injuries, it's hard to blame the Canadiens for utilizing this option on a player that they clearly no longer feel they can rely upon consistently.