Rozner: Blackhawks' Dach only scratching the surface

Good luck getting Kirby Dach to talk about himself.

Seriously, ask him a question about his style and he talks about winning.

Ask him about adjusting to the NHL and he talks about his teammates.

Ask him about shooting the puck more and he says he must concentrate on it if he's going to help the Blackhawks make the playoffs.

And it doesn't sound prerecorded.

Dach looks you in the eye and speaks with maturity, suggesting an understanding of where he is and where he wants to be that is unusual for anyone his age.

But he's an NHL player who turned 19 a week ago, drafted third overall only last summer, and professional athletes that young - and selected that high - tend to believe that making it to this level is a foregone conclusion.

Dach, however, has shown a responsibility that belies his years, and in part explains his comfort in the Hawks' dressing room.

"I felt like I've belonged out there all year," Dach explained. "Obviously, there's been some low points.

"You want to contribute offensively every night and help the team win, but in my case I'm trying to improve my game every night and become a better player and a better person.

"I've learned so much in this short amount of time. I feel like I've used the time well to develop. I look forward to the rest of this season and I look forward to finding a way to keep winning games."

Dach has 7 goals and 7 assists in 45 games, and the points have come in bunches. He had points in back-to-back games early in the season, a stretch in November with 7 in 5 games, and a couple long stretches with no production, before 3 points in the last 2 games heading into the break.

That included 2 points in the loss to Florida, one on a brilliant backhand off the rush on which he did not hesitate to shoot.

"I need to shoot more. There's times when I'm passing up opportunities," Dach said. "At the same time, I need to round out my 200-foot game and continue to be a more complete player in a team game.

"I've always kind of been a passer. I've always played with a lot of shooters, but I need to find a way to help the team more by becoming that dual-threat player.

"Look at (Patrick Kane). He was known as a pass-first player, but he scores 30 or 40 goals a year because he shoots the puck and creates opportunities for himself that way.

"So I have to find a way to get more pucks to the net."

Late in the Florida game he made a sweet pass through the slot to Kane - who scored - after drawing four Panthers and the goaltender to the puck.

"He's so confident with the puck," said Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton. "He's so heavy with his stick, he comes out of battles with the puck. He just turned 19 and he gets through the neutral zone and shrugs guys off, fights through checks, carries guys on his back through zones like it's nothing."

And at 6-foot-4 and 197 pounds, it's easy to see what another offseason and 20 pounds is going to mean for him.

"He's making a big difference for us," Colliton said. "I understand the production hasn't been there that maybe people expect, but when I look at his game it's extremely positive the progression he's making as the year goes on.

"He can be a big part of - hopefully - our success in the second half."

Dach has clearly become more comfortable on the ice as the game has started to slow down for him half a season into his NHL career.

But when it was suggested that perhaps he's thinking before reacting at times, Dach shook his head.

"It's natural for me," Dach said. "I've always been a thinker when it comes to my game. I like to think my plays through and make sure I'm seeing plays ahead of time before I get the puck so I know where to go with it.

"(In juniors), I kind of already knew what to expect and how to play that game and I was successful at that level. I knew who I was playing against and the matchups every night. Here, the game's a little faster and it's new matchups.

"There was a little bit of an adjustment period, not knowing what the pace of play is going to be like. You're going through a lot of things in your head before the game to make sure you're in the right position.

"The last month, I've felt pretty comfortable playing the games. But I've been getting a lot of help and advice from my teammates. That's been huge."

As for finding the stat sheet more often, Dach doesn't seem to care as long as the Hawks are playing well.

"We're all here for one thing and that's to win the Stanley Cup," Dach said. "So as long as the team's winning, I'm happy.

"You want to do anything you can to help the team. You want to contribute in any way you can. For me it's about being a factor every night and helping the team win."

To watch him play is to think Kirby Dach has barely scratched the surface of his talent, that there will be much more to his game once he gains weight and confidence.

But to listen to him speak is to realize victory is his one goal.