Blackhawks want Colton Dach to be the power forward they need

Within a minute during the first period on Tuesday, Colton Dach exchanged shoves and words with Austin Watson, threw his body to finish a check along the end boards and created a quality chance with a backhanded shot in the slot.

Check, check, check.

With each action, Dach may as well have been ticking off boxes for new Chicago Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill. There’s a roster spot for Dach to take out of training camp, and it requires everything he did in the Blackhawks’ preseason opener against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. If Dach can stand up to opponents, be physical and create chances, he can carve out a spot this season and for years to come with the Blackhawks.

Dach knows it, too. He’s been hearing it from Blackhawks management and coaches for the last three seasons. The Blackhawks have added a few more power-forward-type prospects to the pipeline in the past few years, but Dach is ahead of all of them. The Blackhawks have devoted a lot of time and energy to him, and as each year has passed, Dach has seemed to embrace and understand his role even more.

“I think I’m a unique player,” said the 22-year-old Dach, who is 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, after a recent practice. “I like to be physical. I like to play with an edge. I like to chirp. I like to be in the kind of middle of things. I just like to be physically engaged. I think that’s just really going to help me break into this league, being a bigger body, using my speed, using my physicality, also showing my skill where I can and being responsible in the D-zone.”

The Blackhawks believe in Dach. They’ve seen his capabilities. He was dominant in that role for a stretch with the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL two seasons ago.

Last season, he began putting it together for the Blackhawks in the NHL. Over 10 games starting March 1, the Blackhawks had an expected goals percentage of 55.47 with Dach on the ice in five-on-five play. He also delivered 34 hits in those 10 games.

Then Dach suffered an elbow injury in a March 21 game, and his NHL season was cut short.

Injuries have been Dach’s biggest hurdle over his last three seasons, dating back to his final season in the WHL. The injuries have varied, and there probably wasn’t much Dach could have done to prevent them. However, this will be an important season for him to prove he can be reliable and durable, especially since he’s due for another contract for the 2026-27 season.

Dach eventually returned for the IceHogs in the Calder Cup playoffs last season, and he demonstrated his willingness to step up for his teammates. The IceHogs’ opponent, the Milwaukee Admirals, had some veterans who were looking to knock around their younger opponents, and Dach made sure to insert himself into the middle of those confrontations. He loved every second of it.

“I was really excited to get down there last year and play in that playoffs and show these guys that I can play that playoff-style hockey,” Dach said. “I think it’s where I’m going to be very valuable. I think that really showcased myself well there and being physical.

“Obviously, we didn’t have the outcome we wanted (with the series loss), but yeah, I think this is going to be my game. It’s going to a power-forward-type game, so that’s what I got to bring.”

When Blashill did his homework on his new players coming into the season, he also thought Dach could be that type of player. Dach started camp on a line with Sam Lafferty and Nick Foligno, two players who are locks to make the NHL roster, which was promising.

He was also promoted to play alongside Connor Bedard and Ryan Donato when André Burakovsky was recently injured in practice. He shared a line with Bedard and Lukas Reichel in the preseason game on Tuesday. Dach had two shots on goal, a game-high six hits and played 16 minutes, 21 seconds in Detroit.

It’s unclear exactly where in Blashill’s lineup Dach might start this season, but Blashill is optimistic Dach can play himself into a key role.

“I do think he is a player who can potentially end up being a really good NHL player in different spots in the lineup,” Blashill said earlier in the week. “It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he ended up in a top-six spot, a guy who goes out and helps a couple of other really good players because he’s got enough skill to play with good players.

“Where I think his identity is and where he can separate himself more than anything else is by being a big power forward, by being physical on the forecheck, being hard at the net front, adding some team toughness.”

Blashill also noticed that Dach is willing to fight. Although that part of the game has decreased in the league, it remains a factor. The Blackhawks have a few players, such as Foligno and Connor Murphy, who have fought in the past, but a notable void remains after the departure of Pat Maroon, who fought nine times for the Blackhawks last season.

“It’s an important thing,” Blashill said. “Team toughness matters and makes everyone else on the bench a little bit taller, stand a little more upright. There’s a camaraderie and a swagger that comes for it. Certainly, Dach is a guy who can bring some of that toughness to us when the time is right to look out for each other and look after teammates. That’s one of those selfless things you can do is ultimately fight for a teammate.

“I know Patty, and Patty was a great policeman out there. Just him being on the ice is a deterrent. We don’t necessarily have that deterrent. We’re going to have to look after each other as a group.”

Dach welcomes that, too, even as he’s been in concussion protocol a few times.

“I’ve never been scared to fight,” Dach said. “I’ve never been intimidated by anyone. If it has to happen, it has to happen. That’s part of being a bigger guy, being a stronger physical presence, and my kind of game is bringing that chippiness.”

Dach has looked and felt more comfortable in training camp. Getting his first 25 NHL games under his belt last season was huge. He has also been through two other training camps and is surrounded by more players of his age. He’s noticeably vocal sitting behind Bedard, Frank Nazar and other young forwards in the dressing room.

“I think it does feel different, not just for that reason, but getting some games last year, getting familiar with the guys, getting comfortable with the staff and the trainers, the medical staff, everything, just kind of getting comfortable in this situation and coming to camp and proving to them that I belong,” Dach said. “I think I know I belong, and I’m just going to prove to them I can play a full 82 games and hopefully make the playoffs.”

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