Canadiens Avoid Arbitration, Sign RFA Kirby Dach To New Contract

The Montreal Canadiens have headed off an arbitration hearing with restricted free agent Kirby Dach. The two sides have agreed to a one-year, $3.6 million deal. It's a one-way contract. 

Les Canadiens s'entendent sur les termes d'un contrat d'une saison avec l’attaquant Kirby Dach.

The Canadiens have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with forward Kirby Dach.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/5fz1cEvVZG

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 16, 2026

The Habs had tendered him a $4 million qualifying offer, but because of his limited games played over the last few seasons, the team was eligible to make it a two-way contract offer. That type of agreement allows for a reduced AHL salary if the player is sent down. 

With that, Dach declined and was forced to file for arbitration. That way, he protected himself, guaranteeing a full NHL salary through an arbitrator, or a newly negotiated contract, which is what they arrived at. He agreed to a slight decrease from what was on the table with the QO offer salary, in order to get that guaranteed one-way deal.

Dach has played only 96 games over the last three seasons, far short of the 180 needed in order to be eligible for the standard one-way QO. 

The 25-year-old, 6'4" forward was coming off a four-year deal that paid him $3.36M annually. So he still gets himself a bit of a raise, despite a season in which he had just eight goals and 15 points in 37 games. 

He'll now be an unrestricted free agent next summer, at the age of 26.