Colton Dach was Frank Nazar’s friend and linemate with the Rockford IceHogs, but Dach’s call-up to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday was a surprise.
“I walked in for breakfast. I saw him sitting there at the table,” Nazar said of Dach. “So it was pretty exciting to just see a familiar face. He deserves it, works hard, and I was glad to see him.”
As a matter of fact, the personnel move came as a shock to Dach too.
“It was just surreal,” he said. “Just kind of sitting at home enjoying an off day, I get the phone call.”
And there’s a sweetener for Dach. He’s scheduled to make his NHL debut Friday at the United Center against the Montreal Canadiens — and Dach’s brother, Kirby.
Kirby Dach, the Hawks’ first-round draft pick (No. 3) in 2019, hasn’t played at the United Center since Oct. 14, 2023, when he tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee when now-former Hawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi knocked him into the Hawks bench. Kirby missed the rest of last season, having played only two games.
Kirby stayed in Montreal during the league’s holiday break last week, “but I saw him (Wednesday) night, we had some dinner together and had a good chat,” Colton said. “Our (family is) super excited for this opportunity.”
Colton said their dad, Dale, will be at the Hawks-Canadiens game. Their mom, Hilary, and sister, Callie, are in Europe for Callie’s hockey game.
But don’t expect any roughhousing between the brothers, who grew up in the Edmonton suburb of Fort Saskatchewan and will be facing each other for the first time on an organized-team level and not “just on an outdoor rink.”
“No, I think my mom will want us to keep it family-friendly out there,” Colton said.
As nice as the family reunion is, the Hawks — who also assigned Joey Anderson to Rockford and benched Lukas Reichel on Thursday — desperately need a jolt to their offense after getting outscored 17-5 in the last three games. That includes a humiliating 6-2 loss to the rival St. Louis Blues in Tuesday’s Winter Classic at Wrigley Field.
Colton Dach has racked up 12 goals and 13 assists in 30 games for the IceHogs. He was on a four-game point streak and three-game goal streak when he got the call.
“I’ve been playing really good,” he said. “I liked my game. Just trying to be that energy guy, power forward and play my role.”
Anders Sorensen, who coached Dach in Rockford before taking over as the Hawks interim coach, said Dach has “a lot of jam in his game and he’s good around the walls.”
“He’s a bigger body as well,” Sorensen said, “and he (will be) good around the wall, good around the net, some of those areas we need to score goals in.”
During practice Thursday at Fifth Third Arena, Dach played left wing on the second line with Nazar and Teuvo Teräväinen. He also joined Nazar on the second-unit power play. They hope to rekindle their chemistry during a game.
“He’s really good around the net,” said Nazar, who tried to find Dach in that area. “That was really good in Rockford. He was able to help with creating all his O-zone time. If I was running into some trouble up high, just run it low to him and I know for sure he’s going to get the puck.”
Dach welcomed a chance to play alongside Nazar again — and for Sorensen.
“Any little thing to get me more comfortable is going to help, so playing with him will be nice,” Dach said.
Dach’s arrival gives Sorensen another prospect he coached in Rockford, along with Nazar, Nolan Allan and Louis Crevier.
After the loss to the Blues, Sorensen said the Hawks weren’t winning enough battles, particularly around the net. Dach fits the power-forward profile that’s needed right now.
And he’s up for the challenge.
“I’m going to get hard on the forecheck,” Dach said, “I’m going to use my body to my advantage, try to win as many puck battles as I can, be a pest in front of the net and just create offense where I can.”