The recovery journey from reconstructive knee surgery begins with a period of complete immobility. For professional athletes like hockey players, accustomed to constant motion, this phase is exceptionally challenging. Beyond the physical discomfort of wearing a restrictive brace and using crutches, there`s a profound mental struggle knowing that tangible progress in rehabilitation will only become apparent many months after enforced passivity.
At 22, and playing at his peak performance, Kirby Dach`s career was abruptly halted by an injury. In October 2023, during a collision with Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Jared Tinordi, he sustained tears to both the medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments of his right knee. This incident led to an arduous recovery process that he had fervently hoped never to repeat.
Nevertheless, those hopes were shattered on February 22, 2025, in Ottawa, during a game against the Senators.
“I just remember trying to put my foot down after the hit and thinking, `You`ve got to be kidding me,` “
Dach recounted during an 18-minute interview with Sportsnet on Thursday.