World Juniors Bound: Colton Dach
As we count down to the start of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, we’re featuring each of the 11 WHL players set to represent Canada at the event.
We continue our series with Kelowna Rockets captain Colton Dach.
Colton Dach has been waiting for his World Juniors moment for a long time.
The Kelowna Rockets captain is one of 11 current and former WHL players named to the Canadian team for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, with this year’s tournament in the Maritimes serving as an opportunity for the 19-year-old to continue carving out his identity, too.
This year’s World Juniors will serve as Dach’s first opportunity to represent Canada internationally.
His older brother, Kirby, was set to captain the Canadian squad two years ago before suffering an injury in a pre-tournament game.
But the younger sibling says Kirby, now a forward with the Montreal Canadiens, has been a valuable resource in the lead-up to this year’s tournament.
“He always tells me, whether it’s in Chicago or any other camps before, just to go and play my game,” Dach recently told TSN.
“He believes in my game, and I believe in myself as well.”
Colton Dach on Team 🇨🇦 spot:
"It's just resiliency. I've had some injuries & never really gone through adversity like that before so I'm pretty proud of myself for staying mentally strong"@Kelowna_Rockets captain leaned on big bro Kirby through it all https://t.co/QPvFqaBOak
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) December 15, 2022
The Chicago Blackhawks believe in Colton, too, selecting him in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft and giving the younger Dach a long look through training camp this past fall before ultimately re-assigning him to Kelowna.
Limited to just 14 games with the Rockets this season, Dach has still managed to put up nine goals and 17 points after a 79-point campaign in the Okanagan a season ago.
Colton Dach puts it on a platter for Andrew Cristall, and the @Kelowna_Rockets are within two!@NHLBlackhawks | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/BrLAavC9lz
— The WHL (@TheWHL) October 15, 2022
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound centre admits there were plenty of nerves as this year’s Canadian roster was finalized, but now that opportunity presents itself, Dach wants to make the most of it.
“I came in here wanting to show that I can be a power forward but I also have that skill in tight,” Dach told TSN.
“I’m going to go out there and show them I can play a 200-foot game.”
📽️ HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT 📽️
Colton Dach's "stick-through-itiveness" is on display here.@Kelowna_Rockets | @NHLBlackhawks | #WHLHoN pic.twitter.com/w1YoNZpgNR
— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 22, 2022
Dach’s 20th birthday falls on January 4, the day of the semi-finals and one day before the gold-medal game in Halifax.
A second consecutive championship for Canada might just be the present he’s asking for this year.
Loading ...