NEWSLETTER
Colton Dach was having an impressive camp at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase a few weeks ago before the 19-year-old left suffered a concussion that ended his prospect showcase and kept him in a non-contact jersey for the first week of training camp.
“I wanted to have a good summer, and I came in here feeling fresh and trying to make this team, that’s my end goal, is to play in the NHL. So, I wanted to come in here and showcase myself. So, this was a little bit of a setback.”
Dach told me this morning that he was wearing the standard red jersey for non-game group practice at the United Center this afternoon, shedding the white non-contact jersey he has sported since returning from the concussion at the prospect showcase.
As for whether or not Dach will get into a game before this preseason, Luke Richardson says that he wants to see how he reacts to practicing with no restrictions today:
“I think he’s progressing. But that’s still one of those funny things. Everybody reacts differently. So, we have to see day by day,” Richardson said after today’s morning skate at the United Center. “I think they’re pushing and ramping them up every day. So, we’re going to see how his body reacts tomorrow after having a little bit heavier load today.
“I’d love to see him in a game. And I think he’s a young guy that can shoot the puck and has some offensive talent. So, it would be a great time to see him in an exhibition game, but obviously he hasn’t played in a while too. So, we’d have to factor that in the equation. There’d be a little rust on there too if he does.”
Dach said that after delivering a hit in the second period of the first of two games with Minnesota that weekend that he had a headache that didn’t go away, and when he alerted the training staff during the intermission, they put him into the concussion protocol.
“I kind of just hit someone and came back to the bench and had a little headache and went to the intermission, and it didn’t go away, so I talked to the trainers and went and did some tests, and they pulled me out of the game.”
Dach said that he had a concussion a few years back, but “it was nowhere near” what he experienced with this latest concussion.
Dach said that he was dealing with symptoms that included headaches, pain, and dizziness in the early days of the injury, but says that he’s feeling better now and looking forward to getting back up to speed at camp.
