Paul Bissonnette has strongly criticized fan behavior after Kirby Dach and his partner stepped away from Instagram following online abuse. The backlash came after the Montreal Canadiens lost a tight NHL playoff game to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Dach faced heavy criticism after Montreal’s 3-2 overtime loss in Game 2. He iced the puck under pressure, leading to a defensive-zone faceoff. Moments later, he failed to cover a man, and Tampa capitalized with the winning goal.
The reaction from some fans quickly crossed a line. Reports pointed to direct messages, personal insults, and even threats aimed at Dach and his partner, Jordan Vanderveen. Both later deactivated their Instagram accounts to escape the abuse.
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Speaking on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, Bissonnette did not hold back. He described those targeting players directly as ‘clowns’ and called the behavior unacceptable.
“When you DM guys, that’s you’re a fucking idiot. You’ve got problems,” Bissonnette said. “… and they were DMing his fu**ing girlfriend or fiancée or wife. I don’t know, she had to fu**ing take her social media down… Hey, if you’re listening to this and you’re DMing players, [because] your favorite team got scored on and it’s that guy’s fault, you’re a fu**ing clown.”
Bissonnette also highlighted the pressure players already face in high-stakes moments, and added that shutting down social media in such situations is understandable.
“I felt terrible for him, but that’s the thing, man, the lack of oxygen going to your brain, the panic, the crowds on top of you, and now all of a sudden you’re turning the lines over and you’re playing against the top line when you’re Kirby Dach,” Bissonnette said. “I mean, I would have shut down my social media too.”
Former NHL defenseman Keith Yandle also talked about Dach and said athletes often feel worse than fans after mistakes. So, he said they deserve support instead of attacks.
“So that’s like these guys want to win more than the fans want to win,” Yandle said. “Trust me. And he feels worse than anybody on planet earth. Maybe as an organization or as a human being, give the guy some fu**ing praise, maybe pump his tires a little bit. So if he does get back in the lineup, he plays.”
Montreal coach Martin St. Louis also defended Dach, calling the loss a team responsibility. He urged perspective, noting one play does not define a game.
“It was one play, it was only one play,” St. Louis said. “[Dach] brings physicality. For me, in the last two weeks, he has played with a lot of combativity.”
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While criticism remains part of hockey, direct harassment of Dach is something that NHL analysts have broadly rejected.