In my opinion at least, Max Domi is turning out to be one of the better Free Agent signings for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season.
Yes, I know that isn’t saying much considering some of the Toronto Maple Leafs summer signings we have this season aren’t playing so great or have gone down with convenient injuries. Nevertheless, Max Domi has solidified himself as a versatile Swiss Army Knife in the Toronto lineup.
Although statistically speaking he may be lagging slightly behind his pace from last season, scoring only 3 goals and 22 points this season through 39 games played. Not bad, but also not what many fans expected from Domi considering his passion and connection to the team.
However, this fact should not take away from the positive contributions that Max Domi provides the Leafs with currently as well as with his teams in the past.
Max Domi Getting Hot for the Toronto Maple Leafs
For starters, Max Domi (despite his height) has been known to be a physical and tough player. Sure, he’s not Tie, but he sure does play like his father sometimes. Domi adds an extra, much-needed layer of physicality and grit that the Leafs desperately require throughout regular season games and playoffs alike.
Many fans seem to forget that last season (and even the season prior) he was a sought-after Trade Deadline asset because of his ability to show up when the games matter most. The fact is, many teams know they need Domi’s style of play when it comes to playoff hockey. Domi’s play is almost centered around this.
This was evident when the Dallas Stars acquired Domi as they embarked on their 2023 Stanley Cup Playoff run. Leading into the Playoffs (after being acquired from the Blackhawks), Domi had only registered 2 goals and 7 total points in 20 games played for the Stars.
This led many to believe that the Domi trade may not work out and it would be difficult to fit him in the Stars lineup. Boy, were they wrong about that one. During his Stanley Cup Playoff tenure with Dallas, Domi managed to rack up 13 points in 19 games during the playoffs, ranking him 4th on the Stars in scoring only being eclipsed by Hintz, Robertson (Nick’s Big Brother), and Pavelski respectively.
One other key point is the newfound role that Domi has been given as the team's 3rd line Center. In my opinion, this was a void that needed to be filled and Domi does his job to perfection. While it doesn’t necessarily matter who he is with (he has shown to be able to play with anyone on his line for the most part) Domi seems to have a strong chemistry with Calle Jarnkrok and Nick Robertson. I strongly believe that Domi should be paired with them for the remainder of the season.
This pairing would allow the Leafs and Keefe to slot Pontus Holmberg into the 4C position and pair him with Bobby McMann and Noah Gregor as a make-shift offensive “checking” line.
David Kampf could be offloaded to a team that would want Center depth and is attempting to make one final push into the latter half of the season without breaking the bank. The Arizona Coyotes are a team that comes to mind, possibly even the struggling Penguins (we know that Dubas is familiar with Kampf so this may be an easy sell). Alternatively, Kampf could be a healthy scratch - we know that Keefe isn’t shy to scratch him after all.
Regardless of what happens one thing is for certain, Max Domi has steadily shown glimpses of what he can provide Toronto with come playoff time.
The regular season games matter, but, for a team like Toronto, the important games (the games that matter) begin in April. Let’s hope Domi is a fan of Toronto in the spring. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to share it with a friend! If not, please find me on Twitter (@ShowtimeWagon) and let me know where I went wrong.