Despite his slow start to the season, Domi panned out to be a reliable forward option for the Maple Leafs down the stretch.
Now officially into the offseason, the hockey world ponders when discussing the summer plans of the Toronto Maple Leafs. With movement within the ‘core four’ seeming to be inevitable, the club also has a long list of pending free agents that will need their attention as well. Most notably, forward Max Domi, who signed a 1-year $3 million ‘prove it’ deal back in July of 2023, is set to hit free agency again.
Would he be open to re-signing in Toronto?
“Do I want to come back? Absolutely,” Domi said enthusiastically. “I think this team has everything it takes to do something special and I would love to help them do that.”
The 5-foot-10 gritty forward got off to a slow start in the blue and white – struggling to find his role in the lineup. From shifting around on the wing in the bottom six to playing center up and down the lineup, Domi didn’t start to take off until the second half of the season – not scoring his first goal until December 2nd.
As he showed to be a distributor and pass-first player, things started to click over the past two months when his chemistry with superstar Auston Matthews began to take off after Mitch Marner suffered an injury late in the season.
Despite his struggles, Domi amounted to 9 goals and 39 assists – good enough for 47 points in 80 games. Like his father, Maple Leafs legend Tie Domi (who spent 12 seasons with the team), Max led the team in penalty minutes with 118 in total, but he certainly won over the fanbase in the latter half of the season.
Is the feeling mutual – has Domi enjoyed his time in Toronto?
“Playing in Toronto was always a goal of mine and something that I enjoyed every second of it and didn’t take it for granted, that’s for sure,” said Domi. “It’s something I’ve dreamed of my whole life. There’s nothing like playing in the NHL other than playing for the Maple Leafs. You can’t beat it, especially growing up in Toronto.”
Domi amounted to four points (1G, 3A) in seven games against the Boston Bruins in the Maple Leafs’ opening-round series paired with an impressive 67.5% faceoff win percentage. With his focus shifting to the offseason, the question is what around the type of deal is Domi seeking?
It’s believed that he is looking for stability on his next pact with the Leafs or another one of the 31 NHL teams. Since he entered the league back in 2013, Domi has played for seven different teams – and four in the last four years.
“That’s obviously beyond my control so I leave that up to my agent and management here and go from there,” Domi said. “All that stuff is over my head so whatever happens is out of my control. I’ll let my agent take over from there and see what happens.”
The Leafs only have approximately $19.38 million to spend on approximately eight players according to Puckpedia.com, but a longer deal for less money would work in the club’s favor – if they desire to re-sign the forward. Given the term could be the X-factor in striking a deal, the Leafs could risk offering $3-4 million over a few years.
Domi brings a tenacious presence with skillful playmaking abilities as a reliable faceoff man. As an unrestricted free agent, Domi can bring these talents wherever he pleases when July 1 comes around. Only time will tell, but Domi seems to believe that there is unfinished business in Toronto.
“The only thing we’re all concerned about is winning,” he said. “I know I keep talking about it but that’s really all we care about in this locker room is just finding a way to win.”
