Max Domi: Team Canada’s New Superstar Is All Ours! (Eventually…)
The Arizona Coyotes have a superstar in Max Domi (at least, as far as Team Canada is concerned)
Max Domi is doing all right for himself this season.
With 58 points in 27 games (17G, 41A), Domi is well on his way to an absolutely amazing farewell tour of the OHL. As captain, he’s led his team to third in the Western Conference thirty-four games into the season. They sit behind only the Erie Otters (of that whole McDavid fame) and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds — not a bad place to be.
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Blackhawk Up
Right now, though, Max Domi is off being the ultimate Canadian — he’s on the purported top line for Team Canada as they look to compete for gold at the World Juniors later this month.
Domi is the only member of the London Knights to make the WJC roster for Team Canada, but he’s going to be facing off against his teammate and alternate captain Michael McCarron during the games themselves — McCarron is a part of the US Team. Drafted just thirteen players after Domi in 2013, McCarron will be showing the Montreal Canadiens what their first-rounder is made of, as well. Knights defenseman Julius Bergman rounds out the trio of guys from London who will be missing games to compete in the WJC, as he represents Team Sweden.
All the papers can talk about heading into the games — which begin on Boxing Day at the Bell Center in Ottawa and the Air Canada Center in Toronto — is how exciting Domi has looked alongside, well, whomever he’s put with.
So far, he’s looked best with Sam Reinhart and Anthony Duclair, prospects for the Buffalo Sabres and the New York Rangers, respectively. Now that Curtis Lazar and Connor McDavid have been officially added to the roster, though, he could start playing with one of them — and the chance to see Domi and McDavid on a line almost seems like too much to ask for.
What does this mean for the Coyotes?
It’s nice to watch a prospect do well, but what Domi is showing Arizona fans is that he’s got more than just the offensive talent his dad never had — he’s got the drive to push his team through all sixty minutes.
Sound familiar? Tobias Rieder, meet your new linemate.
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Editor In Leaf
If there’s anything the Coyotes have struggled with consistently across the season (other than, ironically enough, consistency), it’s been offensive opportunity. The Coyotes get outshot constantly, and that’s a problem that has as much to do with scoring chances being created as it does with offensive talent being a little lacking on the roster sheet.
If Domi can score as consistently at the WJC as he has in the OHL, the Coyotes will have a better idea of how well he’ll be able to adjust to playing with the big team; some high scorers in the OHL never really find that scoring ability in the NHL, too. There’s a huge step between the OHL and the AHL, and an even bigger one between the AHL and the NHL — you need to look no farther than Sam Gagner and Alexandre Bolduc for proof.
The WJC boasts the best players under 20 from all the major hockey nations, though — so if Domi can keep up with the McDavids, the Lazars, and the Jack Eichels (who is getting a chance to tear it up on the US Team with McCarron), the likelihood of him bringing that scoring punch to Gila River Arena next season seems that much higher.
Worst case, the Coyotes get Connor this summer, too — and Domi will gain a WJC teammate as a club teammate, too.
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