Arizona Coyotes 2015-16 Player Grades: Max Domi

With the Arizona Coyotes 2015-16 season complete, it’s time to dive into each player’s performance and make a final tally on how they fared this season.

In one of the most anticipated debuts from the Arizona Coyotes deep prospect pool, Max Domi did not disappoint in his freshman season in Glendale.

He scored. He set-up teammates. He grew into a penalty killer. He dropped the gloves.

It would be easier to make a list of ways in which Domi did not contribute to the franchise in year one.

Domi scored 18 goals, tied for the team lead in assists with 34, and finished second on the team in points with 52 on the season.

His impact wasn’t quite on the level of a player like Connor McDavid, but he was within shouting distance of Oliver Ekman-Larsson for the best player on the roster by the end of the season.

Nothing demonstrates his growth more than his deployment on the penalty kill in the final weeks of the season.

His effort and tenacity was rewarded with Dave Tippett’s trust, and he performed well enough in those spots to suggest he might prove a dynamic counter-threat on the penalty kill next season.

While he’s not quite a finished product, Domi’s game more closely resembles a player like Patrick Kane than a pure sniper from the wing.

Domi can put the puck in the net, no doubt, but he thrives as a playmaker who creates chances for his teammates and occasionally chips in his own contributions.

His lack of selfishness was displayed most prominently when passing up a sure goal to set-up Shane Doan for his franchise record breaking 380th goal.

#16’s season wasn’t entirely sunshine and roses, however. He did display a bit of a temper in retaliation for some hits landed by opponents which earned him a suspension in one scenario.

Some fans enjoyed the vim and vigor, other critics felt Domi had crossed the line. Regardless, the youngster must become more calculated in order to avoid painting a target on his own back.

There are other areas of concern for Domi.

The team performed worse in Corsi For percentage with him on the ice. He wasn’t particularly adept at keeping the team from pummeling his own net either.

That is weighed against the fact that Max Domi was statistically a top-line winger in every offensive category and will hopefully improve in possession as he grows.

In 2015-16, Max Domi emerged from a pack of NHL veterans as a beacon in the Arizona sports landscape.

It seems clear that, barring another prospect like Dylan Strome taking up the mantle, Domi will be positioned as the face of the franchise once Shane Doan decides to hang up his skates.

Next: Is OEL The Next Captain Coyote?

That’s not to say he’s Doan’s direct replacement as captain, that is likely Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

It’s more related to his openness and comfort in the spotlight which is not a trait that OEL shares.