Arizona Coyotes: Max Domi Piling Up Points Without Scoring Goals
Max Domi leads the Arizona Coyotes in points though he’s scored just one goal this season.
The struggles of the Arizona Coyotes Killer D’s are well chronicled.
Max Domi and Anthony Duclair have combined for just two goals between them through fourteen games.
Duclair has problems which may run deeper than a little slump, but Domi has found a way to be useful without finding the back of the net.
The sophomore sensation has managed to put up 11 points this season despite a 3.4% shooting percentage.
He’s contributed by performing as a facilitator instead of a finisher.
Even with the lack of goals scored, Domi is on pace for more than 60 points this season. And it’s a pretty safe assumption that his shooting percentage is going to move upwards at least a little bit which should help his quest for that goal.
Unlike his buddy Duke, Max Domi with a league average shooting percentage would be a great thing for the Arizona Coyotes and a scary thing for opponents.
Based on his numbers last season and what he’s shown so far this season, Domi may spend his NHL career as a winger who facilitates like a center.
His point totals may echo players like Ray Whitney and the early career totals of Patrick Kane.
Those players spent most of their careers flirting with 20 goals or so per season and put up healthy assist totals to hang in the 60 point range. If that’s the outlook in the future for Max Domi, that’s a ceiling I’m sure the Arizona Coyotes can live with.
There’s no saying that he can’t find his goal-scoring touch as he grows, as well.
Domi reaching the 60-point plateau on such an anemic offensive team would be quite the milestone. The last time Arizona had a 60+ point scorer was in 2011-12 when Radim Vrbata (62) and Ray Whitney (77) both surpassed that mark.
It’s hard to gauge just how bad Arizona might be without him.
Add in Radim Vrbata and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and without those three the Coyotes wouldn’t even have an offensive attack to speak of.
They can’t rely on the high shooting percentages of Jordan Martinook and Brad Richardson forever.
Max Domi may not be scoring goals, but he’s one of the few faces in the Yotes lineup that’s still creating them.
Next: Anthony Duclair's Struggles Are Cause For Concern
With nothing else going right, and little else to cheer for, the potential second coming of Ray Whitney doesn’t sound so bad.
At least one of the Killer D’s is still delivering.