Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Thanks to an offensive surge from Max Domi, the Maple Leafs need to decide whether to keep him for the rest of the year or sell high to a contender.
If there’s a bright spot that you can look at over the Maple Leafs’ latest stretch of games, it has to be the play of Max Domi. Not only has he been offensively strong but he’s also been incredibly disciplined and hasn’t been to the penalty box in 11 games.
But it’s his offense that is getting the most attention and frankly should considering that he was brought in a couple years ago to add some versatility and playmaking but hadn’t shown much of that since his debut season.
For whatever reason, be it more opportunities on the ice or being graced with the chance to play with Auston Matthews regularly, he’s been a much better player overall and the stats don’t lie:
Domi has been on fire his last eight games and it’s not only great to see him scoring more consistently but he’s also firing the puck more; an issue that has plagued him for a while.
Max Domi’s surge gives Toronto pause about what to do with him going forward
But his emergence offensively does come with an interesting side note, as he could end up actually being a trade piece if the team decides to retool which is a complete 180 from where he was even a couple of months ago.
If the team decides to hold onto him then they can definitely benefit from him up top with Matthews and at least keep themselves competitive to a degree. He’ll also be a good mentor in the locker room for any young guys coming in and it’s clear he can produce albeit inconsistently.
However if the team really wants to shake up the culture and make serious changes then Domi has to go. It’s not personal but this is a team that needs to get younger, faster, and most of all — cheaper.
That money can be used to bring in a replacement for Morgan Rielly, a true and solidified top-six option for Matthews plus they’ll get back an asset or two they can use in a future deal or actually use during the draft.
Domi’s offensive hot streak should give him a lot more opportunities and if he keeps up this pace then he has certainly gone from expensive veteran to potential key asset.
But a decision regarding his future needs to come soon, and even if the Maple Leafs are on the fence they need to at least put his name out in the ether to see what a potential return could be.
Previously on Hockey Patrol