The 2024-25 season didn’t likely go as Max Domi would have liked. Or the Leafs would have liked. And while Domi isn’t completely free of blame as his decision making abilities were a regular part of his woes, Craig Berube and Brad Treliving continuing to rely on Domi at centre was the primary issue.
Domi’s 14 point drop also was a bit of a quality of linemate issue. Domi isn’t much of an offensive elevator and needs more of a symbiotic relationship with other offensive producers to get things done. When Domi and Nick Robertson were clicking at the same time, they looked fine together, but Max’s best hockey as a Leaf has been when he was gifted a spot on Auston Matthews’ wing during the final stretch of the 2023-24 season. With Mitch Marner no longer an option, it would be nice to believe he is capable of being that player again.
The Goal: Earn a spot on Auston Matthews’ wing
There is a very good chance that Domi will find himself on Matthews’ wing based on the low bar of merit. Technically, Domi is still the better offensive and playmaking option than Matias Maccelli even if there is more reason to be excited about Maccelli’s potential in that role than Domi’s.
There is also the possibility that William Nylander will take up residency on the top line but will all signs pointing to the Leafs seeking balance in their lineup card and the success that Nylander and Tavares enjoyed last season still fresh in Berube’s head, you can make a strong case that the right wing spot next to Matthews is Domi’s to lose.
That said, a 33 point winger who is a defensive zone liability hasn’t exactly earned that top spot and while Domi recreating his 72 point season from 2018-19 is a longshot, this does represent the best opportunity in Domi’s career to regularly play with this level of proven talent and his 20 goal/56 point season from 2022-23 should be attainable and possibly exceeded.
Domi put up those numbers on a destined-for-Connor Bedard Blackhawks team. He was the top scorer despite only playing 60 games for the club. And it once again shows that when he is put in the right situation Domi can thrive. All signs point to this being the right situation and whether you believe he deserves this opportunity or not, there is some optimism for what he can do with it.
The Expectation: Max Domi consistently contributes from the wing
Whether it is on Matthews’ wing, Tavares’ wing, or Roy’s wing, the goal should be to keep Domi on wing as much as possible. If there is an injury to a centre, bumping the remaining centres up the depth chart and going with Steven Lorentz, David Kampf or Jacob Quillan as the fourth line centre hold more appeal than putting Domi back in the middle, although having him take some key faceoffs might be still worthwhile.
The point is, Domi needs to be on the wing.
Domi on the wing negates a lot of the defensive blackhole issues that come with putting him in the middle. At least three of the four current centres can easily be described as defensively responsible and placing Domi on the wing of one of them shouldn’t be too much of a burden.
And whether it is a good or a bad year production wise for Domi, he has at least shown to produce at the level of a third line winger in that capacity. If he is able to deploy some of his agitating traits before the whistle blows and to the borderline of the rules but not over, Domi starts looking a versatile option that the Leafs should be proud to have in their top nine. (Maybe that is more of a goal than an expectation.)
What is absolutely an expectation is that Domi doesn’t go 16 consecutive games without a point again or have two 20+ game goalless stretches. Consistency needs to be a part of Domi’s game as there just isn’t that much to his game without offence.
Being on the wing will certainly help that and it’s not a coincidence that most of Domi’s struggles overlapped Matthews’ absence from the Leafs lineup and Toronto was forced to rely more heavily on Domi in a second line centre role.