Max Domi is prepared to perform above and above for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

This summer, Domi re-signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs to a four-year deal worth $3.75 million per year. In 80 games in the previous season, Domi totaled 47 points with nine goals and 38 assists. Playing with Matthews will be a fantastic opportunity.

Craig Berube, the new head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, will begin his first season in charge. Although it seems clear that Auston Matthews will start at center for the team, will the new coach continue Sheldon Keefe’s highly effective Max Domi/Auston Matthews combo or return to the traditional Marner/Matthews lineup? This summer, Domi re-signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs to a four-year deal worth $3.75 million per year. In 80 games played with the Leafs the previous season, Domi finished with nine goals, 38 assists, and 47 points. He did, however, play a lot of third line time. (Pay cap details sourced from puckpedia.com) (Hockey-reference.com provided all statistics.)

Domi has proven that he can score 20 goals, but he is a pass-first type of player. Playing on a line with Matthews would offer Domi many opportunities to pick up an assist, even more so if Nylander is on the same line. The 29-year-old Domi could also find himself on the receiving end of some great setups by those two linemates. The chance to play with Matthews will be an incredible opportunity for Domi. Matthews would be the highest-skilled player that Domi has ever played on a line with. The chances of having a career year are very high. Trying to top the 28 goals and 44 assists for 72 points he registered with the Montreal Canadiens during the 2018-19 season won’t be easy, but playing with Matthews gives him a great chance to do so.

Anticipations for Max Domi If Domi is going to spend the majority of the season playing alongside Matthews, then great expectations are in store for him. He has a good chance of scoring twenty to twenty-five goals and grabbing fifty or more assists. It’s a gain for the Leafs to have a player who can score 70–80 points on a contract that costs less than $4 million.

Although those numbers seem improbable at the moment, I think Domi and the Leafs would benefit more by re-signing him. Domi scored at an amazing 3.77 points per 60 minutes of 5v5 ice time last year in 209 minutes alongside Matthews. That’s a scoring pace akin to Connor McDavid’s, and while Domi isn’t going to score at that level for 82 games, anything approaching it would provide the team with a remarkably wide range of scoring alternatives. It will be entertaining to witness a top six group that includes Matthews, Nylander, Domi, John Tavares, Marner, and Knies. If Tavares gets hurt and Domi needs to step in as the second-line center, that’s the only way I can see Domi leaving the starting lineup.

I look forward to seeing what Domi will do this season, especially if he’s playing on the top line with some of the best players in the league.