Trade implications:Domi is known as a playmaker who makes those around him better. In two years with Montreal, the 5-10, 192-pound center had 45 goals and 116 points in 153 games, including career highs of 28 goals and 72 points in 2018-19 with the Canadiens as well as a 17-27-44 line in 71 games last season. He is expected to slot into the lineup as the team's No. 2 center, filling a need for Columbus up the middle. In all, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2013 draft has an 81-170-251 line in 375 NHL games; over the past two seasons, the Canadiens have 52.9 percent of expected goals with Domi on the ice at 5-on-5 per Natural Stat Trick, showing an edge in shot quantity and quality when the center is on the ice. He is a restricted free agent and must come to a contract agreement with Columbus ahead of next season.
London calling: The Blue Jackets' connection with the OHL's London Knights continues, and it's not just because CBJ assistant general manager Basil McRae is part owner of the franchise. Domi was one of the Knights' top standouts in recent years, playing four seasons for the franchise from 2012-15 and totaling 331 points in 224 games. He was also the team captain his final year. Ironically enough, he was traded for a fellow Knight and former London teammate in Anderson, but he'll join Scott Harrington, Liam Foudy and Rick Nash as other former Knights in Columbus.
NHL bloodlines: Domi grew up around the game, as his father, Tie, spent 16 seasons in the NHL from 1990-2006. In that span, Tie Domi compiled 3,515 penalty minutes in his career, the third most in leauge history. The last 11 of those seasons were with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Domi has great memories of his younger days when Tie was suiting up for the historic franchise. "I didn't realize how cool it was at the time,"
Max wrote in The Players Tribune
. "I didn't realize that growing up around professional hockey players was every Canadian boy's dream. To me, it was just normal. As a kid, my dad, Tie Domi, would bring me to the rink when he practiced. And that's where I fell in love with the game." Max Domi joins Nick Foligno on the team in being the son of a longtime NHLer, as Foligno's father Mike had a 15-year career.
Battling diabetes:Domi has been open about being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, something he's fought through since he was 12 years old. Former Philadelphia Flyers star Bobby Clarke, a fellow diabetic, is one of Domi's hockey heroes as a result. Domi, who also battles Celiac disease, must check his blood sugar levels during and after each period, he wrote in The Players Tribune.
Domi's book
, No Days Off: My Life with Type 1 Diabetes and Journey to the NHL, was published in October 2019 and was written with an eye on inspiring youngsters with diabetes to reach their dreams, with proceeds going to JRDF to help combat the disease.
Meet Orion:Domi also has a
diabetic alert dog named Orion
, a yellow lab who is trained to detect when Domi's blood sugar level is out of normal range. Orion also will wake Domi up during the night if his blood sugar level gets too high or low. Meet Orion and see inside Domi's Montreal digs in this video put together by the Canadiens.
Watch: Youtube Video
