When the Toronto Maple Leafs’ offseason kicked off, speculation swirled around whether or not the team was going to hold on to depth players like Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi. While it went back and forth heading into free agency, the Maple Leafs quickly re-upped Domi to a four-year, $15-million contract and saw Bertuzzi skip town for the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Maple Leafs got a lot from Domi in his first season with the team. Sometimes sporadic with his offensive output in 2023-24, he still finished the year with nine goals and 47 points in 80 games during the regular season.
Say what you will about his numbers, but Domi’s production did provide the Maple Leafs with enough to want him back on an extended term. Now, however, with his future locked in — at least for now — the question becomes how he’ll respond heading into his second season with the Maple Leafs.
Domi Tends to Respond Following Signings
Over his career, Domi has signed five contracts — including this one — outside of his entry-level deal. And, for the most part, he’s responded with some of his best hockey from an offensive standpoint.
In 2018, as a 23-year-old, Domi signed a two-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens. He responded with a career-year in which he tallied 28 goals and 72 points in 82 games in the first year of that contract.
Following that deal, he signed another two-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets that kicked in for the 2020-21 season. With the team taken into consideration, as they were non-competitive when it came to the postseason, he had nine goals and 24 points in just 54 games.
Outside of that, he’s had two one-year deals since his stint with the Blue Jackets. He spent 2022-23 with the Blackhawks on a one-year deal where he was traded to the Dallas Stars late in the season. He finished the year with 20 goals and 56 points. Finally, his deal with the Maple Leafs landed him another 40-point campaign, obviously finishing with 47 on the year.
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Simply put, when he’s signed a new deal, Domi has responded with offensive production — outside of his two years with the Blue Jackets. So the Maple Leafs and their fans have to be salivating at the thought of him getting comfortable in Toronto.
Domi’s Offseason Points to Strong Offensive Season in 2024-25
As for what Domi has been doing to prepare for the upcoming season, well, there’s really no limit to what he’s taken part in this offseason. From dryland workouts to boxing, Domi has made it public on his social media accounts that he’s getting ready for another big year following a contract extension.
His latest post has him ‘locked in’ as he describes it with videos of him doing a number of different workouts as he continues to get himself ready for the upcoming season. But it’s not his individual success that Domi is focused on for 2024-25.
“The only thing we’re all concerned about is winning,” he said about the team’s aspirations. “I know I keep talking about it but tha’ts really all we care about in this locker room is just finding a way to win.”
To win, the Maple Leafs will need Domi at his best with a little more lacking in the team’s depth up front. While he isn’t set on focusing on his individual success, numbers don’t lie. Fresh off his new four-year deal, Domi should come out flying for the 2024-25 season.