Domi says Habs have ‘pieces’ to win
Playmaking winger hopes to regain his rookie scoring touch after two poor seasons
TORONTO — The Montreal Canadiens scored the third-least amount of goals last season and finished fourth from the bottom in the league’s standings.
But recently-acquired winger Max Domi is hopeful next year’s team can find the back of the net with greater frequency, especially if he can have a bounceback campaign of his own.
“I think, as a group, we’re going to have to all just be better and up our game a little bit,” he said in a phone interview last week while in Toronto for DSkate, a hockey camp for kids with Type 1 diabetes.
“It’s going to be tough. But, obviously, no doubt in my mind that we can do it. And, I mean, when you’ve got a goalie like Carey Price, guys like Shea Weber, (Max) Pacioretty, (Brendan) Gallagher, Jonathan Drouin, the list goes on of all these outstanding hockey players, you have the pieces it takes to win and it’s just a matter of making it all work. I’m excited to fit in whatever way I’m asked to and make it work, so it’s going to be a great year.”
Besides acquiring Domi in a deal with the Arizona Coyotes for fellow young forward Alex Galchenyuk — and re-signing him to a two-year, US$6.3-million contract — the Habs have had a relatively quiet off-season.
They brought back longtime Canadiens forward and 35-yearold free agent centre Tomas Plekanec. They re-signed Phillip Danault and Joel Armia — who was picked up with two draft picks from the Winnipeg Jets in
exchange for taking on Steve Mason — and also selected Jesperi Kotkaniemi with the No. 3 overall pick at the NHL Draft.
Trading for the 23-year-old Domi was Montreal’s biggest splash, and the Canadiens will be counting on him to help solve some of team’s goal-scoring woes.
The playmaking winger broke onto the NHL scene with an 18goal, 52-point rookie season, but fractured a bone in his hand during a fight in his sophomore year, finishing with nine goals and 38 points in 59 games.
Domi is coming off a second straight disappointing year with nine goals — including four empty-netters — and 45 points last season. He insists he doesn’t have to change his playmaking style for more goals and isn’t focusing on any personal milestones.
“I think we all have the same goals and that’s to win hockey games. I mean, the rest takes care of itself,” he said.
“It’s not easy to do in the NHL. It’s a tough league — it’s the hardest league in the world — and we’re going to have to come together as a group, so that’s what it’s going to come down to and we’re excited for the challenge.”
The Canadiens will also be hoping for a return to form from veteran stars such as Pacioretty, who failed to score 30 goals for the first time since the lockoutshortened 2012-2013 season; as well as Price, who was plagued by injuries. Weber is expected to be out until December following surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
Montreal faces stiff competition
in the Atlantic Division, which features the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning, as well as the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, the latter for which he grew up rooting for as the son of the club’s longtime enforcer, Tie Domi.
Despite his family’s links to Toronto, he said his father won’t have any trouble changing allegiances.
“That’s a no-brainer, he’s going to cheer for me no matter what. I don’t think it really matters where he played,” said Domi.
“I think all we’re really focused on now is finding ways to make this team a Stanley Cup winner again. And we’ve got the pieces to do it. And I’m really excited about that, so lot of work ahead of ourselves. But it’s going to be a fun year.”