Max Domi was (and still is) an excellent acquisition for the Columbus Blue Jackets. That being said, his inaugural season with the team was formative at best and shaky, sometimes downright bad, at worst.
While his stats didn’t always do him justice, I think one of the biggest assets Domi brought to this team is his personality – he seems genuinely happy to be here and truly willing to learn. This was a rough season for everyone on the team, so to single any one player out is unfair (okay, this might be my Max Domi bias speaking) – but let’s take a closer look at the numbers.
Max Domi 2021 Stats
Games Played: 54
Goals: 9
Assists: 15
Points: 24
Plus/Minus: -18
PIM: 75 (not a Lady Byng candidate, methinks)
5v5 CF%: 46.5
5v5 FF%: 46.5
Contract Status
Domi has one season left in his 2-year, $10.6 million deal with the Blue Jackets – after next season, he’ll be a UFA. Despite a rocky year in Central Ohio, Max is either a really good actor or really seems to be finding his fit in Columbus – he SHOULD be played as a center, so hopefully under new coaching and after the team hits the reset button after this season, that’s where we’ll find him next season.
High Point
For me, it’s got to be his game-winning OT goal against the Detroit Red Wings on May 8. After a tough season, this GWG was a sorely-needed morale booster for Domi and fans alike – we have only just barely scratched the surface of his potential with this team, if you ask me; but this moment was an excellent glimpse at what we can expect out of him in the upcoming season.
Low Point
Domi’s lowest point of the season was probably his unwarranted assault on Chicago’s Connor Murphy that resulted in a 14-minute misconduct penalty. Murphy was not interested in or capable of fighting back, and Domi hit him with a few cheap uppercuts while Murphy appeared to be figuring out what was going on.
To me, this was a clear release of frustration from Domi, who appeared unhappy with how he was playing. He recognized this after the game, saying: “You can’t really take a penalty like that, so that’s on me. With that being said, the first one I think he sold it a little bit, so I kind of went at him a little bit and he elbowed me in the head. If you’re going to do that you better answer the bell. I’m not really surprised he didn’t but I gotta find a way to pull back there. It’s not a good play by me, but it’s embarrassing from him, for sure.”
Max Domi is not happy with Connor Murphy pic.twitter.com/BkjXyv1YV5
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) April 13, 2021
I’m going to give Domi a C for the season – perfectly average, with PLENTY of room for improvement. Can’t wait to watch him next season! The sky is the limit.
How would you grade Max Domi’s 2021 season?
| A | 4 |
| B | 9 |
| C | 73 |
| D | 53 |
| F | 3 |