A new addition to the Montreal Canadiens is looking to carve out his own identity this upcoming season.
With the Canadiens looking to change the dynamics of their team and bring in some new faces, one of the off-season moves the team made was the acquisition of forward Max Domi from the Arizona Coyotes.
To add Domi to the Bleu, Blanc, Rouge, the Habs parted ways with 2012 first round draft choice Alex Galchenyuk. The deal was completed exactly one year after the Mikhail Sergachev for Jonathan Drouin trade.
For Max Domi, son of the former Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Tie Domi, he is quite enthusiastic about joining the Canadiens and starting the next chapter of his professional career in Montreal.
Keeping with his off-season routine, Domi explained that he was training when he was informed of the trade.
“It was after a long day, but it was an exciting time,” Domi said. “When I found out about the trade I had a lot of good things going through my head. I mean the Montreal Canadiens are the most historic franchise in not just hockey, but all of sports. It is really a huge thrill for me and it is something I’m really looking forward to.”
Down the middle of the ice, the Canadiens have Philip Danault penciled in and have brought back veteran centre Tomas Plekanec. However, the team is still looking to upgrade their centre position, until their current group of prospects are ready to contribute. If the Canadiens, decide they need Domi to play some minutes at centre, he is open to the idea.
“Wherever I’m told to play, I will play,” Domi said.
Domi spent some time at the team’s practice facilities in Brossard, QC recently and began to get acclimated with some members of the team, along with the city itself. Overall, Domi had great first impressions from his summer visit.
“Montreal is a first class city. All of the people I came in contact with were great,” Domi said. “Really it was a lot of fun. I was only able to stay for a day, but it was nice to begin to put some faces with the names, to make it easier when I return. Overall, I’m really excited to get started.”
With the current group of players and Carey Price in net, Domi is confident that the Canadiens have a great nucleus to build from.
“It is a great group,” Domi said. “They are all awesome guys and they are some fantastic hockey players. There is no doubt in my mind that it is going to be a fun year.”
When Domi takes the ice for the Canadiens this year, he will be wearing number 13 to honour his favourite player growing up Mats Sundin.
“He was a player that I looked up to growing up,” Domi said. “Mats Sundin was the captain of the team my dad played for. I always admired the way he carried himself, the work ethic that he had. Really those are just a couple of the things that really stick out for me.”
As summer winds down, hockey season is quickly approaching with training camp for the Canadiens set to begin in early September.
