Max Domi Shines At 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship

The 2015 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship wrapped up last night with Canada taking home the gold medal against Russia. With the names Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel headlining the tournament, Arizona Coyotes’ first-round pick from the 2013 draft Max Domi stole the show.

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Domi finished the tournament with 10 points, five goals and five assists to help Canada win gold. In the gold medal game itself, Domi had a goal and two assists. His three point night led Canada to victory. At the end of the gold medal game, the crowd at the Toronto Air Canada Centre recognized Domi’s stellar efforts with chants of “Domi, Domi”. In addition to winning the crowd and a gold medal, Domi also took home the Top Forward of the Tournament award.

Domi is a playmaker, and he showed it against the world’s best in the junior class. He has the ability to make something out of nothing in the offensive zone with his skating, puck handling, passing and shooting abilities. Basically, he has a nose for the net.

He’s still only 19 and has been playing in the OHL since the 2011-12 season. He has very little, if anything left to prove in the OHL, but because he is under the age of 20, he is unable to play in the AHL and test his abilities against a higher skill level of players.

"When asked about Domi, Coyotes’ General Manager Don Maloney told Pro Hockey Talk, “Domi’s not going to be a bottom-line player for us, We need him to be a top-six forward.We have lots of guys that can play the third or fourth line. Our problem is top one or two line guys, and that’s where we see Max in the future.”"

He didn’t make the team coming out of training camp before the start of the season, but it’s hard to imagine that his NHL debut is far off. His performance at the WJC is a great sign for the Coyotes. This is the exact type of player that the Coyotes need as they search for stability on offense.

When he is ready for the NHL, Domi will be an exciting player to watch and a key piece to the Coyotes’ on ice future.