Montreal Canadiens: Max Domi to Participate in Return to Play
By Emmanuel D
On Monday morning, Max Domi was seen practicing at the Montreal Canadiens training complex in Brossard alongside his fellow teammates for the first time two weeks into training camp.
Max Domi was given an extra 7-10 days to decide on whether or not he will participate in the NHL’s Return to Play plan and join the Montreal Canadiens during their play-in series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The reason for this is due to Max Domi having Type-1 Diabetes and Celiac disease, putting him at a higher risk of danger if he were to contract the novel coronavirus.
Barring any last-minute changes, the Montreal Canadiens having Max Domi back in the lineup is a nice advantage given the tough matchup they will be facing in the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, there will be some catching up to do as Domi missed the first week of training camp whilst making his decision to return to the ice.
Montreal Canadiens Ryan Poehling gave his thoughts regarding Max Domi returning to play with being the priority, a sentiment many share with him.
#Habs Poehling on Domi joining the team: “He had a lot to figure out and he did... everyone’s pretty fired up about (Domi here).”
— John Lu (@JohnLuTSNWpg) July 20, 2020
Now that a decision has been made (pending an official announcement from the team), the Montreal Canadiens coaching staff can look towards how they intend on integrating Domi back into the lineup. One question that remains is whether Domi will play at centre or on the wing. With Jesperi Kotkaniemi now healthy back with the team, the decision becomes an even tougher one to make.
During his first practice back, Domi centred a line consisting of Laurent Dauphin and Alex Belzile. He also practiced on the second power-play unit on the right-wing, a line centred by Joel Armia and Jordan Weal on the left-wing.
Domi concluded the cancelled regular 2019-20 regular season with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists). If Domi does, in fact, play, he will be looking to prove himself to the Montreal Canadiens management as he will eligible to become a restricted free agent when hockey comes to a close.
Safety will be of the utmost priority when it comes to Max Domi’s return to play, as mentioned by Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien.
Claude Julien said that if ever something happened that would put Max Domi at risk, there's a possibility he could step away.
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) July 20, 2020
Given Domi’s underlying conditions, if he were exposed to any sort of risk related to the novel coronavirus, he can step away from play. Max Domi will meet Claude Julien prior to talking to the media on Tuesday.