It is quite possible that Max Domi has played his final game as a member of the Montreal Canadiens; with this in mind, a deal built around Domi and Nikolaj Ehlers could benefit everyone involved.
Before we dive into player comparisons and other pieces that could be part of a trade between the Canadiens and the Jets, it is important to take a look at why Max Domi may have one foot out the door of Montreal already.
Domi excels when playing down the middle; he is far more effective at centre than he is on the wing, as his 72-point campaign a year ago demonstrated. And Domi is a top-6 forward, a third-line role does not suit his skillset; while he is dynamic offensively, he is far from the best two-way centre in the game. In short, Domi is at his best when centring an offensively-geared top-6 line.
This is a role he was given in Montreal in 2018-19 when Jonathan Drouin and Andrew Shaw were his most regular wingers, and Max Domi thrived, scoring 28 goals and 72 points; the highest point-total by a Hab since 2007-08 when Alexei Kovalev had 84. So when placed in the right situation, Domi can produce.
However, with the emergence of Nick Suzuki throughout the 2019-20 season and of Jesperi Kotkaniemi in the postseason, even Phillip Danault, who was a shoo-in at 1C for the Habs for three seasons, got bumped down to the third line as the postseason progressed. While Danault is tailor-made for a 3rd-line role with a heap of penalty-killing minutes and some time on the Power Play, Domi is not, making him the odd man out. Furthermore, Domi is also an RFA this offseason and could demand a hefty contract, which Montreal may not be willing to pay.