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Max Domi reveals that he has a pre-existing relationships with Auston Matthews, other Leafs

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Ben Hodgson
July 8, 2023 (9:41)

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It's been a long and winding road for Max Domi on his way to playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The son of legendary Leafs tough guy Tie Domi, Max had long desired to play for the team he grew up watching his dad play for. After being drafted by Arizona, his NHL journey has taken him through Montreal, Columbus, Carolina, Chicago and Dallas before finally arriving at what he hopes will be his final destination in Toronto. For Domi, Toronto feels like home, the Leafs; his new found family. Surprisingly, he will be joining a team with a lot of familiar faces, including franchise cornerstone Auston Matthews.

In an appearance on TSN 1050's Overdrive, Domi recounted the story of meeting, and skating with, a teenaged, undrafted Auston Matthews.

Auston actually was still skating around in Arizona, like he wasn't even drafted yet when I was playing for the Yotes. So the first time I actually met him we were doing a fitting way back when. I want to say it was Bauer or Warrior or something. We were just trying some sticks out. Like he was just a young kid. He would come skate out with the boys and he was the best player when he was like 15 or 16 years old or however old he would have been then. He was also one of the biggest guys out there still too. Obviously We've crossed paths over the years, got the same agent now. He's an unbelievable kid. Obviously his talent in hockey speaks for itself and I'm just looking forward to spending some more time with him. - Max Domi

It's hilarious to imagine a baby faced Matthews looking down at a group of NHL players in Arizona. It's even funnier to imagine him being the best player on the ice at such a young age. Matthews truly is a special talent, but he's not the only Leaf Domi has a history with, nor is Matthews the only member of the Leafs that Domi is looking to spend some time with this summer.

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Guys like Mitch, John Tavares, Morgan Rielly is a guy I go way back with as well and I played with McCabe and Lafferty as well in Chicago. It's a lot of familiar faces and I'm really excited to see them all and I'm glad to be on the right side of things. - Max Domi

For those who don't know, Domi and Marner were teammates on an absolutely stacked London Knights team in their junior hockey days. Playing in Chicago for the first half of last season, he is also familiar with both Sam Lafferty and Jake McCabe, both acquired from the Blackhawks at last season's trade deadline. As for Rielly and Tavares, he would most likely know both of them from either off ice events or off season training.

Domi's true worth as a player has been a subject of debate for some time now. He's offensively gifted as a playmaker, his snot, as Brad Treliving so eloquently put it, is obvious. His issues have been on defence and finding consistency. Now, in his home town, surrounded by familiar faces and with every Leafs fan who ever saw his dad play supporting him, we may just see the very best version of Max Domi.

Previously on MapleLeafsDaily

Kyle Dubas signs another former Leaf in Pittsburgh

Jared McCann reveals that he thought that the Leafs were going to protect him in the expansion draft

Five young players re-sign in Toronto on one-year deals

POLL
8 JUILLET \| 35 ANSWERS Max Domi reveals that he has a pre-existing relationships with Auston Matthews, other Leafs Will Max Domi become as beloved in Toronto as his father was?
Yes	12	34.3 %
No way	7	20 %
They're totally different players	14	40 %
Only if he beats up a Flyers fan	2	5.7 %
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