Max Domi shares funny inside joke from his family when asked about joining the Leafs as a UFA
When the Leafs signed Max Domi to a 1-year deal worth $3M deal on July 2nd, it felt, both to Domi and to the fanbase, as a homecoming of sorts. While Domi was actually born in Winnipeg, MB, he was raised in Toronto and he and his family still live there, so to have received a contract offer from Brad Treliving was a special moment for Max and he entire Domi family.
Domi joined TSN 1050's OverDrive on Friday to discuss his homecoming, among other items, and one thing that came up early in the conversation was a running joke that he has with his family - one that is a lot more special now that he'll be playing at home.
"Yeah, I mean, they always say the same joke - 'now we can stop pretending that we're fans of all these other teams because you're finally back home'", Domi said with a chuckle. "They're all excited to have me home and I'm excited to be home."
Domi and his family have had to fake their allegiance to other teams for 8 seasons now, starting with the Arizona Coyotes, where he was drafted 12th overall back in 2013. His career has also seen him make stops in Montreal, Columbus, Carolina, Chicago and Dallas.
The importance of the opportunity is not lost on Domi, as he has long been hoping for a chance to don the blue and white at some point in his career. He spoke of the opportunity on Friday and shared just how much anticipation there is on his part to be able to pull that Leafs jersey over his head on opening night.
"Just to come here and to wear that jersey and have a chance to help this team win a Stanley Cup is something that I'll be thinking about every single night from here until opening night for sure. It's been something in the back of my mind for a long, long time and haven't had the opportunity to do it up until this year and when that opportunity came through, it was a no-brainer for me."
Aside from the significance of being able to play where his dad for most of his career and right up until he retired, Domi will have a chance to do something his dad never could as a Leaf - win a Stanley Cup. It's no easy feat, to be sure, but Domi is fully embracing the opportunity to do something special in Toronto in front of his family and friends.
Domi is among 4 new players brought in to help the Leafs this summer, with Ryan Reaves, John Klingberg and Tyler Bertuzzi rounding out the group of UFA signings this week.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 8 | 298 ANSWERS Max Domi shares funny inside joke from his family when asked about joining the Leafs as a UFA Do you believe that Max Domi will remain a Leaf beyond this season? | ||
| Yes | 249 | 83.6 % |
| No | 49 | 16.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
