The Carolina Hurricanes have acquired forward Max Domi via a three-way trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Florida Panthers. Full details are yet to be disclosed but the Blue Jackets have received defenceman Aidan Hreschuk as part of the deal.
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Blue Jackets Forward Max Domi Traded To Carolina Hurricanes
Domi was acquired by the Blue Jackets from the Montreal Canadiens on October 6, 2020. Columbus sent Josh Anderson to Montreal in exchange for Domi and a third-round pick in the 2020 Draft. In the short term, the trade ended up looking quite balanced but the fortunes of both players were poles apart. Anderson played 52 games and Domi, 54, but they had the same amount of points, 24 each. However, the biggest difference is that Anderson finished his season in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2021, only two games away from hoisting the Cup.
The issue for Columbus is they expected Domi to play big minutes and take a spot in their top six. However, that’s not exactly what happened. Coming from multiple injuries throughout his career, Domi has only passed the 50-point mark twice as a result. His career-high was a 72-point season in 2018-19 with Montreal but since then he has failed to reach 50 points. Of course, both of the past two seasons had their challenges with Covid and not being able to host the regular 82-games. However, Domi was supposed to be a high-calibre player and hasn’t shown much of that with Columbus.
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What Comes Next For Both Parties
The reality is that Domi is an unrestricted free agent by the end of the season and Columbus wanted to get something for him instead of letting him walk for free. And it’s understandable. In exchange, the Jackets receive a 23-year-old, Boston College alumni, who was taken in the third round in 2021.
Although, even though Domi didn’t reach his best with them, he’s still a young, talented player that can do good. That didn’t happen with Columbus but having another fresh start can be exactly what he needs.
For the Jackets, they now move on to build a future with their young guys. For Domi, he joins a serious contender and won’t be expected to be a focal point of the offence; the easing of that pressure might help him break through a little more. Ultimately, it’s a win-win transaction for both team and player.
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