Ryan S. ClarkNHL reporter3 Minute Read
As anticipated, Max Domi grew to become the most recent participant concerned within the Chicago Blackhawks’ flurry of strikes with the ahead being traded Thursday to the Dallas Stars, it was introduced.
Domi, together with minor league goaltender Dylan Wells, went to the Stars in alternate for goalie Anton Khudobin and a 2025 second-round decide.
The commerce itself was finalized shortly after Domi’s new crew got here away with a 5-2 victory in opposition to his previous crew. Domi was scratched for the sport with the Blackhawks saying he was being held out for roster administration functions.
Domi, who turned 28 on Thursday, joins the Stars at a time when they’re within the hunt for each the Central Division and Western Conference regular-season titles. Beating the Blackhawks noticed the Stars push their divisional result in 5 factors over the Minnesota Wild whereas having a one-point edge over the Vegas Golden Knights for the very best report within the convention.
Even earlier than the season began, there was an expectation that Domi may very well be traded for plenty of causes. The Blackhawks got here into the season with the assumption they’d be nearer to a lottery decide than a playoff spot.
And due to that, the crew can be able to commerce away gamers, contemplating it had plenty of pending unrestricted free brokers together with gamers on team-friendly contracts who may very well be parlayed into draft capital.
Domi was a part of a pending unrestricted free agent class that additionally featured Andreas Athanasiou, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. He signed a one-year, $3 million take care of the Blackhawks within the offseason after spending the 2021-22 season with the Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Blackhawks opened the season successful 4 of their first six video games. Since then, they’ve endured by way of 5 completely different shedding streaks of greater than 4 video games with two of them being separate eight-game skids.
Domi nonetheless emerged to steer the crew in scoring with 18 targets and 49 factors whereas averaging 18:17 in ice time. He’s projected to attain 67 factors, which might be the second-most factors in his profession.
What may need been his strongest efficiency of the season may need additionally been an audition for the Stars. On Feb. 22, Domi scored two targets — together with the successful aim — and completed with three factors in a 4-3 win in opposition to the Stars.
Acquiring Domi means the Stars now have one other top-six ahead to bolster a crew that’s averaging 3.24 targets per recreation, which ranks 14th within the NHL. Most of these targets — 67% to be precise — have come from six gamers. Domi now offers the Stars another choice whereas additionally being one other power-play risk. Eighteen of his factors this season have come on the extra-skater benefit, which may show very important for a crew that already has the No. 9 energy play within the NHL with a 23.3% success fee.
Domi’s departure is available in what has been a busy week for the Blackhawks. They have already traded Kane to the New York Rangers, ahead Sam Lafferty and defenseman Jake McCabe to the Toronto Maple Leafs and defenseman Jack Johnson to the Colorado Avalanche.
The draft capital acquired in return for these trades has set the Blackhawks as much as have 11 picks for the 2023 draft, 9 picks for the 2024 draft and one other 9 picks for the 2025 draft.
But it isn’t simply concerning the complete variety of picks the Blackhawks personal. They have two first-round picks in every of these drafts. They are additionally one of many strongest contenders to win this yr’s draft lottery, as they’ve the second-fewest factors within the NHL, and in the event that they win the lottery, they’d be able to take the presumed No. 1 decide in Connor Bedard.
