Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi is ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Utah Hockey Club, and will miss his second consecutive contest due to a lower-body injury, head coach Craig Berube confirmed to reporters.
Domi has posted six assists in 19 games this season, while facing a career-long 13-game point drought. He was placed on injured reserve retroactive to November 16 on November 20, which rendered him eligible to return for Sunday’s contest. Nikita Grebenkin was called up in Domi’s place and was a wrecking ball during Wednesday’s victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, where his size, speed and tenacity made a positive impact.
Domi has been primarily paired with Bobby McMann and William Nylander this season and the line has outscored opponents 5-2, while holding an inferior 41 percent share of the expected goals at 5-on-5 via Natural Stat Trick.
Toronto is facing a wave of injuries to its forwards corps and will be missing seven regular forwards during Sunday’s game. Domi, David Kampf, Max Pacioretty, Calle Jarnkrok and Matthew Knies are all out of the lineup, Auston Matthews could possibly return for Wednesday’s game against the Florida Panthers with no formal designation made yet, and Ryan Reaves will be serving the second game of a five-game suspension.
Grebenkin, Fraser Minten (who scored his first NHL goal Wednesday) Alex Nylander and Alex Steeves will be afforded greater playing time with the Maple Leafs as a result.
Domi’s positional flexibility is an asset for the Maple Leafs, with the ability to play on the wing or centre, although he’s primarily been used as a centre this year. In spite of the injuries, the Maple Leafs have remained resilient and have posted a 6-1 record in their past seven games, all without Matthews, and Toronto is sitting atop the Atlantic Division ahead of Saturday’s games.