Max Domi's season is in possible jeopardy, so Toronto needs to find his replacement. Good thing that the perfect one is heading to free agency: Jason Dickinson.
Max Domi's surgery complications have put his season at risk and it's left a hole in the Maple Leafs lineup. They need a gritty, bottom-six centre who can help them defensively and provide some support on offence, and Jason Dickinson is the perfect free agent who can come in for cheap and provide the help they need.
Domi, 31, had 36 points in 80 games this season which is still below what's expected however he also finally hit double-digit goals for the first time as a Maple Leaf.
But his spot in the lineup is in serious jeopardy though no real fault of his own. While he elected to go with his own surgeon according to Steve Simmons, you can't fault Domi for trusting his own doctor and it's not like he caused the complications himself.
Jason Dickinson is exactly the Max Domi replacement the Maple Leafs are looking for
He's to be re-evaluated at camp however with news that he was unable to walk due to the complications, we really have no idea if he's coming back - and that means Toronto needs a body to slide into the lineup.
Enter Jason Dickinson.
Dickinson, 30, had 17 points in 64 games this season with both Chicago and Edmonton while winning nearly 50% of his face-offs. That's certainly not great, but it actually lines up with his career averages, and is only two seasons removed from a 22-goal campaign in 2023-24.
He made $4.25-million this season and is likely to get a bit of a bump in pay to about $5-million. That would be a fairly cheap rate for a guy who has above average defence and the capability to score 10+ goals, and you don't need to commit long-term either.
A two-year deal for Dickinson would give Toronto a reliable bottom-six contributor who can help on the PK as well, and give them a year to monitor Domi and see if he's able to come back either late this season or next year.
Not only that but Dickinson, much like Domi, is a locker room veteran who can help be a guiding voice to the rookies and young guns on the roster like Easton Cowan and Gavin McKenna (most likely).
Max Domi's on-ice presence is replaceable but he's still a vital part of the Maple Leafs culture
While Dickinson is a great stop-gap option for Domi as the team awaits word on his status, there is one unfortunate issue with all of this that can't be overlooked.
For all Domi's on-ice struggles, his name is still synonymous with the team. The Domi moniker is legendary in Toronto and as much as he gets flak - he deserves a lot of credit too.
Domi is a community leader and someone who dedicates a lot of time and effort into being a charitable and relatable person. Case in point when he spoke with a young child who like Domi, deals with Type-1 Diabetes and came down to his level, asking questions and offering advice:
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That is genuinely something you can't replace and it would be a real shame if Domi is unable to continue his charitable actions due to recovering from injury.
All we can hope for is that not only does Toronto make the smart business decision to replace him in the lineup, but that he finds his way back in because he certainly deserves his shot at redemption.
Should the Maple Leafs sign Jason Dickinson to replace Max Domi?
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