The case for trading Max Domi is weaker than it looks

Trading Max Domi would solve a lot of problems for Toronto but besides it being a morally grey thing to do, it's actually much harder to convince teams to take him.

We previously touched on how the Toronto Maple Leafs could find a way to deal Max Domi if they were looking for some cap and contract relief. He's currently out injured indefinitely and is going to be evaluated at camp. If he can't go, then odds are the Maple Leafs are putting him on the LTIR.

Trading him would be much easier a cap relief considering that there's always a risk he could come back which thereby negates the relief as Toronto would have his cap hit and then need to find room for him.

It solves a lot of issues, though it's a morally grey area with him being injured; being cast out into the weeds without some of his close friends.

LTIR relief is the easiest way to get cap relief but Domi's not guaranteed to be out all year

Which is why Toronto is hoping to bank on the fact that Domi is out for the entire season, because they can at least keep cap compliant to start the year. Right now, the team is $2.75-million in the hole, but Domi's relief comes in at $3.75-million.

That leaves them a million bucks to work with, and while it's not a lot - it's compliant.

This is the issue though. Domi has been marked for a reevaluation at the start of training camp which is likely the beginning of September. That's roughly a month and a half before we know where he stands, but for argument's sake let's say the team announces he's out until the All-Star break.

That gives Domi the rest of the calendar year plus an additional month-plus in 2027. Give or take that's five months or so, and if he's not going to be ready by then; it's unlikely he laces up this year.

But that's also an incredibly long period of time for him to rehab, train and prepare. There's a world where Domi is ready to go by then and is actually healthy enough to play out the rest of the year/playoffs so...John Chayka has to prepare for that too.

It's an easy decision to make once you know the logistics, but without Domi's situation having a much clearer timeline then it's going to be a coin flip on what to expect.

What would trading Max Domi actually cost

Well besides it being basically a cap dump at this point, trading Domi actually will cost Toronto more in the long-run than the team acquiring him. Toronto has to attach either a decent pick to the contract, or take on a bad deal.

While it seems counterintuitive to trade for a contract given that you need space and money, if it's a deal akin to a fourth-line deal in the range of $1.3-1.5 million, then you basically come out even.

For example, Toronto could trade Domi, and a pick/low-tier prospect to the Winnipeg Jets for Cole Koepke. He'd provide even more physicality, supplemental offence, is younger than Domi and only costs $1.45-million.

If that deal goes down, then all Toronto needs to do is clear roughly a few hundred thousand from their cap and can easily do so by waiving Philippe Myers and/or Michael Pezzetta. That gives Toronto a player who can add some depth while shedding not only Domi's deal, but also clears room for any PTO or waiver claims in the future.

LTIR serves the purpose of allowing teams to get cap relief without a trade though as soon as the player is healthy - that relief is gone. It's why trading Domi is a much better option albeit much easier said than done.

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