The Toronto Maple Leafs should not re-sign Max Domi or Tyler Bertuzzi long-term.
Both Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi have improved significantly from their rocky starts with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
To clarify, Max Domi is living true to his reputation as an offensive but one-dimensional player, but Tyler Bertuzzi has been playing well all season and just now appears to be overcoming his bad results.
Both players are performing about as well as the Leafs anticipated when they signed them last summer.
However, they will be difficult to re-sign.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Can’t Give Out Long-Term Deals to 30 Year-Olds
Domi and Bertuzzi are such terrific signings because they are only signed for one year, which gives the Leafs a lot of freedom in the offseason.
If each player re-upped at the same fee for another season, that would be completely reasonable.
But otherwise, it is a horrible idea.
Domi is an excellent playmaker, but he is a below-average NHL shot and lacks NHL quality without the puck. His Expected Goals Percentage is 48%, indicating that he will lose minutes if luck is not a factor.
He also makes it difficult for the coach to field a balanced lineup because he typically requires extensive sheltering to be effective. At 29, he isn’t likely to become much better, thus signing him commits you to paying money and taking up a roster position that could have gone to a younger, cheaper player.
Matthews Knies, Nick Robertson, Pontus Holmber, Easton Cowen, and Frazer Minten can most likely match Domi’s overall contributions next year at a considerably lower cost. The money might then be used to pay a great player and improve the team’s performance by making better use of its cap money.
Name-brand Non-stars are the most expensive NHL players since they provide the least value per dollar among all NHL players. Domi exemplifies this style of player.
Tyler Bertuzzi outperforms Domi despite being only a week older. He warrants a larger investment than Domi, but he also carries risk. His playing style does not often age well, and he is not a star, while being a very efficient player overall.
I would be very cautious about giving Bertuzzi large sums of money and numerous years since he might easily become a David Clarkson-style disaster.
The ideal case would be to re-sign both players to a one-year contract with a little raise, but if they are unwilling to do so, the better option would be to return to the UFA market and sign guys with upside who are motivated to accept a one-year contract, like Domi and Bertuzzi were last year.
Both guys are currently aiding the Toronto Maple Leafs, and while Domi remains one of the most overrated players in NHL history, he can benefit a team when used properly. Neither player should receive a long-term contract since signing 30-year-olds to pricey long-term contracts is virtually usually a terrible idea.
For every Zach Hyman, there are 100 David Clarkson.