Domi moved back to center at today's morning skate

After Jesperi Kotkaniemi was forced out of the Habs' lineup by a groin injury, Nick Suzuki stepped up to replace him as the 3rd line pivot. Suzuki played so well at center that when Kotkaniemi came back as the 3rd line center after fully recovering from his injury, he was promoted to the position of second line center, which meant that Max Domi was moved to the wing.

Domi had played most of his career as a winger before joining the Montreal Canadiens before the 2018-19 season. Since then, he had played solely down the middle of the ice with the Habs and had a great first season with the Canadiens with 28 goals and 44 assists for a total of 72 points in 82 games. He had a hot start to this season but has drastically slowed down over the course of the last month. Domi has 4 goals, 9 assists and 13 points in 22 games so far this season. The 24-year old has gone 9 games without scoring a goal and had scored just 1 in the last 17.

 Many hoped that moving him to the wing would perhaps spur the rebirth of his terrific offensive production. Unfortunately for Domi and the Canadiens, that wasn't the case. He had 1 assist in 3 games on the left wing. During Friday's morning practice Domi was playing center once again. After the practice Claude Julien explained his decision. " Max Domi is better at center than on the Wing", declared the Habs' head coach during the press gathering before adding that Domi's outstanding skating abilities are much better utilized at center where he can skate more freely.

The fact that Domi was moved back to center means that Nick Suzuki was moved back to the right wing. At practice, the 2nd offensive line was composed of he Domi and Artturi Lehkonen. Suzuki was performing quite well at center and had recorded 3 goals and 4 points in his previous five games. That being said, he had first and foremost established himself as a solid contributor on the Habs' power play and that shouldn't be compromised after his return to the wing.

Let's hope that both Domi and suzuki can find sucess together on the second line in their most recent roles.