The Toronto Maple Leafs should make every effort to trade Max Domi, but if no team is willing to take him, they need to seriously consider placing him on waivers or buying out his contract.

Domi signed a four-year, $15 million contract ($3.75M AAV) with Toronto in the offseason—a deal that now appears to be a major misstep for the organization. Many believed it was a risky signing from the start, and those concerns have proven valid.

While the Domi name carries weight in Leafs history, that legacy belongs to Tie Domi, not Max. Despite his grit and willingness to stand up for teammates, Domi has not lived up to expectations. Three goals in 43 games is simply not enough for a player of his skill level.

Domi’s Struggles Are Hurting the Leafs

The Leafs’ scoring woes are exacerbated by their attempts to accommodate Domi in the lineup. To maximize his effectiveness, they have had to shift offensive zone faceoffs away from Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, which has ultimately hurt the team’s overall performance.

Time to Move On from Domi

With three more years remaining on his contract, the Leafs need to make a tough decision. At $3.75M, he is dead weight on the third line of a team already struggling with limited cap space.

One last option could be to try him alongside Matthews again, where he thrived last season. Spreading out the Leafs’ top talent across different lines could make them harder to defend.

However, Domi—now on his seventh team in 10 years—has proven to be a replacement-level player who remains one of the NHL’s most overrated forwards. Toronto’s front office bet on his nine-goal season being worth a long-term commitment, but that gamble has backfired, especially with the significant no-trade protection in his contract.

Domi Must Step Up or Move On

While Domi is widely regarded as a great teammate and competitor, he has the talent to contribute more but isn’t delivering. He needs to attack the net and take more offensive initiative instead of defaulting to a pass-first mentality.

If the Leafs want to be a true contender, they cannot count on Domi for secondary scoring. The best move might be to cut their losses now—either through a buyout or by placing him on waivers—and use that cap space more effectively.