The Ref has been putting off mentioning Domi’s Saturday night defeat at the fists of Brian McGratton for a reason. As we all know, denial is not just a river in Windsor. Is my man finally over the hill? Has Domi decided to take a back seat to Belak? Am I rattling off useless hypothetical questions like it’s my job in addition to referring to myself in the third-person like a pompous pad-sniffer?
The answers to all of these questions are open to interpretation (except maybe the last one), but GoonBlog feels that Saturday’s incident, and elements of Domi’s season thus far in general, are no reason to count him out just yet. You win some, and you lose some. And there’s no refuting Domi’s place in the hearts and minds of his fellow thumpers.
Tie’s introduction to the NHL was as an enforcer, but over time he evolved into an aware player who can rack up goals right alongside the KO’s.
"Tie Domi is kind of a role model for guys who play this role… He’s a huge part of the team. I respect a guy like Domi because he came into the league as a tough guy and has made himself into a player who contributes. That’s what we’re all trying to accomplish. You can’t just fight and expect to stay in the game." – Andrew Peters.
Kids who start playing the game at a young age, but outgrow their peers due to genetics and see their roles change, don’t always have to choose between aspiring to being either a goon or a Gretzky. And that fact is going to be increasingly more relevant in the perceived New NHL where the brutality is taking a backseat. Oh we still need the size and the strength, but you’ll have to be a well-rounded producer to boot. It’s simple evolution, like it or not. And the future holds a lot more guys like Tie.
And let’s remember – that was a pretty disrespectful taunt by the sinister Senator. To the entire Leaf team. I didn’t see anybody else get off the bench to answer the call.