Ex-NHLer Jay Rosehill claims $15,000,000 Leafs latest acquisition ‘lit fire under’ Max Domi

Former NHL player Jay Rosehill analyzed the recent upswing in Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi’s performance. Rosehill gave his opinion that the Leafs’ recent acquisition of center Scott Laughton seems to have galvanized Domi.

Rosehill was speaking as a guest on Tuesday’s edition of TSN’s “First Up with Korolnek and Colaiacovo” podcast.

“Once they kind of brought in a guy (Scott Laughton) that starts to push him a little bit, that it lit a fire under him,” Rosehill said in the interview. “And you saw him last night, he looked great, and he's been dishing that puck. He needs to tighten it up a little bit with some of the lower percentage plays, but you can tell that he's got his confidence back.”

Rosehill, a former Maple Leafs player, also talked about the effectiveness of a line comprising Domi and Laughton come playoff time.

“And you know, if you can get Laughton going here now, once he's settled into being a Maple Leaf, line like that could really, really do some damage in the playoffs. And I think that's the whole idea,” Rosehill said.

Laughton, who has one year left on a $15 million contract, had spent his entire career with the Philadelphia Flyers before being traded to the Leafs on trade deadline day. Laughton has had a slow start with the Maple Leafs, only netting his first goal in his 10th game with them against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

Scott Laughton and Max Domi are childhood friends, having grown up together in Ontario. According to Laughton, he and Domi both began learning to skate together as kids.

Max Domi scores in Maple Leafs’ latest victory

Max Domi was on the scoresheet as the Leafs edged the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Sunday, completing their West Coast trip with two wins and a loss. Domi scored the game's first goal with less than a minute left in the first period.

A goal from teammate Mitch Marner and a game-winner from Steven Lorenz sealed the win and also extended the Maple Leafs’ lead at the top of the Atlantic Division to three points.

"I thought the team competed hard tonight," Toronto coach Craig Berube said via NHL. "I thought we were a little tired and gassed, or it looked like it anyway, but we did a good job defending. We did what we had to do to win the game."

Max Domi and the Maple Leafs face off against the Florida Panthers, who are tied for second in the Atlantic Division, on Wednesday.