Thursday June 4, 2015

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Arizona Coyotes prospect Max Domi of the London Knights is the 2014-15 recipient of the Mickey Renaud Captain’s Trophy.

Domi was chosen for the award by a media selection committee as the OHL team captain that best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice, with a passion and dedication to the game of hockey and his community that Mickey demonstrated.

“I never had the privilege of playing against Mickey Renaud, I’ve only heard what a tremendous individual he was both on and off the ice,” said Domi. “It’s an incredible honour to receive this award. When I was named captain of the London Knights at the start of the season, I was humbled by the recognition. I think I pride myself on being a great teammate first and foremost, and try to be a good role model for our younger players and for our incredible fans in London.”

A four-year member of the Knights, Domi led by example during his tenure as captain this season helping a young and inexperienced team finish third in the OHL’s Western Conference while producing the best offensive season of his career recording 102 points in 57 games. The 20-year-old from Toronto, ON, also helped Canada win gold on home ice at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship where he was named the Tournament’s Top Forward. Selected by the Coyotes in the first round of the 2013 NHL Draft, Domi stands eighth in Knights’ all-time scoring with 126 goals and 205 assists for 331 points in 244 games.

“Over our 15 years of owning this team, we’ve had many elite players contribute on the ice for the London Knights,” said General Manager Basil McRae. “However, very few players have come through this organization and contributed the amount of off-ice community work as Max has demonstrated. We’re proud of all he’s accomplished on the ice, but even more proud of the partnerships, friendships and lasting memories he’s created here with our fan base and with the diabetic community in London and across the country.”

The Knights’ nominee for the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy for Humanitarian of the Year, Domi has gone above and beyond for the City of London as well as the diabetic community. He has been instrumental in spearheading Knights’ fundraisers such as the ‘House of Blue’ game in support of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and serving as a guest speaker during Diabetes Awareness Week at Sir Frederick Banting High School. This season, Domi personally reached out to young hockey players in the London community who are Type-1 diabetic and spent time getting to know them and their families after practices and games by answering questions, talking about his own experiences, and serving as an inspirational support network.

“Growing up and being diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes, I idolized Bobby Clarke who had a successful NHL career and was also a diabetic,” added Domi. “I strive every day to be that role model for kids growing up with diabetes now. I want every kid growing up with this disease to know that having diabetes hasn’t slowed me down and it doesn’t have to slow them down either.”

Domi becomes the seventh recipient of the award following Matt Finn of the Guelph Storm who received the award last season, Colin Miller (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 2013), Andrew Agozzino (Niagara IceDogs 2012), Ryan Ellis (Windsor Spitfires 2011), John Kurtz (Sudbury Wolves 2010), and Chris Terry of the Plymouth Whalers who won the inaugural award for the 2008-09 season.

Nomination forms are submitted annually by OHL General Managers on behalf of their individual team captains. The selection committee consists of a panel of four, representing media from each OHL division.

The Mickey Renaud Captain’s Trophy will be formally presented to Domi at the OHL Awards Ceremony on Tuesday June 9 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.