The last time he's had more than one season on a contract was back when he signed his entry-level deal with the Colorado Avalanche in 2017.
He's been on a year-to-year basis the last two seasons, first with the Florida Panthers and, most recently, the Winnipeg Jets.
"The stability thing was huge and just a little more comforting going into next season," said Toninato. "It makes summer a little more enjoyable, a little more relaxing in the sense you don't have to worry about contract talks. I'm extremely happy and excited to be back with the Jets."
Despite playing just five total games with the Jets in 2020-21 (three of which came in the Stanley Cup Playoffs) and another three with the Manitoba Moose, Toninato spent the majority of the campaign on the taxi squad.
If that wasn't enough adversity, he was diagnosed with COVID-19 in November and failed his medical evaluation at the start of camp because of complications from it.
When he got back to health, he poured everything he had into each session on the ice.
"It was a crazy year for everybody. I just tried to stay positive and take everything I could out of last season," said Toninato. "It was a way to work on the game, work on some things you don't typically get to work on throughout the season. It was a tough year, but in the end it was productive."
His hard work paid off when, on April 22, Toninato was reassigned from the Jets to the Moose. In those three games in the American Hockey League, Toninato lit the lamp three times.
With injuries starting to pile up on the Jets roster, Toninato was put in the line-up for the final two games of the season, recording an assist in the regular season finale victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He had his first point with the Jets, but was about to make an even bigger impact.
By Game 1 of the first round series against the Edmonton Oilers, the Jets were still down a couple forwards.
That's when all the work he put in, the extra long skates with the Jets coaching staff throughout the season, paid off.
The assistant coaches convinced head coach Paul Maurice that Toninato was the one who should go into the line-up.
"They were very strong that Dominic's work here meant he was most ready to play in the game we anticipated," said Maurice. "His game was right."
Toninato scored the eventual game-winner that night, deflecting a Logan Stanley point shot past Mike Smith.
"I just fit in with my line mates," said Toninato. "It was just learning the Jets' game. I didn't get to play all season, so it was just adapting to that and getting a handle on the Jets game. I was lucky enough to contribute on the stat sheet. Hopefully I can carry some momentum into next season."
By the time next season starts, Toninato will be a couple months into his first year of marriage.
There is also another first he's looking forward to when the puck drops.
Hearing and seeing Winnipeg Jets fans for the first time inside Canada Life Centre.
"They've got some of the best fans, if not the best fans, in the whole league," Toninato said. "I didn't get to see them last year, but I'm definitely going to be excited to be in front of them next year. It's a great program there. I think there are a lot of pieces there that we can make a good run."
