Domi says he wants to stay with Canadiens, contract talks can wait

Max Domi can be a restricted free agent at the end of this season but said he's not concerned that there haven't been talks about a new contract and is adamant about staying with the Montreal Canadiens.

"All I can really tell you is that I want to be with Montreal, I want to be here," Domi said Thursday. "I love playing in Montreal, I love my teammates, I love this team and I love the city. My hope is to play here for a long time. That's never changed since the time I played my first game here. That's that."

The 25-year-old forward is in his second season with the Canadiens after being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes in a trade for forward Alex Galchenyuk on June 15, 2018. He led the Canadiens in scoring in 2018-19 with an NHL career-high 72 points (28 goals, 44 assists) and was third this season with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 71 games when the season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the cornonavirus.

"I understand there comes a point where your contract is up, negotiations and all that stuff," Domi said. "As of right now, there's just much other stuff in the world going on that's just so much more important than my contract. It's as simple as that.

"I couldn't care less about an NHL contract right now. I want to make sure we're doing everything we can to stay safe and get ready for whenever things come back to somewhat normal. I'm making sure I'm staying in contact with my family and my family is staying safe. That's what means most to me right now. I'm sure everyone else can really attest to that, through this crazy time. Whenever that time comes and we start talking contract or we figure out what the future has in store for us, then we can address it at that point."

Domi is hugely popular with Canadiens fans and active in the community. A Type 1 diabetic, he has established a fund at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. He's also written a book, "No Days Off: My Life with Type 1 Diabetes and Journey to the NHL," that's become a guide and an inspiration for many diabetics.

Domi said there's plenty of room for improvement in his game, and he's eager to reach his first Stanley Cup Playoffs. Montreal (31-31-9) is 10 points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes for the wild cards from the Eastern Conference.

"There's always stuff you can work on, I've got a long, long way to go," he said. "I've got two years under my belt playing center. … As a team we're growing, we've been through some rough patches here. We're sticking together and pushing through it. We're excited about the growth we have in front of us, we're excited about the team we have, the group of guys in the locker room. We love each other and push each other.

"On a personal level, I just want to do everything I can to get better every day. Whenever that next game is, whether it's sooner or later, I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can on my end to be ready to go and help this team win in any way I can."