MONTREAL - Montreal Canadiens center Max Domi jokes that he wouldn't pay to watch a game with his father, former Toronto Maple Leafs fan favorite Tie Domi, but he's delighted that someone else will.
In late April, Domi eagerly jumped into the ALL IN Challenge, a global online initiative to raise funds to help eliminate food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 25-year-old's package sold for $17,000, a handsome sum that surely will thrill the winner.
Domi put together what he called a "once in a lifetime NHL experience" that includes two tickets to watch a Canadiens-Maple Leafs game at Montreal's Bell Centre with his father, as well as return air transportation, a tour of the Bauer Hockey performance lab, a customized pair of Bauer skates, a Bauer stick, a signed Canadiens jersey and a stick that Domi will sign for the winner.
Many exotic packages were put together by professional athletes, celebrities, musicians and captains of industry, their many auctions to benefit several non-profit organizations that include Meals on Wheels, No Kid Hungry and America's Food Fund, which is directly aiding Feeding America and World Central Kitchen.
"I think everyone really stepped up to the plate," Domi said on Thursday. "My dad was nice enough to kind of include himself in what we were trying to raise money for.
"To be honest, I wouldn't pay any money to sit with my dad to watch a game but hey, I guess other people have different views on that," he said with a laugh. "I think we raised a good amount of money, for sure, they'll have lots of laughs."
His father, Domi said, is "definitely a guy that you probably don't want to ask questions during a hockey game. I'm sure if you guys ever iso-cammed him, you'd get a good chuckle out of it. He's probably the most intense guy in the building, players included. I'm sure it will be an interesting, unique experience that no one has ever had before, so I wish them the best and hope they have fun with that."
