Toronto Maple Leafs star Max Domi reportedly experienced major post-surgery complications after having a procedure on his back at the end of the 2025-26 season.
“Something went terribly wrong with the surgery,” the Toronto Sun reported on Sunday, May 31.
Domi, 31, “could not walk in the days following surgery, which created significant alarm. His status remains in doubt for the coming season.”
Making matters more murky, Domi reportedly “chose his own surgeon to do the operation rather than the one the Maple Leafs had in mind.”
The Maple Leafs acknowledged that Domi experienced “complications” during the procedure in a brief statement released on May 25.
“Domi will continue working with the club’s medical staff and will be re-evaluated at the start of training camp,” the team announced.
The Maple Leafs are expected to open training camp in September.
Max, the son of legendary NHL enforcer Tie Domi, has two seasons left on his current contract with Toronto. In 80 games last season, Max scored 12 goals and had 24 assists.
Uncertainty abounds in Toronto this offseason, as the Maple Leafs failed to make the playoffs for the first time the 2015-16 season.
“What happens on the ice is up to us,” Max told reporters in April. “What happens in that locker room is up to us. That’s on us to be better. We’re not going to get into what went wrong with [the media]. Quite frankly, it’s none of your business. It’s our group’s business. And we’ll keep it that way.”
He added, “We know what we’ve got to do better and we will.”
The Maple Leafs hired John Chayka as the team’s new general manager last month, replacing Brad Treliving. During his introductory press conference, Chayka, 36, acknowledged he joins the franchise at a pivotal moment.
“It’s incumbent upon us to put the best team on the ice that we can,” Chayka, 36, told reporters. “It’s going to have to take some creativity. We’re going to have to have some things go our way, but we certainly feel like we’re well positioned with a core group. We have some players that are some of the best players in the world that wear this sweater, and it’s [on me] to place the structure principles and give them the resources to go and accomplish our goals.”
The Maple Leafs will also have a new coach when the 2025-26 season begins, having fired head coach Craig Berube last month after two seasons. The team has yet to name his replacement.
