Before Wednesday, the last time Chris DiDomenico skated on the ice surface at Canadian Tire Centre was as a key member of the home team’s entry in the 2009 world junior championship.
He and John Tavares had the assists on the winning goal in the gold-medal clinching game over Erik Karlsson’s Swedish team. He finished tied for 17th in tournament scoring with seven points, two fewer than P.K. Subban and one more than Jamie Benn.
Despite being a sixth-round draft pick, he was a legitimate Toronto Maple Leafs prospect.
Then, playing for Guy Boucher’s Drummondville Voltigeurs in the QMJHL final, DiDomenico was hit into the end boards while chasing down an icing.