I really like Max Domi as a player, so I've been following your threads here on the Phoenix board since training camp began... silently though, of course, as I hadn't seen any of it up until tonight.
My take? Domi was the best Coyote forward out there tonight. I don't know if that was an aberration though, of course, but I doubt it, since he was the Max Domi I expected to see this year. Bottom line for me is that he belongs in the NHL right now. I have no clue whether he'll stick or not, and I'm hesitant even to hope for it due to Phoenix's history with 18 year olds... but I really don't see how it would be better for his development to dominate in the OHL (again), versus learning to play with the speed and physicality of the NHL.
Frankly, I think being sent down in pre-season would hurt his development. He knows he's good enough to play for this team, so sending him down before he's played at least a few regular season games runs the risk of hurting his confidence and faith in his new team.
As fans, I don't understand how any of you would prefer to see Miele (sp), Yip, or Brule on a nightly basis this season, especially after watching tonight's game. Your team isn't going to play the most exciting style of game this year, and Domi would (at the very least) put a smile on your faces a few times every night... and isn't that why we watch hockey? Winning is (primarily) for the organization... entertainment is for the fans. And if you can't have both, wouldn't you rather be entertained than not?
Note: Again, let me reiterate, I'm basing my views on having watched Domi extensively in the past, and limited viewings of the Coyotes last season and the game tonight. If tonight was not indicative of what you guys have seen thus far in training camp/pre-season, please either ignore me or inform me. I mean no disrespect by any of my above comments, they're just one (rather experienced) hockey fan's thoughts, based on a relatively small (and possibly misleading) amount of data.