Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer, right, makes a save as Maple Leafs defenceman Matt Hunwick, centre, battles with Arizona Coyotes' Max Domi for a rebound during first period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Monday, Oct. 26, 2015.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
He was three years old when the Air Canada Centre opened in February of 1999. His old man skated out on the ice with the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of the ceremony, a memorable moment that Max Domi can't quite recall but that he knows from old photos tucked away somewhere at home.
What he does remember are the hallmarks of a unique childhood: playing mini-sticks in the wives' room, sometimes with former Leafs player Wade Belak; eating all the cookies there, especially those with Mats Sundin's number on them; and rarely, if ever, watching the games his father Tie, the noted tough guy, was there to play.
"There's a lot of memories for sure," Max Domi said on Monday afternoon as he stood in the visitors' dressing room, one of the few in the building he doesn't know. "A lot of good people that I've met here. A lot of fun stuff that I've been a part of. I'm just trying to not think about it too much."
He, after all, had a game to play.
Domi's storybook childhood has turned into a storybook start to an NHL career, one that continued Monday in the building he came of age horsing around in.
On his first shot of his first game at the ACC, Domi wired a high, hard shot past Leafs netminder James Reimer, giving Arizona an early 1-0 lead as part of what became a hard-fought 4-3 Coyotes win.
Up in a box high above the ice, his dad – now 45 and nearly 10 years retired – tried to hide a smile as his face flashed on television.
It's been that kind of a charmed existence for his son so far. Coming in, few expected much from the Coyotes this season other than qualifying for another high draft pick. But they've been surprising teams again and again in the early going.
Domi's goal was his 10th point in nine games, keeping him in the NHL's rookie scoring lead. It's also one of an incredible 12 goals by Arizona rookies so far, with Anthony Duclair, Klas Dahlbeck and Jordan Martinook all part of the league's unlikeliest push up the standings with a 5-3-1 start.
Their teammates and veteran coach marvel at what they've brought, especially Domi's seamless transition from small, speedy, high-scoring junior – 102 points with the London Knights last season – to the NHL.
They also chuckle at the comparisons of father and son, as at this rate, Domi could catch his dad's total of 104 career goals rather quickly.
"Max is considerably more focused on the offensive side than the things that Tie was focused on," offered Coyotes captain Shane Doan, the team's 39-year-old greybeard who faced Domi père many times in his career. "I'm not saying Max can't fight, and I'm not saying Tie couldn't score."
"He fits into the room really, really well," Doan added.
Such is the advantage for the son of a former NHLer. You can grow up believing life in a hockey arena, in front of 20,000 fans – or eating cookies in the swanky back room – is the norm. That being in the spotlight, and delivering under pressure, is just part of your job.
You learn what it is to be a hockey player – the language and the attitude – that make it easy to fit in. You get to take shooting practice on Curtis Joseph and Ed Belfour as a tyke.
You also have all those financial and genetic advantages, too.
"It's something that I've had in the back of my head my whole life," Domi said of finally playing in an NHL game on what, for him, is truly home ice.
"He grew up in this setting," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett explained. "Even if you go down to London, those games are like NHL games. So he's not going to be overwhelmed at all. He's played very well. Every game he's played, he's had an impact.
"There's still lots to learn and there's still lots of experience to be gained, but he's got a great attitude. He's been a real good addition to our team."
Domi has been, quite simply, one of the best stories of this young season.