Max Domi puts on a jersey after being introduced as the 12th-overall draft pick by the Phoenix Coyotes. (Photo: Ed Mulholland, USA TODAY Sports)
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.. - The puck careens into the offensive zone but instead of chasing it, Phoenix Coyotes prospect Max Domi veers toward the bench for a line change.
It's Day 2 of the team's annual development camp at the Ice Den in Scottsdale, and the session is concluding with a scrimmage. There's still 20 minutes of ice time budgeted but after Domi reaches the bench, he struts straight to the adjacent dressing room and disappears.
The same happened Tuesday and in both instances, Domi rejoined the action only a few minutes later.
The 18-year-old wasn't using his status as the team's recent first overall pick to grab extra rest. He went to prick his finger with a glucometer.
Domi is a Type I diabetic and whether he's in the midst of a workout, practice or a game, he excuses himself every 15 to 20 minutes to check his blood-sugar level. If it's low, he takes a swig of Gatorade. If it's high, he lets the insulin pack that's strapped to his hip do the work.
'It's a lifestyle change,' Domi said. 'Now I have to incorporate diabetes into it. Your diet, before you go to bed, you have to know how you're feeling. It's every little detail of your day that you don't realize until it hits you.'
Domi discovered he had diabetes five years ago when he was traveling back to Toronto from a minor-hockey league tournament in Detroit. Every five minutes, his mom, Leanne, had to stop the car to retrieve more water or Gatorade.
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In less than three hours, Domi had downed approximately nine liters.
That prompted a visit to the hospital and ultimately a diagnosis of Type I diabetes.
'I had no clue what that meant,' said Domi, whose chief concern was whether he'd still be able to play hockey.
Once he was told he could, Domi accepted the challenge. He spent the next week at the hospital learning about the chronic condition, which limits or prevents the production of insulin in the body. According to the World Health Organization, 347 million people worldwide have diabetes.
During that stay at the hospital, Domi and his father Tie, a 16-year NHL veteran, were watching a TV special on Bobby Clarke, the leading point scorer in Philadelphia Flyers history who also has Type I diabetes.
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'Who's this guy?' Max asked.
His dad filled him in on Clarke's history, and Max immediately was inspired by Clarke's journey. He even changed his number to 16 to match Clarke's.
Eventually, Max got the chance to meet Clarke during a minor hockey tournament a year-and-a-half later. Clarke was there with his grandson and when Leanne spotted him, she asked if he'd mind meeting Max.
Not only did he do that, but Clarke also gave a pregame speech to Max's team.
'I'm sure we won that game 8-1,' Max said.
Even though he has to leave the ice occasionally, Max's condition doesn't affect his performance as a hockey player.
'If anything, it's forced Max to eat well, train well, to sleep well and we wish our prospects here had the same mental maturity or habits,' general manager Don Maloney said.
It's also enabled Max to become a younger face of inspiration for the next crop of players. And that's an opportunity Max is grateful to have.
Sarah McLellan writes for the Arizona Republic, a Gannett property
'People reach out to me on social media and ask for advice and questions,' he said. 'I've actually hung out with a few kids. It's pretty cool. Obviously, it means a lot to me to have kids looking up to me and helping them out. It's definitely really cool.'
Published on : Friday, July 12, 2013
Category : Diabetes
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