From Binghamton to Newark: Domingue's Return To The NHL Comes With The Devils

BINGHAMTON, NY -- Sometimes a fresh start is all you need.

For Louis Domingue, this rings especially true.

After winning 21 games last season for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Domingue was demoted to the Syracuse Crunch to start the 2019-20 season when the Lightning signed veteran goalie Curtis McElhinney to occupy the backup role behind Andrei Vasilevskiy this past summer.

With Mike Condon, Scott Wedgewood and Spencer Martin also in the mix in net for the Crunch, Domingue suddenly went from being Tampa Bay’s No. 2 to a depth goalie in the American Hockey League.

Domingue only played four games for the Crunch before the Devils acquired the 6-foot-3, 208-pounder for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in the 2021 NHL draft on Nov. 1 and since then, Domingue has taken full advantage of his new opportunity with the Binghamton Devils.

“I think I was due for a change, obviously not that it was a wanted one, but at some point it needed to be done and once it was done, I was glad to be in this organization where I could see myself for a long future,” Domingue said after the Devils’ 3-1 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Nov. 15.

Domingue started four games for Binghamton and went 2-1-1 with a 2.25 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.

Assuming the starting job ahead of rookie Gilles Senn, Domingue, 27, instantly gave the Devils a veteran presence in net.

“He’s an NHL goaltender playing in the American Hockey league,” Binghamton coach Mark Dennehy said. “I’ve been really impressed with his work ethic.”

“I’m here trying to help as much as I can and keep my game sharp,” Domingue said. “It doesn’t matter what situation is thrown at me I just got to keep my game sharp.”

Dennehy added that Domingue has also taken some time to guide Senn along as the elder of the two goalies. Domingue has 122 games of NHL experience while Senn has only played seven games in the AHL since coming over from Switzerland.

“When I was younger I was looking up to other guys,” Domingue said. “You don’t necessarily need to say much but by establishing a work ethic and a way of conducting yourself every day, hopefully they pick up a thing or two. You don’t need to be all over them and try and teach them every single thing in the book, but if you can pick up a thing or two who knows what it’s going to do to them.”

The Devils mark Domingue’s third franchise since being drafted in the fifth-round in 2010 by the Phoenix Coyotes, now named the Arizona Coyotes.

Former Devil netminder Scott Clemmensen serves as Binghamton’s goalie coach and Domingue feels he has helped simplify his mindset since joining the Devils organization.

“It’s just establishing a game plan and once you go into games it doesn’t matter what the results are, it’s checking all your boxes,” Domingue said. “What did you do after the game? Did you do everything that you were supposed to do? If you did then most of the time you’ll be on the winning side and sometimes you’re not, but at least you can feel confident that every day you can do something good.”

On Monday, New Jersey recalled Domingue to the NHL club and placed struggling starter Cory Schneider on waivers with the purpose of sending him down to Binghamton.

Now less than three weeks after it appeared as though Domingue’s season and maybe even career was in jeopardy, the St-Hyacinthe, Quebec native is back in the NHL with the chance to prove he belongs with his new team.

The Devils host the Boston Bruins Tuesday, Nov. 19.