Secondary scoring has always been an issue for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and they’ve just made a move to improve it a ton.
Winger Matias Maccelli is on his way to the 6ix.
The Finnish forward fell out of favour with Utah last season, but was coming off a 57-point season in 2023–24. Our own Ryan Ma has targeted Maccelli multiple times as a buy-low target for the Leafs.
The return
For just a third-round pick, this is a perfect gamble for the Leafs.
Maccelli had a rough year last year, but has the potential to really explode if playing beside Auston Matthews or William Nylander. He’s a great playmaker, but can also put the puck in the net. He seems like a great fit beside Nylander especially, but we’ll have to see where he plays.
After a pretty solid draft, this is another high-upside move for Brad Treliving. Giving up a third is not nothing, but it’s not too much either. Compared to a first and Nikita Grebenkin for Scott Laughton, this seems like a no-brainer.
What’s next
Maccelli makes just $3.425M against the cap this year, heading into the last year of his deal. He’ll still be an RFA next summer, which means if he plays well, he could be a Leaf for a long time.
For the Leafs, Maccelli plugs a really big hole before free agency starts tomorrow. It’s a great deal overall, and hopefully, Maccelli’s production can get back to its old form playing in Toronto’s top-six.
