4h ago
Motivated Maccelli ready to help Leafs fill the Marner void
Matias Maccelli was on the golf course when he found out he was getting traded to the Maple Leafs. "Just trying to make a putt, and then my friend started yelling that I just got traded to Toronto," the 24-year-old said with a smile.
By Mark Masters
Matias Maccelli was on the golf course when he found out he was getting traded to the Maple Leafs.
"Just trying to make a putt, and then my friend started yelling that I just got traded to Toronto," the 24-year-old said with a smile. "It was a pretty exciting golf round, the rest of that."
Did he make the putt?
"I didn't make that putt," he said with a grin. "But still played a decent round."
The 5-foot-11 winger spoke to the Toronto media contingent on Monday for the first time since being traded by the Utah Mammoth last month in exchange for a conditional third-round pick in 2027.
Maccelli anticipated he would be moving on from the Mammoth after he produced just 18 points in 55 games last season. He dressed in just three of Utah's final 26 games following the 4 Nations Face-Off.
"I knew there was a couple of teams who were showing interest, and Toronto was one of the teams who showed most interest," Maccelli said via Zoom from his home in Turku, Finland. "Definitely, right from the start, I told my agent that I would love to play for the Leafs."
With Mitch Marner moving on to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Leafs have a big hole at the top of their lineup and Maccelli can help fill the void.
"He is a dynamic playmaker," Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said on Canada Day. "When you look at some of the areas we need to address, playmaking ability was one of them."
Treliving revealed that Leafs management had been excited about Maccelli, who is entering the final year of a contract that carries a $3.425-million cap hit, for a while. He is due to become a restricted free agent after next season.
Maccelli produced 57 points two years ago, including 40 assists. He also has a 49-point season on his resume from two years ago when he finished second in rookie scoring and fourth in Calder Trophy voting.
So, what went wrong in Utah last season?
"It comes down to ice time and opportunity, kind of, with the points," he said. "So it wasn't obviously the best year for me, myself, but I still know I'm a better player ... I know I got it still in me, so now I just gotta show people that again."
Maccelli, who averaged 13 minutes and 44 seconds of ice time last season, is turning the frustrating finish in Utah into motivation.
"I've been working a lot this summer on my game, more than maybe the previous years," he said. "Just have to be comfortable again with the puck and make plays and all that kind of stuff. But I've been definitely putting the work in this summer and I'm ready to go."
The possibility of getting a look beside three-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner Auston Matthews is only adding to Maccelli's motivation.
"I would definitely love that," he said. "Playing with a guy like that would be great. I'll make sure I'll be [in] shape if I get a chance to play with Auston or any of the top guys in Toronto. So, yeah, that would be super good."
This will be a fresh start for Maccelli, who does not have any pre-existing relationships inside the Leafs dressing room. The only person in the organization he really knows is Shane Doan, who worked in the Coyotes front office before joining Treliving in Toronto as a special advisor.
"That's pretty much it," Maccelli said. "I'm kinda going to a new place without knowing anyone, so we'll see."