When Mitch Marner left Toronto for Vegas, the Maple Leafs faced a massive hole in their lineup. Losing a player of Marner’s caliber meant management had to move fast.
Their solution? Trading for Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth. But according to Utah GM Bill Armstrong, there’s more to this story than just filling a roster spot.
Why Did Utah Trade Away Left Wing Matias Maccelli Despite His Talent?
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost one of their “Core Four” this offseason when right-winger Mitch Marner decided to join the ranks of the Vegas Golden Knights. When a player of Marner’s caliber leaves, it creates a monumental change for any franchise. Management acted fast, and one of its key moves was acquiring left-winger Maccelli from Utah.
Maccelli struggled in the 2024-25 season, scoring just 18 points in 55 regular-season games. However, one disappointing season doesn’t define the 24-year-old. In the 2023-24 season with the Arizona Coyotes, Maccelli put up a career-best 57 points in 82 regular-season games.
He knows that replacing a player of Marner’s stature is no small feat, and he believes he has the skills to propel the Leafs to glory and secure a playoff berth. But as Utah GM Bill Armstrong recently revealed, there’s more to Maccelli’s move to Toronto than meets the eye.
How Did Utah’s Internal Competition Push Maccelli Out?
Utah GM Bill Armstrong joined Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill to discuss the never-heard-before details of the Maccelli trade to the Leafs. Shane Doan, the right-hand man of Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving, played a significant role in orchestrating the move.
Still, as Armstrong explained, Utah’s quickly evolving internal dynamics played their part in the development.
Utah is a team packed with young talent, which creates intense competition among players. This internal battle for ice time contributed to pushing Maccelli out of Utah.
“Our team got a lot better, and people think that it’s outside competition sometimes. Sometimes it’s internal, and with our group getting better every year… Logan Cooley is getting a year older and eating up more ice. [Dylan] Guenther is a year older, eating up more ice, and Barrett Hayton’s improving,” he explained.
Despite his talent, Maccelli’s start with Utah wasn’t ideal. In his first season with the then-Hockey Club, he managed just 18 points in 55 regular-season games. The intense competition among Utah’s players didn’t allow the 24-year-old to shine.
“He’s a really skilled hockey player. He’s got great vision. He’s a wizard with his vision. He’s a great human being, by the way, and he just got off to a tough start,” Armstrong explained. Maccelli struggled to keep up, and the complicated team dynamics contributed to the end of his brief stint in Utah.
“There were guys in our team who just took away some of his ice, and it never really got going for him, and that sometimes happens to players.”
On the brighter side, Armstrong is optimistic that Maccelli may have finally found his fit with the Leafs. The Toronto management had been eager to acquire Maccelli, given Doan’s familiarity with his game.
Armstrong believes that sometimes it takes longer than expected to find where you actually belong. With the Leafs, Maccelli will have a mutually beneficial relationship. The 24-year-old will bring talent to the Toronto outfit and, in return, share the rink with the likes of Auston Matthews and William Nylander.