When the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth, he has become a temporary place holder with the loss of Mitch Marner as the top line playmaker. Now, the Maple Leafs should still be in the hunt to replace Marner with a top-six forward that can provide that level of production. However, the possibility remains that Maccelli could ultimately be Marner’s replacement when the season starts.
Now, Maccelli shouldn’t be seen as the answer just yet. Marner was a 100-point player, had elite production and impact on both sides of the puck. Those are some big shoes to fill. Though, if Maccelli was to provide a fraction of what Marner did and hit at least 60 points, then this move could have great implications for the Maple Leafs. We need to see results, but the evidence is there.
Maccelli Knows What He’s Capable Of
Maccelli’s first two seasons showed great progression and the skill to build off of in his first two seasons with the Arizona Coyotes. He had 49 points in his rookie season and followed that up by almost hitting the 60-point mark in his second season with 57 points. However, the move to Utah really hurt his chances as he became a healthy scratch frequently and his ice time dipped from 16:14 in 2023-24 to 13:44 last season.
Matias Maccelli, Utah Hockey Club (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
The change of scenery was needed as he now has a fresh start to be a possible top-six option for the Maple Leafs who are looking for multiple players to increase their offensive load with Marner gone. He knows what he’s capable of, is putting in the work and is determined to get back to where he was before.Â
Former NHL video coach for the Phoenix/ Arizona Coyotes Steve Peters, who held that role since 1997, had a fantastic breakdown of Maccelli’s game and the fit for the team overall. In his video, Peters broke down a number of plays involving Maccelli, focussing in on his vision to get pucks through traffic, his deceptiveness and the pace that he played within the offensive zone.Â
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However, there were the concerns of him being a smaller player, being pushed off pucks and not connecting or executing plays well with the Mammoth compared to what he did with the Coyotes. Peters feels that if the Maccelli from the past shows up, then taking the risk will be well worth it for the Maple Leafs as they have the players to really help him out. It definitely feels like that as the upside is there and the Maple Leafs only gave up a conditional third-round pick.
Maccelli a Good Fit on Top Line
Maccelli definitely could be a good fit on the top line. Though he seems to be in competition with someone like Max Domi, who has shown to play well on Auston Matthews’ wing. Maccelli could be further down in the lineup, but even if that opportunity arises, he said he would love it and would be ready for it to play with better and more skilled players.
Matias Maccelli Arizona Coyotes (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Maccelli is a fantastic playmaker which would be an ideal replacement for Marner on the top line. In his first three seasons, Maccelli has 55 primary assists, 310 individual scoring chances and 121 individual high danger chances in all situations. Seeing as he was a young player entering the league, those are decent results and he was playing lower in the lineup. Maccelli’s ability to find the seams and get pucks through traffic is impressive. In addition, he never slows the play down, making strong cuts, pivots and opening things up by drawing players in effectively. This pass against the Anaheim Ducks back in 2023 really sums that up.Â
Maccelli comes out of the corner already dealing with pressure. He then baits another player and as soon as he cuts back, he finds an open seam and wires a quick and accurate pass to Lawson Crouse for a one-time goal. Maccelli never slowed down and kept everything in motion. That appears to be a difference compared to Marner, as he tended to slow things down and be passive at times. Maccelli’s playmaking style is similar, but his pace is constant and his head is up the entire way as if he knew what he was going to do next. If Maccelli is able to make plays and passes like that to Matthews, be it at five-on-five or on the power play, then Maccelli’s value will sky rocket and will complement the star centre and even Matthew Knies.
Another difference is that Maccelli always starts plays off on the wing and his skating and ability to drive the play opens things up. On the power play, Marner is set up at the point and when things got tighter in the playoffs, he was limited to what he can do up top. Maccelli excels down low and does a better job to get to the middle. If he can make a drive and make plays consistently, this could be a move that ends up being the best offseason move.Â
Maccelli Aiming High for Roster Spot
Maccelli is already doing his part to earn more minutes and be more than just a bottom-six player. He’s aiming for something better on a stronger team that’s going to give him an opportunity to reach his goal.
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Maccelli does seem like a good fit on the top line, but it all depends on his consistency and if the Maple Leafs make another move to bring in another top-six winger. If not, then he will still be a great player on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander as he would still provide balance on that second line.Â
Coming in, he has that opportunity to increase his production and be one of many players to replace Marner’s production. Maccelli has always been further down the lineup, but now there’s room for him to be more than that.
Statistics from Natural Stat Trick.
