TORONTO — Buy low, hope high.
Such is the reasoning behind the Toronto Maple Leafs’ trade for winger Matias Maccelli Monday.
In return for the Utah Mammoth forward, Toronto GM Brad Treliving sent a conditional 2027 third-round draft pick that will be upgraded to a second-round selection in 2029 should (a) the Leafs earn a playoff berth and (b) Maccelli record at least 51 points in 2025-26.
The financial cost of the Maccelli deal — he’s a $3.425-million cap hit who is due $4.25 million in actual salary this coming season — exceeds the draft capital cost.
Treliving will gladly surrender a second-rounder four years down the road if the 24-year-old Turku, Finland, native can make a 33-point jump in production from the disappointing eight goals and 18 points he mustered in third-line minutes for Utah last season.
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(Hey, let’s be honest: If Treliving’s moves don’t pan out, the ’29 draft might be someone else’s problem anyway.)
The bet here is that — surrounded by higher-end forwards John Tavares and William Nylander, plus staying healthy — Maccelli can regain the offensive form he flexed in 2023-24, when he put up an impressive 17 goals and 57 points.
The departure of winger Mitch Marner has forced Treliving to get creative and replace the all-star’s contributions by committee. So, while the five-foot-11, 185-pound Maccelli isn’t known as a penalty killer, he can chip in on the power play.
Most important: the shifty playmaker should be inspired to push for second-line minutes and offensive-zone starts.
Thirty-four of Maccelli’s 37 goals have come at even strength, and the goal support from Leafs depth wingers dried up in the post-season.
Pending UFAs Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz have yet to re-sign in Toronto. Same goes for pending RFAs Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg. (Treliving was working Monday to bring back Lorentz.)
Maccelli is entering the final year of his contract and is set to be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights in 2026.
He was named to the NHL’s 2022-23 All-Rookie Team after recording 49 points (11 goals, 38 assists) for the Arizona Coyotes in 64 games, leading all freshmen in assists. And before joining the NHL, he was crowed the Liiga’s Rookie of the Year in 2019-20 after leading all rookies in goals (13), assists (17) and points (30).
In other words, Maccelli packs more talent than he showed this past season.
But the Mammoth — who are actively trying to take a step via free agency and the trade market — prefer to spend their cap dollars elsewhere. (Utah joins Toronto and Boston as clubs in the mix for Brad Marchand Tuesday should he not re-sign in Florida.)
“We appreciate everything that Matias has done for the organization,” Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong said in a statement. “He is a great person, consummate professional, and we wish him all the best.”
So do Leafs fans.
