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Matias Maccelli

East Notes: Maple Leafs Forwards, Benoit, Parssinen

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The Toronto Maple Leafs had a few developments announced in advance of the team’s game tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Most important of them was the news that star forward William Nylander would return to the lineup after a one-game absence. Nylander has become the Maple Leafs’ most important winger since the offseason departure of Mitch Marner. The 29-year-old has 31 points in 20 games this season, good for the team lead over veteran John Tavares, who has 28 points. Nylander missed the team’s last game with an illness.

While Nylander returned to the lineup, forward Matias Maccelli and Calle Jarnkrok were held out of the lineup as healthy scratches. Neither player has had as strong of a season as they’d likely have hoped for, and from a production perspective, that’s especially true in the case of Jarnkrok. The 34-year-old has just four goals in 19 games, and no assists. Jarnkrok has never been an overwhelming producer of offense, but he did notch 39 points in 2022-23. Maccelli is in a similar boat, with his 2025-26 numbers coming below the standard he’d set in prior campaigns. Maccelli scored 57 points in 2023-24, but struggled in 2024-25 and has continued those struggles into 2025-26. Maccelli has nine points through 22 games this season.

Other notes from the Eastern Conference:

  • Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported tonight that Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit missed tonight’s game for personal reasons. No additional information was provided, something that is standard and expected for absences due to personal reasons. Benoit’s spot in the lineup was filled by veteran Philippe Myers. The 6’5″ blueliner has operated in a reserve capacity for the Maple Leafs so far this season, skating in a total of 10 games, averaging 14:13 time on ice per game.
  • According to reporter Keegan Jarvis, who covers the Hartford Wolf Pack for Blueshirt Banter, forward Juuso Parssinen suffered an injury in his first game with the Wolf Pack and is now out on a week-to-week timeline. Parssinen was reassigned to Hartford on Nov. 26 after clearing waivers that same day. The 24-year-old was signed to a two-year, $1.25MM AAV extension by the Rangers, who believed he could fill their need for a third-line center when they acquired him from the Colorado Avalanche. But Parssinen was passed on the depth chart by rookie Noah Laba, and has now found himself in the AHL. Before he can get back onto the ice and try to earn his way back into the NHL, Parssinen will now need to work his way back to full health.

Atlantic Notes: Maccelli, Gadjovich, Lindholm

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Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matias Maccelli has been made a healthy scratch for today’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, reports The Hockey News’ David Alter.  The move comes as Toronto sits 23rd in the NHL, having had a slower-than-expected start to the season. Their 6-5-1 record places them 23rd in the league standings at this early point in the season. While a player getting healthy scratched is a relatively routine occurrence and not hugely noteworthy on its own, tracking Maccelli’s standing in Toronto is of a heightened importance due to the transaction he was involved in over the summer.

When Toronto acquired Maccelli in June, they sent a conditional 2027 third-round pick to the Utah Mammoth, with the condition being that if Maccelli scores at least 51 points (and Toronto reaches the playoffs), the pick upgrades to a 2029 second-rounder. At this stage, not only is Toronto outside of a playoff spot, but Maccelli is scoring at a 35-point pace. So, at this stage, it does not seem as though Utah will receive the upgraded draft choice, though it is important to stress how early in the season it is. It was just two years ago that Maccelli looked like one of the more promising young wingers in the game after he scored 106 points in 146 games across two seasons, so while his start to his season as a Maple Leaf hasn’t been ideal, it’s still far from a certainty that he won’t end up passing the thresholds for his former team to get the 2029 second-rounder.

Other notes from the Atlantic Division:

  • Florida Panthers winger Jonah Gadjovich will not travel with the team on its upcoming road trip as the full recovery timeline for his upper-body injury is still being worked out, per team reporter Rob Darragh. Gadjovich hasn’t played since Oct. 25, when he sustained the injury in a game against the Vegas Golden Knights. The physical 6’3″ winger has played a reserve role on the Panthers’ back-to-back championship teams, skating in 81 total regular-season games and scoring eight points across the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns. Gadjovich also played in 16 playoff games last season and has three points in 10 games so far this season. Gadjovich skated as the fourth-line left winger when he last played, alongside Cole Schwindt and A.J. Greer. That spot has since been filled by Noah Gregor, one of Gadjovich’s former teammates from their shared time with the San Jose Sharks.
  • Last week, we covered news that Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm would be out on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury suffered in the team’s Oct. 30 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Today, the team confirmed to the media (including WEEI’s Scott McLaughlin) that Lindholm’s MRI confirmed that the center would be out with a week-to-week recovery timeline. It’s a significant loss for the Bruins, who count on Lindholm as a key top-six center. Lindholm lined up as the team’s number-one center in that Oct. 30 contest against Buffalo, a spot that has since been filled by Marat Khusnutdinov. Lindholm had gotten off to a solid start to the 2025-26 season, scoring nine points in 13 games. That’s a 57-point 82-game scoring pace, a notable improvement from last season when he scored 47 points across 82 games.

Maple Leafs Acquire Matias Maccelli From Mammoth

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The Maple Leafs have acquired winger Matias Maccelli from the Mammoth in exchange for their 2027 third-round pick, both teams announced. The pick will upgrade to Toronto’s 2029 second-rounder if Maccelli records at least 51 points in 2025-26 and the Leafs make the playoffs.

The change of scenery comes after a disastrous campaign for Maccelli, one of the few Utah players who took a measurable step back after the players moved there from Arizona. He was reportedly shopped around at the trade deadline, but no move came to fruition. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports Maccelli did submit an official trade request to Utah GM Bill Armstrong during the season.

It’s likely a worthwhile bet on Toronto’s part on Maccelli’s ceiling. He was a fourth-round pick by the Coyotes back in 2019, but immediately popped as a strong point producer in his native Finland and in the AHL. He forced his way into a full-time role with Arizona in 2022 and was a legitimate top-six piece for the Coyotes in their last two years of existence, finishing fourth in Calder Trophy voting back in 2022-23 on the back of an 11-goal, 49-point showing in 64 games. He continued to hover around that pace in 2023-24, playing in all 82 games for the Yotes and finishing third on the team with 57 points.

Amid increased competition from younger, higher-profile names like Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther, Maccelli’s production and ice time tumbled in Utah. He ended up spending a good part of the latter half of the year in the press box and had just eight goals and 18 points in 55 games on the year. That came with a career-low -13 rating and 13:44 average time on ice as well.

The Leafs hope Maccelli can see increased production, presumably as their second-line left wing alongside John Tavares and William Nylander, a position that was a bit of a revolving door throughout the 2024-25 campaign. He should, theoretically, fit in quite well as the primary playmaker on that line beside two incredibly skilled goal-scorers. Toronto’s focus will now turn toward finding a Mitch Marner substitute in free agency for their top line alongside Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews. After acquiring Maccelli, who’s signed through next season at a $3.425MM cap hit and will be an RFA upon expiry, they still have $10.1MM in space, per PuckPedia.

Utah doesn’t really need to make a corresponding move to replace Maccelli, who spent a good portion of the season out of the lineup anyway. They come out well here, too, for getting a potential second-rounder after the poor showing Maccelli had in 2024-25. They now have $18.4MM in cap space for next season with Jack McBain as their only notable RFA, per PuckPedia.

Darren Dreger of TSN was first to report the trade.

Image courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images.

Utah Hockey Club Notes: Cooley, But, Simashev, Maccelli, Ingram

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After managing a 38-31-13 record in their first season in franchise history, the Utah Hockey Club will be an exciting team to follow this upcoming offseason. They have abundant financial flexibility, and some of those dollars will undoubtedly go to a player they’ll look to build around for the long haul.

Brogan Houston of Deseret News shared a note from Utah General Manager Bill Armstrong earlier, indicating the team will look to begin extension negotiations with center Logan Cooley this summer. Cooley becomes eligible for an extension on July 1st, as he enters the last season of his three-year entry-level contract signed in 2023.

There’s no questioning the desire for an extension from Utah’s perspective. Cooley has been flat-out electric since jumping from collegiate to professional, scoring 45 goals and 109 points through his first 157 contests, with a 19-point improvement year-on-year. All four of Utah’s top-scoring forwards are signed to contracts at or below $7.15MM per year, so they may be ready to make Cooley their highest-paid player as well.

Other updates out of Utah:

  • Just over two weeks ago, Armstrong suggested that Utah’s two 2023 first-round selections, Daniil But and Dmitri Simashev, might debut for the team next season. In a follow-up, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports received confirmation from Armstrong today that the team would begin contract negotiations with the pair once their KHL season had concluded. Those negotiations could start relatively soon, given that their current team, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, will play Avangard Omsk in Game 7 of Round Two of the Gagarin Cup playoffs on Wednesday.
  • After notching 78 assists in his last 146 games, much was expected from Matias Maccelli this season. Unfortunately, the 2024-25 season became one to forget, as Maccelli finished with eight goals and 18 points in 55 contests, becoming a frequent healthy scratch. The diminished production sparked trade rumors regarding Maccelli around the deadline, and that doesn’t appear likely to fade this offseason. Concerning Maccelli’s future with the organization, Belle Fraser of The Salt Lake Tribune quoted Armstrong saying, “We’ve got some evaluation to do. Your team becomes better every year. There are certain things that happen — sometimes your players have to keep up, sometimes roles change.“
  • Fraser also received a quote from Armstrong about netminder Connor Ingram’s status, who entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on March 9th. Armstrong said, “A lot of it is unknown. When players go into the program, we don’t have any contact with him so it’s hard for us to speculate. The good news for us as we sit here in this room is we know he is in a good place at the program. We wish him the best.” Ingram’s starting status for Utah’s 2025-26 season is uncertain, but he is signed through next season with a cap hit of $1.95MM.

Latest On Utah’s Trade Deadline Plans

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The Trade Deadline is less than a week away and the bubble surrounding it appears ready to burst. There’s plenty of trade buzz circulating in the league, headlined by the Utah Hockey Club’s continued efforts to try to figure out their deadline approach. The Hockey Club was split between buyer and seller status during the 4-Nations Face-Off break, but general manager Bill Armstrong has now shared that the team won’t sell if they stay in playoff contention per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Utah has been on a heater since returning from break, posting a 3-1-0 record and outscoring opponents 13-to-eight. They’re also outshooting opponents 128-to-80, or an average of 32-to-20 per game.

Utah’s surge forward seemed inevitable. They’ve faced injuries to many of their key contributors and notable summer additions this season. That includes burly defender Sean Durzi, who missed four months with a shoulder injury sustained in Utah’s fourth game of the season. Durzi averaged a team-high 25:34 in ice time and recorded two assists through the year’s first three games. That includes a 29-minute performance in his last full game before getting injured. He’s scored two points in four games since returning on February 22nd – though he’s not yet back to his October ice time. In getting Durzi back, Utah effectively added a free top-four defender to a lineup that was already in contention for the Western Conference’s second wild card.

Utah has inched closer to that wild card with their recent hot streak. But Armstrong claiming the team won’t be sellers at the deadline doesn’t mean they’ll be free of action. The divide between winger Matias Maccelli and a routine lineup spot is growing wider over Utah’s last few games. He hasn’t played since February 8th, as pointed out by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in the latest 32 Thoughts. Friedman adds that the undersized Maccelli could find his spark with a trade away from the team – a claim that’d certainly have teams around the league excited.

Maccelli has just 18 points in 52 games this season, but he broke out as a strong, young playmaker over the last two years. Maccelli recorded 38 assists and 49 points in 64 games of the 2022-23 season – his first full year in the NHL – and followed it up with 40 assists and 57 points in 82 games last year. He’s still just 24 years old, and would likely be an exciting upside buy should a team convince Armstrong that he’s expendable.

While they might not look thrilling on paper, Utah has found a lineup that works this month. They are glaringly shallow at center, where Barrett Hayton and Jack McBain fill the middle-six roles – but it’s hard to point out a weakness anywhere else. Utah’s wingers have performed up to par and the return of Durzi brings some much-needed weight behind Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino on defense. With a gust of wind behind their sails, any of Utah’s moves would likely focus solely on beefing up their bottom three forward lines. They’ll have the money to pursue whoever they’d like on the open market – with a projected $28.52MM in deadline cap space, per PuckPedia.

That much cap space is bound to weigh down a wallet, and Armstrong’s indication that the team won’t sell assets could be a subtle indication that they’re looking to lean heavily into the post-break success.

Utah’s Matias Maccelli May Become Available At Deadline

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In today’s rendition of 32 Thoughts with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (and later shared by Belle Fraser of The Salt Lake Tribune), the longtime insider mentioned a forward that hadn’t previously been believed to be a part of any trade discussions. The player in question is Utah Hockey Club’s Matias Maccelli, who’s in his fourth professional season.

During the podcast, Friedman was quoted saying, “Maccelli in Utah. He’s been scratched a bit lately. Was scratched Sunday night too against Vancouver. That’s one to watch.” His play this season has invoked questions regarding his future with the organization but Utah would ultimately be selling low on Maccelli should they move him now.

There’s no question he’s had a disappointing campaign. After scoring 28 goals and 78 assists in 146 games with the Arizona Coyotes from 2022 to 2024, Maccelli’s scoring has dropped to eight goals and 10 assists in 52 games this season. That point production equates to a 0.37 decrease in points per game compared to years past and his offensive production isn’t the only worry in his game.

His average time on ice has dropped by slightly more than two minutes this season and his sub-10% shooting percentage is the lowest since his rookie campaign. His on-ice save percentage at even strength has fallen from a career-high 91.5% in 2022-23 to 88.9% this year. One of the only categories of Maccelli’s game not to see a number go down is his giveaways which have risen by 14.4% per game.

Those numbers don’t paint a pretty picture. Still, given he’s only one year removed from tallying 40 assists over a full season, several teams would likely be interested in his services as a potential bounce-back option.

If Utah is considering seriously trading Maccelli, they would be better served by waiting until next year’s deadline. He’s signed to a modest $3.425MM salary through next season and the team isn’t positioned to start clearing salary from the roster. Should Maccelli’s playmaking abilities again come alive during the 2025-26 season, Utah could move him then for a bigger haul before he becomes a restricted free agent for the second time in his career.

Snapshots: Landeskog, Francis, Hurricanes, Maccelli

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Avalanche winger Gabriel Landeskog skated before practice today, notes Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now.  The captain hasn’t played since the sixth game of the Stanley Cup Final back in 2022 due to continued knee trouble including a cartilage transplant in May 2023.  While this isn’t the first time Landeskog has taken to the ice before practice, it’s the first time he has done so since mid-November as he suffered a setback at that time.  There remains no timetable for him to return but Landeskog has noted a few times this year that he hopes to get back into the Colorado lineup at some point this season.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • The University of Minnesota-Duluth announced (Twitter link) that Ducks prospect Will Francis had a relapse of his leukemia which is why he has been limited to just three games so far this season. Francis was initially diagnosed with it in 2020 and had a relapse in August 2023, leading to a bone marrow transplant back in April.  Francis is hoping to return to the team next month.  PHR wishes Francis well in his continued battle.
  • The Hurricanes announced that defenseman Riley Stillman has been sent back to AHL Chicago. The 26-year-old has been sent back and forth this season but hasn’t seen any action with Carolina.  Stillman has four points in nine contests with the Wolves.  Meanwhile, Carolina has also recalled goalie Dustin Tokarski, defenseman Ty Smith, and winger Jackson Blake from Chicago, per the AHL transactions log.  The three were papered to the minors on Wednesday.
  • Utah announced (Twitter link) that winger Matias Maccelli was scratched from tonight’s game against Calgary due to an illness. After putting up 57 points last season, the 24-year-old has struggled mightily offensively this year, potting just three goals and seven assists through his first 37 outings.  There was some good news on the health front, however, as Clayton Keller returned after missing Tuesday’s game to an illness himself.

Arizona Coyotes Expected To Extend Matias Maccelli

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Jul 16: PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan has obtained the terms of the deal, confirming Maccelli is signing for three years at a cap hit of $3.425MM. The contract breakdown is as follows, and will make him an RFA due a $4.11MM qualifying offer at the end:

2023-24: $3MM salary
2024-25: $3.025MM salary
2025-26: $4.25MM salary

Jul 15: The Arizona Coyotes have gotten a fair bit of work done over the last 24 hours, and now Kevin Weekes of ESPN reports they are not quite done. Weekes reports that the team is close to signing restricted free agent forward Matias Maccelli to a three-year contract extension. Maccelli experienced a breakout season last year, scoring 49 points in 64 games, finishing fourth in Calder Memorial Trophy voting.

Drafted 98th overall by the Coyotes back in the 2019 NHL Draft, he has surely exceeded expectations for the rebuilding club. In his draft year, Maccelli played for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL, and Maccelli had 31 goals and 41 assists in 62 games for the team. Arizona felt that Maccelli still needed some more development, and allowed him to travel back to his home country of Finland to play in the Liiga.

Upon joining Ilves of the Finish Liiga, Maccelli impressed even further and saw his name moving up on the Coyotes’ prospects list. In his two years spent overseas, Maccelli scored 28 goals and 41 assists in 94 games playing in the country’s top professional hockey league. Arizona was so impressed by what they saw in Maccelli’s time in Finland, they signed him to a three-year, $2.78MM entry-level contract.

Maccelli did play a few games with the Coyotes during the 2021-22 season but primarily featured on their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. Not only did Maccelli play well in his first season for the Roadrunners, he led the team in points, scoring 14 goals and 43 assists in 47 games.

Making the Coyotes out of training camp this past season, Maccelli became one of the top players on the team. Playing on a line with star player Clayton Keller, Maccelli put up 11 goals and 38 assists in 64 games. Maccelli likely would have added to that total, but a lower-body injury kept him out for six weeks during December and January. As Arizona continues to build its team from the ground up, finding diamonds in the rough similar to Maccelli is going to be important for the team.

Arizona Coyotes Recall Michael Carcone

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The Arizona Coyotes, fresh off their first win in ten games on Tuesday, have recalled Michael Carcone from the AHL. The minor league veteran was sent down earlier this month when Dylan Guenther returned and now will join them ahead of tonight’s game against the Washington Capitals. Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports reports that a player is dealing with a minor injury, leading to the recall.

Carcone, 26, continues to dominate AHL competition, with 20 goals and 51 points in just 32 games. That’s good enough for the league lead, despite playing fewer games than most of his competition. Carcone has suited up six times for the Coyotes this year, scoring two goals in the process. The undrafted, undersized forward has always been an offensive threat, just can’t seem to keep hold of an NHL opportunity for long. In his career, he has eight points in 27 games.

The bigger news of the day for Arizona was the presence of Matias Maccelli at practice this morning. He is now listed as day-to-day and might play next week, according to Morgan. Maccelli hasn’t played since December, and will likely bump Carcone back to the minor leagues once he’s healthy enough to return. The 22-year-old has just three goals on the year but has recorded 22 points in 30 games.

January Calder Trophy Watch: Forwards

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The middle of the season is a common time for awards check-ins in the NHL, and for good reason. Enough sample size is under our belts to cross off some early-season hot and cold streaks, and it’s given some time for players to grow into impact roles for new teams.

That’s especially true with the Calder Trophy, tracking the best rookie in the league. Young players are especially susceptible to streakiness, for better or for worse. Many players’ seasons have evened out somewhat, and it’s as good a time as any to take a look at where things stand for a handful of top Calder Trophy candidates, this time at the forward position.

Forwards

Matthew Beniers, Seattle Kraken

Beniers stands as the clear front-runner for the Calder in most circles, and for good reason. He leads all rookies in goals (17) and points (36), and is playing serious minutes at 17:05 per game. He’s one point behind Andre Burakovsky for the Kraken lead in scoring, and he’s been a crucial part of Seattle’s improvement from basement dweller to playoff contender in 2022-23.

The 2021 second-overall pick was a “safe floor, unsure ceiling” type of player when he was drafted. With this kind of production so early in his career, Seattle can be optimistic that Beniers will hit his first-line center ceiling as his defense improves. He’s a poor 43.7% in the faceoff dot, but that’s been a problem for the entire Kraken squad, as they don’t have a single player over 50%.

Cole Perfetti, Winnipeg Jets

Along with the rest of the Jets, Perfetti is thriving offensively under head coach Rick Bowness. He had a solid seven points in 18 NHL games last season, maintaining his rookie status, but this season leads rookies with 20 assists.

While he has thrived playing with some of Winnipeg’s top talent, Perfetti’s point production is impressive in its own right. Very little of his scoring has come on the power play, he has just four points there. He’s sixth on the Jets in scoring, and while he isn’t receiving top minutes quite yet, nearly 15 minutes a night is still fine for a player his age. Look for his goal-scoring to improve throughout the season, too; he’s shooting at just 8.2%.

Mason McTavish, Anaheim Ducks

After a 2022 World Juniors for the ages, McTavish has transitioned well to the NHL on a struggling team. Anaheim’s systems have been a mess all season, but McTavish has still managed 27 points in 45 games and is drawing some tough matchups in the top six.

Used on and off at the center position, McTavish is scoring without much support. He’s third on the team in points and his -14 rating is actually one of the better ones on the team. Selected immediately after Beniers in 2021, it’s looking like an incredibly strong top-five from that class.

On the cusp: Matias Maccelli and Dylan Guenther (ARI), Kent Johnson (CBJ), Jack Quinn and John-Jason Peterka (BUF), Wyatt Johnston (DAL), Juuso Parssinen (NSH), Noah Cates (PHI)

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