The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to have an incredibly interesting summer, full of potential transactions made by the future general manager who has yet to be hired. But one winger surprisingly wants to remain in Toronto despite not having the perfect season.
Matias Maccelli has been through the ringer a little bit. From being one of the players acquired by the Maple Leafs to lessen the loss of Mitch Marner -- and have that massive expectation from the start -- to then being a healthy scratch at times because Craig Berube felt like it. The 25-year-old winger has not had an easy time for his first season as a Maple Leaf.
But, even with all that happening, he wants to remain on the team.
Matias Maccelli wants to remain a Toronto Maple Leaf next season
In an interview with Sportsnet's Luke Fox, Maccelli really made it clear what his desires are this summer amid possible sweeping changes from top to bottom in Toronto.
“I want to stay in Toronto. I love the city and love the guys and everything about it. So, I would love to stay,” Maccelli told Fox.
“I mean, it’s like the biggest hockey city there is in the world, and the most recognizable team, and the fans and the city and everything about it — it’s just great.”
Considering Maccelli's only other NHL experience is playing for the Arizona Coyotes (and Utah Mammoth) coming to Toronto must have been a fairly large hockey culture shock. Going from a market that is just starting to appreciate the sport, to the centre of the hockey universe is something.
But still, it is a little shocking that after experiencing all of this -- a coach that doesn't really want to play him and seeing where the Maple Leafs are headed -- that Maccelli wants to stay here.
There were trade rumours involving Maccelli's name earlier in the season, but that felt more like former general manager Brad Treliving trying to sell off as much as possible, which included the young winger. Maccelli is going to be a restricted free agent this summer and will need a new contract, but it all depends on just how much term he is going to get.
One thing is for certain, though, is that if the Leafs hire a more analytically focused general manager that appreciates some numbers more than what a player's height is, Maccelli has an advantage and should stay in Toronto. The 5-foot-11 winger took some time to get rolling but eventually scored 14 goals and 39 points in 70 games while averaging just 14:34 time-on-ice.
In terms of production rate, Maccelli was right up there with Toronto's big guns. Only William Nylander, John Tavares, Matthew Knies, and Auston Matthews had a higher points per 60 minutes this season than Maccelli. Which is exactly where he should be -- providing that second-level offense for a Toronto team that has desperately needed it.
We'll see just how this goes, but it would be a little silly for the Leafs to trade away a player like this just because his first season was on one of the worst teams in modern Toronto history.
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