This Maple Leafs depth forward is becoming untouchable

Matias Maccelli has finally found his footing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Matias Maccelli has had a roller coaster of a season, from having a rough start, to being a healthy scratch to now playing better; he has been all over the map. Craig Berube, early in the year, did not see fit within the lineup for Maccelli, but due to a struggling Maple Leafs team that was once last in the division, he finally got his chance.

Healthy scratch to scoring forward

Matias Maccelli has taken full advantage of being back in the lineup. He has looked more engaged and is creating offensive chances that the Maple Leafs did not have when he was sitting in the press box. Maccelli scored a tying goal in Thursday night's matchup against the Winnipeg Jets to propel them to a 6-5 comeback win. Maccelli has started to earn the trust of the coaching staff to be in the game when they need a goal or to spark the offence. Since Maccelli's return to the lineup, he has produced seven points in seven games.

Maccelli's play all around has improved; he is more reliable defensively to play top-six minutes and against other teams' top players. He has found chemistry with stars William Nylander and John Tavares, and has started to gel with Matthew Knies as well. Maccelli will continue to be an important piece for the Maple Leafs going forward, as he can generate offence in a game where the Leafs need their depth scoring. If he can continue to play the way we've seen, we could also see an improvement in veteran John Tavares, who has been struggling as of late since his hot start to the season.

Moving forward

The Boston Bruins have expressed interest in acquiring Maccelli; however, I do not see the Maple Leafs wanting to move on from the 25-year-old. If the Maccelli can continue to thrive in his new role, we could see an extension on the way for next season as his $3.425M deal expires at the end of this year. Matias Maccelli has been a strong player for the Maple Leafs in this recent stretch of hockey; as a result, the Maple Leafs have also been able to climb the standings.