What To Expect From Matias Maccelli

When New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche made up his mind to not extend team captain Anders Leet his summer, he faced a difficult decision on what specific player he wanted to fill the captain’s top nine forward spot. On July 1, Anders Lee inked his three-year, $18 million contract with the Utah Mammoth, but hours earlier Mathieu Darche put pen to paper on a one-year deal with unrestricted free agent Matias Maccelli. Signaling one thing: a change ahead for the Islanders, and it started with the departure of Lee.

Anders Lee spent 14 seasons skating on the left wing in blue and orange. Eight of those seasons he donned the captain’s “C” on his chest. It cannot be overstated the impact that Anders Lee had on the Islanders. But with times changing and ages aging, the Islanders went hunting for some younger legs. Matias Maccelli was Mathieu Darche’s guy. So, who is he?

Maccelli is a 25-year-old Finnish winger who began his career in Arizona under the Coyotes crest. He made his NHL debut late in the 2021-22 season and showed some flashes. The Finn responded a year later with a 49-point breakout rookie season. For Maccelli, there was no sophomore slump ahead. In the final season of Coyote hockey in the desert, then 23-year-old Maccelli posted an impressive 17 goals and 40 assists for 57 points while playing middle-six minutes primarily alongside Nick Bjugstad and Lawson Crouse.

The move to Utah hurt this once flourishing third line in Arizona to kick off the 2024-25 season. Utah’s third line struggled mightily as Bjugstad’s point total fell from 45 in Arizona to just 19 in year 1 in Utah. Same went for Lawson Crouse, whose 42 points dwindled to just 18. The Utah third line had lost its mojo and was broken up by head coach André Tourigny. Maccelli would see himself fall out of favor with Tourigny, who scratched him 25 of the final 31 games of the season.  

Utah would ultimately dealMaccelli to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a future third round pick just after the draft. Opportunity in the hockey-crazed city of Toronto came as Maccelli skated on opening night with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies on the Leafs’ top line. This didn’t last long, but Maccelli found himself in a consistent spot alongside former Islanders captain John Tavares in the middle-six for Toronto. Matias bounced back and doubled his point total from ayear before tallying 14 goals and 25 helpers across 71 games in Toronto. Due to Maccelli’s qualifying offer carrying aroughly$4 millioncap hit, the Leafs decided to allow the still young winger to hit unrestricted free agency; now he is an Islander at a fair $2.25 million.

Mathieu Darche has said he would like to see how Maccelli can help the Islanders’ top lines, hinting at a potentialstart in the club’s top six.Maccelli is a pass-first, high-energy forward whocan play slightly undersized at times, which contributes to defensive-zone struggles when fatigued. The Islanders have a guy just like that already; he wears No. 13. Considering Pete DeBoer plans to use Mat Barzal as a center this year, effectivelysplitting him up from Bo Horvat, it seems appropriate that Macelli and Barzal’s combined skill could be an attraction for Islanders fans as they’re always begging for the new addition to go right up front with the Islanders superstar Barzal.

Butfor me, Maccelli meshes better with Bo Horvat as a setup man with some skill on the other of the two top lines. Maccelli is an agile skater with just-above-average burst, so skating with Olympian Bo Horvat wouldn’t be a problem. John Tavares and Maccelli had success last year; Horvat's game more closely resembles Tavares' than Barzal's.

I predict Barzal will start with Cal Ritchie and Kyle Palmieri. A lineof Horvat, Maccelli and Simon Holmstrom seems like it could be a great match. Horvat and Holmstrom are both complete 200-foot players who could be argued to be the club’s two most important forwards. If the Islanders believe Maccelli can get back to the 50-plus-point number, there’s no better option than playing him with fellow Nordic Simon and potential future Isles captain Bo Horvat.

Maccelli is also due for a spot on the Isles' second power-play unit illustrating it is clear there is plenty of opportunity ahead. However, internal competition from Islanders prospects like Victor Eklund and Cole Eiserman also has to be in the back of Maccelli’s mind, making this a make-or-break season in his young career.  

Scenery is everything for young players as Maccelli will look to bounce back in the hockey climate of Long Island this fall. He believes being an Islander could suit him best as he picked the Islanders over the rest on July 1.

If Maccelli gets his Islanders tenure off on the right foot and finds a home up top, I don’t see why he can’t add 50 points to an Islanders lineup that is always begging for fresh scoring.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow