The Utah Mammoth have traded Matias Maccelli to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional 2027 third-round draft pick.
The pick upgrades to a 2029 second-rounder if Maccelli scores 51 points next season and the Maple Leafs make the playoffs.
Maccelli, a 24-year-old winger, finished fourth place in Calder Trophy voting for rookie of the year in 2023 after scoring 49 points in 64 games with the Arizona Coyotes. He followed it up with even better production the next year, but it took a downward turn when the franchise moved to Utah.
He managed just eight goals and 18 points in 55 games this season, and watched the majority of the games from the press box the last few months. Frustration seemed to prevail, which made separation inevitable between the player and the team.
The move clears $3.425 million from the Mammoth’s cap — there’s no salary retained in the deal. It’s unlikely that Utah spends to the cap this season anyway, but with free agency around the corner, the money is there if they need it.
Maccelli, who hails from Turku, Finland, is an elite playmaker when he’s at the top of his game. A change of scenery and a fresh start could be all he needs to get back to his former self — especially if he gets the chance to feed Auston Matthews on the power play, now that Mitch Marner is reportedly moving on.