Toronto Maple Leafs make trade for depth forward
The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a trade ahead of the free agency window opening on Tuesday.
According to multiple reports and later confirmed by the team, the Leafs have traded a conditional 2027 third-round pick to the Utah Mammoth for Matias Maccelli, a 24-year-old Finnish forward who has played four NHL seasons.
In 55 games last season with Utah, Maccelli put up eight goals and 10 assists for a total of 18 points.
According to the release, the pick will become a 2029 second-rounder if the Maple Leafs earn a playoff berth and Maccelli records at least 51 points in 2025-26.
An RFA, Maccelli is signed through next season at a US$3.4 million cap hit.
Maccelli joins the Leafs with a solid pedigree as a prospect before his time in the NHL. He was named the Liiga’s Rookie of the Year in 2019-20 after leading all rookies in goals (13), assists (17), and points (30). In 2021-22, he led all AHL rookies in assists (43).
He was a fourth-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2019, with his rights transferring over to Utah following their dissolution prior to last season.
What else have the Leafs been up to?
It’s been a busy offseason for the Leafs this week.
On Sunday, the team locked up pending-RFA Matthew Knies to a six-year contract extension that carries a cap hit of US$7.75 million. The new deal will pay the 22-year-old forward a total of US$46.5 million and will run through the 2030-31 season.
On Friday, the Leafs inked John Tavares on a four-year deal worth US$4.38 million per year.
“Coming to Toronto seven years ago has been better than I ever anticipated,” Tavares said in a letter to Leafs fans on his foundation’s Instagram feed announcing the news.
“The challenge of helping bring the Cup back to the many generations of Leafs Fans and Leafs Nation is an incredible opportunity that pushes myself and my teammates every day. TO is an incredible place to play, and it’s an honour to pull on the Maple Leaf and wear the blue and white.
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