Bruins interested in struggling Maple Leafs forward

The Toronto Maple Leafs are struggling mightily in 2025-26, and are on pace to miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade if they can’t right the ship. One player having a particular challenge despite an offseason change of scenery is Matias Maccelli, and the Boston Bruins have checked in on the forward in recent weeks.

It was first reported by Sportsnet hockey insider Elliotte Friedman earlier in December; it’s not a secret that the Bruins are in the market for a winger as they look to gain ground in the Eastern Conference amid a six-game losing streak.

The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa reinforced Friedman’s sentiment late last week, pointing to a potential Maccelli trade to Beantown.

“The left-shot winger would give the Bruins some offensive help in their top nine,” Shinzawa wrote in the outlet’s latest NHL trade targets article. “He is also 25 years old, which fits the Bruins’ cycle in terms of building for the future while going for a playoff spot.”

Maccelli was a dynamic young forward in his first few years in the league, amassing 49 points in just 64 games in 2022-23 and increasing to 57 points over a full 82-game slate the next season.

Although he regressed to 18 points in 55 games when the Arizona Coyotes became the Utah Hockey Club in 2024-25, the Maple Leafs hoped he could find his previous form alongside their star power up front.

Leafs’ Matias Maccelli frequently getting scratched

But that experiment hasn’t worked out as of yet; the former 2019 fourth-round pick has managed just 13 points in 27 games along with a minus-four rating in 2025-26. He has at times fallen out of the top-six entirely, and was recently skating on the third line with Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann at practice.

Maccelli missed 10 of 11 of Toronto’s games between November 22 and December 20 as a scratch, and he’s struggled to climb back up the depth chart after a slow start to the season despite getting time on John Tavares’ wing.

He has been better as of late, with his ice time increasing over the last five games — along with his production with two goals and two assists in that span.

Maccelli is on an expiring contract, but would remain under team control as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights if traded. He costs $3.425 million against the cap this season.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Bruins continue to pursue the 25-year-old as they look to right the ship; they have also been linked to Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood, who would also be a rental.

As for the Leafs, they are facing their own set of challenges after falling to a tie for last place in the Eastern Conference. It wouldn’t be too surprising if the front office moved Maccelli to clear some cap space and potentially add draft capital for the future.