Matias Maccelli’s impact relies heavily on his attention to detail without the puck

If Matias Maccelli wants to stick as a top-six forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it won’t be because he’s lighting up the scoresheet, it will be because he’s won Craig Berube’s trust over with his play without the puck.

A 200-foot game of engaged hockey is what Maccelli will need to succeed under his new head coach. Berube will be watching closely throughout training camp and throughout the preseason to see if Maccelli is ensuring all his attention to details are remaining a high priority for the 24-year-old forward. Play physical when the game calls for it, go hard to the net, bust your butt to get back to help stop the rush and close gaps, and be tough to play against along the walls.

Maccelli comes to the Maple Leafs with a massive amount of untapped potential. The former fourth-round pick struggled last season in Utah, and a big reason why was because of his inconsistent ice-time. The Finnish forward had a tough time keeping the trust of his head coach, and his opportunity to succeed certainly took a hit because of it. From 19:05 of ice-time one game, to 9:05 in another, Maccelli struggled to find a consistent role in Utah, and made his way to Toronto for a conditional third-round pick in 2027. Worth noting the conditions are if the Leafs make the playoffs next season, and Maccelli puts up at least 51 points, his previous career high, the pick changes to a second-rounder in 2029. Seems like Utah GM Bill Armstrong is even banking on Maccelli finding his game in Toronto.

With Mitch Marner departing for Vegas, the right-wing spot on the top line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies is certainly going to be an open competition in training camp. Maccelli will have to beat out Max Domi, who will get a look, and the same can be said for Bobby McMann. It’s much of the same on the left-wing of the second line for the Leafs, as John Tavares and William Nylander are locks, but will be watching closely throughout camp to see who Berube wants on the left side. Maccelli has a shot at either of these positions in the top six, but again, it’s all going to come down to details without the puck. Think Nick Robertson, but a more proven player as Maccelli’s career-high 51 points in 2024-25 blows Robertson’s career high of 27 points out of the water.

Like Robertson, Maccelli will have to find another gear physically under Berube, or frankly, it’s not going to work. Robertson averaged 0.6 hits per game under Sheldon Keefe, and last season under Berube, 1.14, almost double. This was certainly an area the 5-foot-9 Robertson had to commit to, and focus on, and give some kudos the speedy winger, he took massive strides last season, and the Leafs are hopeful this can be the same story for Maccelli in 2025-26. Last season the 5-foot-11 winger recorded just six hits in 55 games for Utah, which won’t cut it in Toronto. He doesn’t have to lay bone-crushing hits all the time, or try to take people’s heads off in the neutral zone, but if he’s going to become a more engaged player, there will need to be a serious uptick in the amount of times he’s using his body to make an impact on the player.

Maccelli will need to find a bit of bulldog in him. The offensive instincts are natural, his hands, and passing abilities have already developed and are above-average, so the chemistry side of playing with some elite players up front for the Maple Leafs is likely going to take care of itself. Being a distributor on the top line will also be a huge key to Maccelli’s success. With 78 assists over two years in Utah from 2023-2025, it’s obvious it hasn’t taken Maccelli long to figure out how to set up his teammates in the NHL.

While watching Maccelli do his thing with the puck could be fun to watch next season, early on, pay close attention to his engagement without the puck. Will he battle hard to retrieve pucks back for the Leafs? Will he step into opposing players along the wall, and try to use his body to eliminate cycles, or forwards with speed throughout the neutral zone? How hard is he willing to work when the puck is not on his stick?

These will all be questions Berube and the coaching staff will be thinking about throughout training camp, the preseason, and the start of year. Maccelli has a prime opportunity to play a massive role for the Maple Leafs next season, and potentially beyond for many years. Now we wait and see if he commits to taking care of all the necessarily details without the puck, and wins Berube’s trust as a top-six forward in Toronto.