Has anyone else had a more tumultuous beginning to their offseason than the Toronto Maple Leafs? First, they hire the controversial John Chayka as their new general manager. Then, much to the delight of the organization and its fans, they win the 2026 NHL draft lottery. Just a week later, they let go of former head coach Craig Berube.
You could have the world’s best crystal ball, but still have trouble trying to see what the Maple Leafs are doing after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade with the league’s most impatient fans. The only thing that is for sure in Toronto this offseason is change. For players wanting a change of scenery, that might just help the New Jersey Devils.
In their article about Berube’s firing, ESPN mentioned how this past season, the Maple Leafs tried to replace Mitch Marner with “production by committee”. One of the players brought in to help replace the now productive playoff performer for the Vegas Golden Knights was Matias Maccelli. Could Maccelli be the perfect “change of scenery” candidate for the Devils?
Maccelli’s best season came with the then Arizona Coyotes back in 2023-24 when he posted 17 goals and 40 assists for 57 points, so that’s the ceiling we’ll consider him as a player and his offensive contributions. Last year, he finished with 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points, a nearly 20-point decrease from his career best. This is still a player who's only 25 years old. Shouldn’t that regression be blamed more on the dysfunctionality of Toronto instead of Maccelli personally? Maccelli ended the season playing left wing on Toronto’s third line.
At the very least, Maccelli proved himself an expendable part for Toronto. Let’s be positive and assume that the 60-point player is still in there. Wouldn’t he be a nice boost for New Jersey’s middle six? Remember, the team spent a good two months with the mind-boggling inability to score. Shouldn’t Maccelli be considered an upgrade to the likes of Nick Bjustad, Maxim Tsyplakov, or
Connor Brown, who spent time in New Jersey’s bottom six? Cody Glass might have been the most surprisingly productive bottom-six forward for New Jersey, and he finished with 26 points.
The idea of the Finnish Maccelli being traded to New Jersey has been floated before his move to Toronto. It’s easy to imagine the potential chemistry he could have with the Devils' large contingent of Swiss-German players, not unlike his teammates in Finland’s Liiga before coming stateside. Speaking of that, the Devils still have an impending Nico Hischier decision looming, which could affect their long-term plans.
Chayka was also Arizona’s general manager when Maccelli was drafted, so how much he values his former draft pick would be interesting to see. The Leafs acquired Maccelli last offseason for a conditional 2027 third-round pick. No offense to Maccelli, but unless Chayka has an overinflated value of him, there’s no reason to believe his one season in Toronto bumped up that price.
Any decision of Maccelli likely won’t come until Toronto finds its next head coach. That’s a decision Chayka and company said they won’t rush, which means it’s no guarantee to happen prior to the NHL draft when wheeling and dealing general managers are looking to make deals. The Devils might have an opening at left wing, especially in their bottom six, with the pending restricted free agency of Paul Cotter.
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