"Plenty of Toronto Maple Leafs will be haunted by the name Mitch Marner, but fair or not, Matias Maccelli may inspire the most comparisons of all. Both are smallish wingers. While you should expect a mammoth gap in actual production, each forward boasts sometimes-dazzling passing skills. Critics may at times even complain that passing is too often their first, second, and last options. Heck, they both even have alliterative names starting with an "M.""
"Maccelli clearly lost his former Andre Tourigny's faith last season. Utah made the 24-year-old a healthy scratch f or a whopping 13 consecutive games, and he only appeared in six games since Feb. 2, rarely receiving decent ice time. He broke out during the 2022-23 season with 49 points in 64 games, then set a career-high 17 goals and 57 points in 2023-24. Naturally, last season's 18 points in 55 games represent a miserable drop-off, then."
"Generally speaking, players land in a coach's doghouse for at least some good reason. That said, there can be extenuating circumstances, and certain bits of context that point toward better days with a clean slate. To start, smaller players often get shorter leashes than, say, grinders who don't really drive play in a meaningful way. After averaging 15:41 and 16:14 minutes per game, Maccelli logged just 13:44 per night last season -- at least when he wasn't riding the bench altogether."
Matias Maccelli is a small, creative winger known for dazzling passing and playmaking, inviting comparisons to Mitch Marner despite large production differences. He posted 49 points in 64 games in 2022-23 and a career-high 17 goals and 57 points in 2023-24. Last season he fell to 18 points in 55 games and spent 13 consecutive contests as a healthy scratch, appearing in just six games after Feb. 2. Average ice time declined from about 15:41–16:14 to 13:44 per night. Context and a fresh start could enable a rebound.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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