Maple Leafs Land Matias Maccelli in Surprise Trade with Mammoth

The Toronto Maple Leafs made a surprising move on Monday, acquiring 24-year-old winger Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth. The return is a conditional third-round selection in 2027.

Coming off a strong 2023-24 NHL campaign where he tallied 17 goals and 40 assists, Maccelli had a down year in 2024-25, with just eight goals and 18 points in 55 games. He’s got a substantial upside, and the Leafs seem to be hoping he rebounds with a more skilled set of forwards surrounding him.

TRADE: We’ve acquired Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a conditional third-round selection in 2027 pic.twitter.com/2Q23ThZL87

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) June 30, 2025

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The cost was not high, and Toronto adds much-needed depth after signing John Tavares and Matthew Knies. They are likely to lose Mitch Marner in free agency on Tuesday. Fans will see this as a buy-low, high-reward gamble for the Leafs. He has one year remaining on his contract at $3.425 million before becoming an RFA at the end of the season.

The trade comes as a shock given Utah’s aggressive approach this offseason. They are reportedly looking to make a splash and could pitch some bigger-name free agents, including Marner. Maccelli’s departure removes a younger piece of their potential core.

The return is surprising, suggesting Utah doesn’t see Maccelli as part of their long-term plans and was looking to move on from his deal.

The Edmonton Oilers are also linked to trade talks involving the forward, but the cap hit was a bit more challenging for the Oilers to swallow.

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