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Maccelli and other role players are key to Maple Leafs success

Matias Maccelli Contract Signed by New York Islanders

The New York Islanders have signed the Matias Maccelli contract. Details coming down the pipe today, and the contract is for one year and $2.25 million for the upcoming campaign.

Credit Image: © Hector Acevedo/ZUMA Press Wire

Matias Maccelli Contract Details Finalized

The 25-year-old Finn is looking to continue his career growth with the signing of this new deal. Maccelli was with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2025-26 season. He had been brought in to help replace the playmaking void felt by the loss of Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights. It was known that Maccelli was a reclamation project of sorts, and really, given the bright spotlight that is Toronto, he did well to handle the pressure.

To start his NHL career, Maccelli played with the former franchise of the Arizona Coyotes, and had 112 points in 169 games. However, in 2024-25, after the Coyotes moved to Utah, he saw a significant dip in production and was even subject to being sat. Toronto had looked at it as a buy-low situation, and really, it was fairly effective.

Locked in 🔒The #Isles havesigned forward Matias Maccelli to a one-year contract.Read more ⬇️

New York Islanders (@notnyislanders.bsky.social) 2026-07-01T18:44:56.909Z

What It Means

In 71 games with the Leafs in 2025-26, Maccelli posted 14 goals and 25 assists, for a total of 39 points. He carried a very respectable 15.6 shooting percentage. This was all the while playing 14:34 of average ice time per game. He did see a fair bit of power play ice time in a supporting role. The Leafs coaching staff were hesitant to use him for high-leverage roles, but he is at a point of his career trajectory that that could begin to change. This deal represents a chance for the playmaking Maccelli to really take an important step. Will he do it and make his general manager look like a genius in the process? Only time will tell, but he will have the chance to do it.

Main Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

About Levi Pike, Editor

Levi Pike is an editor and writer here at Last Word on Hockey. He has lived all over Canada but grew up in Nanaimo, BC. Currently, he lives with his loving wife, three kids, and dog in the capital of the Easterly most province of Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. He’s passionate about hockey, in particular, the Ottawa Senators and statistics. He received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Statistics at Memorial University of Newfoundland.