Matias Maccelli Bio
Matias Maccelli is a Finnish professional ice hockey player who plays as a winger for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on October 14, 2000, in Turku, Finland, Maccelli was drafted 98th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and has since built a reputation as a creative, playmaking forward. Overcoming early injuries, he enjoyed a standout rookie campaign with the Coyotes in 2022–23 and was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team. Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing around 165 pounds, Maccelli shoots left and continues to develop into one of Finland’s promising NHL wingers.
Early Life and Background
Matias Maccelli was born on October 14, 2000, in Turku, Finland, to an American-born mother and a Finnish father. His mother had moved to Finland when she was seven years old, which gave Maccelli a unique multicultural upbringing that blended American and Finnish traditions. Through his maternal great-grandfather, Maccelli is also of Italian descent, adding another cultural layer to his family heritage.
Growing up in Turku, a city with a deep hockey tradition, Maccelli was exposed to the sport at a young age. He began his organized junior career with HC TPS of the Finnish Liiga, where he developed his offensive skills and hockey sense. His time in the TPS junior system laid the foundation for the smooth-skating, pass-first style that would later define his professional career.
Path to Hockey
In 2017, Maccelli moved to North America to play for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League (USHL), a top development circuit for NHL prospects. Across 98 games with Dubuque, he recorded 39 goals and 54 assists for 93 points, showcasing his vision and playmaking ability. In his second season with the Fighting Saints, his strong play earned him a place on the ALL-USHL Second Team.
Following his USHL stint, Maccelli returned to Finland in 2019 to join Ilves of the Liiga, where he continued to refine his game against professionals. His performance with Ilves caught the attention of NHL scouts, and he was selected 98th overall in the fourth round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Arizona Coyotes. During the 2019–20 season with Ilves, Maccelli posted 13 goals and 17 assists for 30 points in 42 games and was named the league’s rookie of the year, winning the Jarmo Wasama Memorial Trophy. He also represented Finland at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and the 2020 World Junior Championships, where he recorded five points in seven games.
Matias Maccelli Career
Early Career (2019–2021)
Maccelli began his professional career with Ilves of the Finnish Liiga after being drafted by the Arizona Coyotes. In his first full season, the 2019–20 campaign, he registered 30 points in 42 games and was awarded the Jarmo Wasama Memorial Trophy as the Liiga’s top rookie. On April 29, 2020, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Coyotes while still playing in Finland.
The following season, 2020–21, Maccelli remained with Ilves under an open-ended agreement with Arizona and continued to develop his offensive game. His steady production in Finland convinced the Coyotes organization that he was ready to make the jump to North American professional hockey, setting the stage for his transition to the American Hockey League.
Tucson Roadrunners and NHL Debut (2021–2022)
For the 2021–22 season, Maccelli was assigned to the Tucson Roadrunners, Arizona’s AHL affiliate, where he adjusted to the North American style of play. He excelled with Tucson, recording 14 goals and 43 assists for 57 points in 47 games, finishing among the team’s top scorers. His strong play in the minors earned him a recall to the NHL in March 2022.
Maccelli made his NHL debut on March 3, 2022, in a 2–1 win over the Colorado Avalanche, stepping in for Andrew Ladd who had been placed on injured reserve. Just three days later, on March 6, he scored his first NHL goal against the Ottawa Senators. The late-season cameo gave the young winger valuable NHL experience heading into his first full campaign.
Arizona Coyotes Breakout (2022–2023)
Maccelli broke out in a major way during the 2022–23 season, earning a roster spot out of training camp and becoming a key part of the Coyotes’ offensive core. In his first 30 games, he recorded three goals and 19 assists for 22 points, leaning heavily on his playmaking ability. After missing time with a lower-body injury, he returned to score seven goals and add 16 assists for 23 points in his next 30 games.
He finished his rookie NHL season with 11 goals and 38 assists for 49 points in 64 games, playing a major role on Arizona’s power play. His impressive debut campaign was recognized league-wide when he was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team. On July 16, 2023, the Coyotes rewarded Maccelli with a three-year contract extension, cementing his status as a building block for the franchise.
Utah Hockey Club Era (2024–2025)
Shortly after the end of the 2023–24 season, the Arizona Coyotes’ franchise was suspended and its hockey operations were transferred to a new expansion team, the Utah Hockey Club. As a result, Maccelli became a member of Utah, bringing his playmaking and top-six experience to the league’s newest franchise. He continued to serve as a primary offensive contributor for the club during the 2024–25 season.
His time in Utah allowed Maccelli to refine his two-way game and expand his role within a young, growing organization. The relocation gave him an opportunity to help establish the identity of a brand-new NHL market while continuing to produce offensively at a high level.
Toronto Maple Leafs Era (2026–Present)
Following the 2024–25 season, the Utah Hockey Club traded Maccelli to the Toronto Maple Leafs on June 30, 2026, in exchange for a conditional third-round draft pick in 2027. The Leafs acquired him as a potential replacement for Mitch Marner, hoping he would return to his Coyotes form. The trade carried a conditional element that could have boosted the pick to a second-rounder in 2029 had Toronto reached the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs and Maccelli hit 51 points, but neither condition was met.
In his first season with Toronto, Maccelli was moved up and down the lineup and was occasionally a healthy scratch as the coaching staff searched for the right fit. Despite an uneven campaign relative to expectations, he still recorded 39 points with the Maple Leafs, providing offense in spurts. His Toronto tenure remains a work in progress as he looks to recapture the consistency that marked his Arizona breakout.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although best known as a hockey player, Maccelli’s style of play is built on speed, vision, and creativity rather than physicality. He thrives as a playmaking winger who can quarterback a power play and find linemates in tight spaces, using his smooth skating and elite hockey IQ to generate offense. His best work often comes in transition and on the man advantage, where his patience and passing touch create high-quality scoring chances.
Notable Events and Milestones
Some of the defining moments of Maccelli’s career include scoring his first NHL goal against the Ottawa Senators in March 2022, being named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team in 2022–23, and representing Finland at the 2020 World Junior Championships. He has also navigated the historic relocation of an NHL franchise from Arizona to Utah, and later a trade to one of the league’s most storied teams in the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Matias Maccelli Career Wins
Throughout his professional career, Matias Maccelli has earned a collection of individual and team achievements across multiple leagues. His standout award came in 2020 when he was named the Finnish Liiga’s rookie of the year and received the Jarmo Wasama Memorial Trophy. He has since added NHL All-Rookie Team honors in 2022–23 and an ALL-USHL Second Team selection during his junior development, marking him as one of the more decorated Finnish prospects of his draft class.
Liiga and USHL Highlights
In the USHL with the Dubuque Fighting Saints, Maccelli produced 39 goals and 54 assists for 93 points across 98 games, highlighted by an ALL-USHL Second Team selection. Returning to Finland with Ilves of the Liiga, he posted 30 points in 42 games during the 2019–20 season and was named the league’s rookie of the year. He followed that with a strong 2020–21 campaign with Ilves before transitioning back to North American professional hockey.
Other Wins and Performances
In the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners during 2021–22, Maccelli recorded 14 goals and 43 assists for 57 points in 47 games, establishing himself as one of the top playmakers at that level. Internationally, he represented Finland at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and the 2020 World Junior Championships, where he posted five points in seven games. These performances helped cement his reputation as a consistent offensive contributor at every stage of his development.
Matias Maccelli Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Matias Maccelli comes from a multicultural family that has shaped his identity both on and off the ice. He was born to an American-born mother, who moved to Finland when she was seven years old, and a Finnish father, giving him a blend of American and Nordic influences. Through his maternal great-grandfather, who was from Italy, Maccelli also carries Italian heritage, making his family background unusually diverse for a Finnish professional athlete.
Personal Life
Off the ice, Maccelli has kept his personal life largely private, with limited public information available about his relationships or family beyond his parents. Born and raised in Turku, Finland, he has continued to maintain ties to his home country while pursuing his NHL career in North America. His journey from a Turku childhood to the NHL reflects the support of a family that bridged multiple cultures and continents.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 season marked Matias Maccelli’s first full campaign with the Utah Hockey Club following the relocation of the former Arizona Coyotes franchise. As one of the team’s established top-six wingers, he was expected to play a leading offensive role and help set the tone for a brand-new NHL market. His vision and power-play presence remained central to Utah’s offensive identity throughout the year.
Throughout the season, Maccelli was a consistent contributor on the scoresheet, though his production reflected the broader challenges of a young Utah roster adjusting to life as an expansion team. He continued to log heavy minutes on the man advantage, where his playmaking created many of the club’s top chances. By season’s end, his performance was strong enough to make him a key trade chip for Utah.
Heading into the summer of 2026, Maccelli’s play in Utah had established him as a proven top-six winger with elite passing ability, setting the stage for his eventual trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The deal reflected Utah’s retooling direction and Toronto’s search for scoring depth, marking a major turning point in Maccelli’s career trajectory.
