Maple Leafs' Matias Maccelli makes his feelings known on choosing Toronto despite interest from other teams

Matias Maccelli is happy to join the Toronto Maple Leafs after the team traded for him from the Utah Mammoth. He said he always wanted to play for the Leafs, and told his agent, Ian Pulver, that Toronto was his top choice. Other teams were interested, but he focused on the franchise.

"Definitely, right from the start, I told my agent that I would love to play for the Leafs." Maccelli said on Monday, via Sportsnet's Luke Fox.

Maccelli considers playing for the Leafs as a great chance to prove himself.

He found out about the trade while playing golf, and was getting ready to putt when his friend started yelling. His friend told him he had been traded to Toronto.

"I was at the golf course trying to make a putt, and then my friend started yelling that I just got traded to Toronto, so it was a pretty exciting golf round," Maccelli said on Monday, via THN Toronto's Nick Barden.

Maccelli was surprised and said he missed the putt.

"I didn't make that putt," Maccelli said on Monday, via the Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan.

Maccelli called it an exciting and fun moment.

"I'm super excited for this opportunity to play for the Leafs," Maccelli said on Monday, via TheLeafNation's Arun Srinivasan. "Can't wait to get going and into the City of Toronto and to meet everyone there, super excited."

Last season, Maccelli had 18 points in 55 games with Utah. He believes he can play better with the Leafs, and said he will show up in shape and ready to work.

"All I can do is show up in good shape and be physically and mentally ready for the season, and the coaching staff will do their thinking of who will play and where," Maccelli said.

The Leafs got Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth for a conditional third-round pick. If he scores 51 points and Toronto makes the playoffs, it becomes a second-round pick. Maccelli has one year left on his contract, and will be a restricted-free agent in 2026. His current deal pays $3.425 million per season.

Matias Maccelli talked about playing with Leafs' captain Auston Matthews

Matias Maccelli wants to help the team and find his role, but also wants to get in shape to be offensively helpful to the Leafs. He hopes to play next to Auston Matthews and keep up with Toronto's star players.

"I would definitely love that (playing on Matthews' line). Playing with a guy like that would be great," Maccelli said on Monday, via The Hockey News. "I'll make sure I'll be in shape if I get a chance to play with Auston or any of the top guys in Toronto.

In his career, Maccelli has 130 points in 224 NHL games. He showed signs of improvement in the 2023-24 season before the Coyotes' Utah relocation, scoring close to 60 points. If he gets good ice time in Toronto, he is expected to elevate his game.