After having a career year last season, this year has been the exact opposite for Utah Hockey Club forward Matias Maccelli. The left winger was scratched for the eleventh straight game ahead of Friday’s 4-2 defeat to the Seattle Kraken. It is clear that Maccelli has fallen out of favour with the team amid his slump. You may recall, he finished fourth in the NHL’s Calder Trophy race in 2023-2024.
Matias Maccelli Needs a Boost in Utah
With another year left on his contract at a cap hit of $3.425 million, Maccelli was a strong candidate to be dealt at this year’s trade deadline. However, nothing materialized and he ended up staying with Utah. A fresh start could have been what the 24-year-old needed, but a move never occurred. With Maccelli struggling, Utah opted to use more physical forwards in the lineup. Veterans Liam O’Brien and Michael Carcone recently played in his place.
Having a Down Year
For Maccelli, this season has not been what he or Utah hoped for. The forward was expected to be an integral part of Utah’s top six, but he has not seen that type of ice time. Maccelli played most of the season on either the third or fourth line, averaging just 13:55 of ice time. That is about three minutes less than last year’s average of 16:14. After registering a career-high 57 points (17 goals, 40 assists), Maccelli currently sits at just 18 points, (eight goals, 10 assists).
While he played in all 82 games last season, Maccelli only played in 52 games (of Utah’s 65) this season. Showing a significant drop. His last appearance was February 8th against the Carolina Hurricanes, where he recorded an assist. Maccelli’s last goal was January 20th against the Winnipeg Jets, marking nearly two months since then. He now has 83 shots on goal, down from the 149 he had in the 2023-2024 campaign.
Unable to Earn Playing Time
The Finnish forward was drafted by Arizona in the fourth round (98th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, starting out in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners. He scored 14 goals and 57 points in 47 games with Tucson. While not expected to be a key player in Arizona, Maccelli surprised and became important part of the team, especially on the power play. Instead, he has just three points when on the man advantage with Utah this season.
Now, it looks like Maccelli is the odd man out of the Utah lineup. It is unclear what Utah has in store for him. He is still a young forward with a lot of upside to his game, including a high hockey IQ and great vision. The skills are there, but things have not worked out during his first year in Utah. It is not unusual for a young player to have a slumping season, but third and fourth line minutes may not be the solution. As well as being a healthy scratch.
For everyone wondering about Matias Maccelli, the team is being quite tight-lipped.
I’ve been denied interviews with him every time I’ve asked since the trade deadline and Tourigny wasn’t willing to speak on him today.
I’m sure he’ll eventually get another chance, but when that…
— Brogan Houston (@houston_brogan) March 12, 2025
Perhaps Utah head coach Andre Tourigny is choosing to keep the lineup the same as the team continues to chase for a wild card spot. However, Utah reporters have not received any information on Maccelli’s status with the team. Brogan Houston is the Utah beat reporter for Desert News. He was denied interviews with Maccelli, so that raises questions about the forward’s place in the lineup.
As for Utah, there are just 16 games remaining in the regular season and time is growing short. The team remains two points behind the Calgary Flames for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, with Maccelli glued to the press box. If he gets another chance at playing, Maccelli will need to bring his “A” game.
Main Photo Credit: Chris Nicoll – Imagn Images
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