Maple Leafs need to find their lineup fit for Matias Maccelli

Don’t look now, but it seems like Craig Berube has found his press box fixture.

Matias Maccelli: zero goals and one assist in the past eight games
William Nylander: zero goals and zero assists in the past four games
Nick Robertson: one goal and zero assists in the past nine games
Max Domi: zero goals and five assists in the past 18 games
Calle Jarnkrok: pointless in last ten games

This certainly isn’t an argument for pulling Nylander out of the lineup but when Robertson, Domi, and Jarnkrok are in and Maccelli is out it is noteworthy and likely as soon as the Leafs have another loss it potentially opens a door for Maccelli, which is fair. There just needs to be a greater effort in finding that right fit for Maccelli that balances the over expectation of putting him on the Matthews or Tavares lines.

Maccelli’s most successful seasons came while playing with primarily checking line teammates. Nick Bjugstad and Lawson Crouse were Maccelli’s regular linemates during his 49 point (in 64 game) and 57 point seasons. After injuries forced the trio to spend time apart in 2024-25, all three experienced a drop off in offence and Utah sent both Maccelli and Bjugstad out.

Given the similarities in the games of players like Scott Laughton (to Bjugstad) and a player like Dakota Joshua being potentially capable of playing a role akin to Crouse’s, the Leafs have the opportunity to at least mirror player archetype although certainly not accounting for any chemistry that comes from players being humans not hockey playing robots.

While Joshua has found success with Roy and McMann on the third line that has taken some time to get comfortable with each other, it seems that the Leafs have the possibility to explore putting Maccelli with Laughton on the fourth line, with Steven Lorentz, who might lack the upside of Crouse, but plays a tough game as well. And given that a lot of Maccelli’s success has been owed to keeping a line together for an extended period of time, it might be beneficial to give the still youngish forward an extended look after subjecting him to an extended time away from the Leafs lineup.

The Leafs aren’t in a situation where they can ignore the upside of their young players entering their prime. They have an aging lineup and lack a deep prospect capable of backfilling the aging core. Doing everything possible to make Maccelli work might not be the top priority as the team does everything to get back into playoff contention, but the long term development of the team need to be considered as a secondary outcome, and playing Maccelli does that.

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