Craig Berube points out one specific underperforming Maple Leaf: 'Not a lot there'
Matias Maccelli was a big off-season pickup for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and now, Craig Berube has addressed his absence from the lineup.
The Toronto Maple Leafs had many options to replace Mitch Marner in their lineup this off-season, and seemingly many believed that the trade for Utah's Matias Maccelli was the way they were going to accomplish that.
Of course, he was never going to be the perfect replacement, but given that he had 78 assists between 2022 and 2024, hopes were very high for the talented yet underperforming winger.
Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to recapture that form in Toronto, even after getting some time with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies, and now, he's been taken out of the lineup completely.
Craig Berube addresses the decision to scratch Matias Maccelli
Now, Head Coach Craig Berube has addressed the decision to scratch Maccelli, revealing that there simply wasn't much out there, and while he knows Maccelli wants to be in the lineup, he's simply not offering much.
I think he obviously wants to play. We all know that, everybody wants to play, but he has handled it positively.
He knows that he has to be better. We put him in the Washington game, and there wasn't a lot there. I thought he struggled in that game. We won the last couple, so I am not going to change the lineup. We'll see.
He knows that he has to be better. We put him in the Washington game, and there wasn't a lot there. I thought he struggled in that game. We won the last couple, so I am not going to change the lineup. We'll see.
In 22 games this season, Maccelli has 4 goals and 9 points, so while he has produced at a solid level, given the expectations on his shoulders coming into the season, it's safe to say that internally the team are very frustrated.
Ultimately, he had a golden opportunity to be a key piece of the Maple Leafs top-six, but the team are struggling overall as of late, and with not much production from the talented 25-year old, it appears as though he's going to continue being a scratch moving forward.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 4 | 246 ANSWERS Craig Berube points out one specific underperforming Maple Leaf: 'Not a lot there' Should Matias Maccelli return to the Maple Leafs lineup? | ||
| Yes | 67 | 27.2 % |
| No | 179 | 72.8 % |
| List of polls | ||