SALT LAKE CITY – With the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season right around the corner, it’s time for fans to begin familiarizing themselves with the roster to better understand who will be putting on the Utah sweater and what to expect from Matias Maccelli when the puck officially drops in Salt Lake City in October.
Moving on to one of the team’s assist leaders, Matias Maccelli is the next player profile to help fans get to know the Utah Hockey Club roster.
Maccelli is a 23-year-old wing from Turku, Finland. A true diamond in the rough, Maccelli was drafted 98th overall in the fourth round of the 2019 NHL Draft. After several seasons with the franchise, he signed a three-year, $3.425 million contract extension in 2023.
Before breaking out for the Coyotes, the young wing spent time in multiple leagues during his junior and professional career where he flourished and eventually earned himself a spot on the Coyotes as a key building block.
As a native of Finland, Maccelli began his career with HC Turun Palloseura of the Finnish Liiga. From there, he made his way to the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League where he scored 39 goals with 93 points in 98 appearances. For his efforts, he was named to the ALL-USHL Second Team.
After being drafted by the Coyotes in 2019, Maccelli then returned to Finland to play for Ilves of the Finnish Liiga. During his rookie campaign, he scored 13 goals and 30 points in 42 appearances which earned him Rookie of the Year honors.
Quickly proving himself time and again in the juniors, Maccelli was then recalled by the Tucson Roadrunners, Arizona’s AHL affiliate.
For the Roadrunners, the young winger continued to impress as he recorded 14 goals and 57 points in 47 appearances. These performances caught the eye of the front office, and he was finally called up to the Coyotes to replace Andrew Ladd, who had been placed on an injured reserve.
Since his initial call up, Maccelli has been a maestro with the puck, consistently finding his teammates in scoring opportunities and connecting to light the lamp. In his first three seasons, the 23-year-old registered 83 assists in 169 appearances. He also finished the 2023-24 season with the second most assists on the team (40).
Maccelli possesses elite vision and patience which allows him to anticipate his teammates movement and find passing lanes that others wouldn’t even know existed. He’s also able to deliver the puck through traffic which often puts his teammates in prime scoring position.
Whether its drop passes, no-look passes, cross-ice passes, passes from behind the net, to the point or the slot, he’s just a crafty player who finds a way to the thread the smallest needles and create opportunities. He’s also been able to light the lamp himself, registering 29 goals in three seasons.
Moving into his second full season with the club, Maccelli should yet again be one of the top assist leaders.
Here is where fans can follow Maccelli on his X and Instagram accounts.
Fans can watch Maccelli’s first game with the Utah Hockey Club on October 8 against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks. Click here for the full schedule.
