"Maccelli can distribute the rock, there's no doubt about that, but it's all the other intangibles away from the puck that head coach Craig Berube hasn't necessarily been happy with. Maccelli has had a very up-and-down start in Toronto after being brought over from Utah for a conditional third-round pick. He started training camp on the top line with Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews, that didn't last long."
""I thought he was competitive all over the ice," Berube told reporters after the Leafs beat the Mammoth 5-2 Wednesday. "Ended up getting one and one [goal and assist], but, for me, it's like, just watching him and how he competed on pucks all night, I thought he was really good." Maccelli felt some added pressure playing against Utah, and wasn't shy after the game to reveal that there was extra motivation to contribute, and come away with the two points."
Matias Maccelli has experienced an uneven start with the Maple Leafs after arriving from Utah for a conditional third-round pick. The 25-year-old winger displayed elite vision and produced a goal and an assist in 12:07 against his former team, including the game-winner. Head coach Craig Berube praised Maccelli's competitiveness and playmaking in that game but has been critical of Maccelli's off-puck compete and puck-retrieval earlier in the season. Maccelli acknowledged extra motivation facing his old club. The Leafs and Maccelli hope the strong performance provides momentum and a turning point for more consistent contributions.
Read at TheLeafsNation
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