SALT LAKE CITY – With the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season just around the corner, it’s time for fans to familiarize themselves with the roster to better understand who will be donning the Utah jersey and what to expect from Matias Maccelli when the puck officially drops in Salt Lake City in October.
In the next player profile, fans will learn more about the Utah Hockey Club roster: Matias Maccelli, one of the team’s assist leaders.
Matias Maccelli from Utah
Maccelli is a 23-year-old winger from Turku, Finland. A true diamond in the rough, Maccelli was selected 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 making his breakthrough with the Coyotes, the young winger played in several leagues during his junior and professional career, where he flourished and eventually earned a place with the Coyotes as a key playmaker.
Junior career
A native of Finland, Maccelli began his career with HC Turun Palloseura in the Finnish Liiga. From there he moved to the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League, where he scored 39 goals and 93 points in 98 appearances. For his performances, he was named to the ALL-USHL Second Team.
After being drafted by the Coyotes in 2019, Maccelli returned to Finland to play for Ilves in the Finnish Liiga. During his rookie season, he scored 13 goals and 30 points in 42 appearances, earning him Rookie of the Year honors.
Professional career
After quickly proving himself time and again in the juniors, Maccelli was then recalled by the Tucson Roadrunners, Arizona’s AHL affiliate.
With the Roadrunners, the young winger continued to impress, scoring 14 goals and 57 points in 47 appearances. These performances caught the attention of management and he was eventually called up to the Coyotes to replace Andrew Ladd, who had been placed on the injured list.
Since his first call-up, Maccelli has been a master with the puck, consistently creating scoring opportunities and lighting up his teammates. In his first three seasons, the 23-year-old recorded 83 assists in 169 appearances. He also finished the 2023-24 season with the second-most assists on the team (40).
Maccelli has excellent vision and patience, allowing him to anticipate the movements of his teammates and find passing lanes that others don’t even know exist. He is also able to get the puck through traffic, often creating a prime scoring opportunity for his teammates.
Whether it’s drop passes, no-look passes, cross-ice passes, passes from behind the net, to the point or in the slot, he’s just a smart player who finds a way to thread the smallest needles and create opportunities. He’s also managed to light the lamp himself, scoring 29 goals in three seasons.
In his second full season with the club, Maccelli should once again be one of the best assist providers.
Follow Utah hockey players on social media
Fans can follow Maccelli on his X and Instagram accounts here.
Utah Hockey Schedule
Fans can watch Maccelli’s first game with the Utah Hockey Club on October 8th against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks. Click here for the full schedule.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Hockey Club insider for KSL Sports. Stay up to date here on X. You can hear Cole’s analysis of the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
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