The season is quickly approaching, which means it’s time to look towards the future. We do that every year with the Five For Howling 25 Under 25, ranking the Coyotes’ best players under 25. For this year’s rankings, I am joined by James Reeve (@JamesRJReeve), Mike Gould (@miketgould), Haynes Evans (@HaynesPEvans), and Matthew Jacobson (@TheAZSportsGuy).
Matias Maccelli
2022-23 League: NHL (Arizona Coyotes)
Games Played: 64
Goals: 11
Assists: 38
Highest Rating: 2
Lowest Rating: 3
Awards: NHL All-Rookie Team, NHL Most Assists by Rookie
Drafted 98th overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Matias Maccelli was never really a candidate for a breakout candidate. After being drafted, he played two seasons in the Finnish league Liiga for Ilves, including one season where he played with defenseman Juuso Välimäki, and then transitioned to North American professional hockey.
After finishing second on Ilves, Maccelli split his next season between the Coyotes and the Tucson Roadrunners. He led the Roadrunners in both points and assists, which suggested that there was something more to Maccelli’s game.
But Maccelli shined in his first full NHL season. He made the team out of training camp and almost immediately began to show himself as a playmaker. He registered his first assist in the team’s second game against the Boston Bruins and had seven points in his first ten games.
Maccelli had two main lines during the regular season. He primarily played with Nick Bjugstad and Lawson Crouse to the start of the season in what proved to be a very good line. After Bjugstad was traded, Jack McBain took his place, and the line continued to produce. McBain is no Bjugstad, but the fact that Maccelli didn’t take a step back was impressive.
Despite missing a decent chunk of games due to injury, Maccelli finished with an extremely good rookie season. He finished the season third in points on the Coyotes and second in assists and had Calder buzz at the end of the season. He wouldn’t be named a finalist but finished fourth in votes.
Maccelli’s play earned him a three-year, $10.275 million extension. There is a chance he hits a sophomore slump, but General Manager Bill Armstrong brought back Nick Bjugstad, who he played best with, so Maccelli is in a great place to succeed.
The Coyotes need offense, and Maccelli has proven himself a competent playmaker. As the team continues to add skilled players in free agency and as players develop, Maccelli should have the supporting players around him to reach his full potential in the NHL.