The Toronto Maple Leafs will look to finish off a successful road trip on a winning note in Raleigh, NC, on Thursday, as the club takes on the Carolina Hurricanes. The Leafs will stick with the same lineup that they used in the 4-1 win over Florida on Tuesday against the Canes, with Joseph Woll starting in goal, and Dakota Mermis, Calle Jarnkrok, and Matias Maccelli as healthy scratches.
Much was expected of Maccelli, the former NHL All-Rookie Team member who was acquired for a conditional 2027 third round pick over the summer after posting 78 assists in first two full seasons with Arizona, but what the Leafs have received thus far is the performance that the 25-year-old put forth last season in Utah (8 goals, 10 assists in 55 games), where he could not find a fit on any line he played on and was eventually healthy scratched by Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny.
Maccelli saw time early in the season on the top line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies when Max Domi was injured, but that did not take, nor did his short stint on the left side with John Tavares and William Nylander. Where he fit best for a time was on the right side with Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy, but that line has been more successful as a “big boy” unit with Bobby McMann.
Currently, head coach Craig Berube is simply sticking with the same lineup because they are winning. The Leafs main focus is digging out of an early hole, which means that Maccelli at some point will get back into the lineup. At this point, the winger appears to be a candidate for non-qualification next summer and unrestricted free agency, or a trade before then.
My friend Steve Dangle, the guys from Offside Hockey and myself have all speculated on potential trade destinations for the winger, and all of us have zeroed in on Nashville and former Leaf Michael Bunting, who makes more than Maccelli’s $3.425 million AAV, but would seemingly be a better fit as a pot stirrer in Toronto and has excelled playing with Matthews and Tavares before.
If the Preds continue to wallow at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, GM Barry Trotz may be willing to trade an expiring contract in Bunting for a younger forward making less money. Whether Nashville would have interest in Maccelli is the open question at this point.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (12-11-3 – 27 POINTS)
at
CAROLINA HURRICANES (16-7-2 – 34 POINTS)
DECEMBER 4, 2025 ▪ 7:00 PM EST ▪ LENOVO CENTER (RALEIGH, NC)
TV: TSN ▪ RADIO: SPORTSNET 590
MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY vs. CAROLINA HURRICANES
| All-Time Record: | 53-65-11-8 (137 Games) |
| All-Time Road Record: | 25-31-6-5 (67 Games) |
| 2024-25: | 2-1-0 |
| Last Five: | 2-3-0 |
| Last 10: | 4-5-1 |
| First Matchup Between Clubs: | October 31, 1979 (Toronto 2 vs. Hartford 4) |
| All-Time Record: | 53-65-11-8 (137 Games) |
| All-Time Home Record: | 28-34-5-3 (70 Games) |
| All-Time Road Record: | 25-31-6-5 (67 Games) |
| Last Road Win vs. Opponent: | April 13, 2025 (Toronto 4 at Carolina 1) |
MAPLE LEAFS / HURRICANES – 2025-26 TEAM STATS
| TORONTO | CAROLINA | |
| Goals For Per Game: | 3.42 (5th) | 3.40 (6th) |
| Goals Against Per Game: | 3.46 (28th) | 2.76 (10th) |
| Power Play %: | 15.2 (27th) | 13.7 (31st) |
| Penalty Kill %: | 81.1 (15th-T) | 79.7 (22nd) |
| Shots For Per Game: | 27.3 (18th) | 33.2 (2nd) |
| Shots Against Per Game: | 31.2 (31st) | 24.5 (2nd) |
| Faceoff %: | 57.0 (2nd) | 49.8 (16th-T) |
| (NHL rank in parenthesis) | ||
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Tagged: Matias Maccelli, nhl, Toronto Maple Leafs