Matias Maccelli’s off-the-charts playmaking abilities elevated those around him, made him pop into everyone’s radars and led to the Arizona Coyotes locking him down for the next three years.
Maccelli took a leap forward in his first full season in the league and is considered one of the building blocks for the organization moving forward. His success last year made him one of the main priorities for the Coyotes this offseason.
While many weren’t happy with Maccelli getting left off the top three finalists for the Calder Trophy, he’s not one to dwell on the past. Especially now that he’s earned a three-year deal worth $10.2 million.
Maccelli had split time between the Coyotes and the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League in 2021-22 and wasn’t close to the player he was in his first season. An impressive preseason sparked by his dedication to his success paved the way for a breakout rookie campaign.
“Last year, it was just having a good summer and not rushing it too much and believing in myself,” Maccelli said. “It turned out pretty well, so I’m pretty happy about that.”
The 22-year-old ranked among the top rookies in the league and still finished with the most assists (38), despite being out for six weeks with an injury. He also became the first player in franchise history to lead all NHL first-year players in assists for the season.
“There’s still a lot of stuff I can learn for sure,” Maccelli said. “But overall, to get the games under my belt and get more comfortable and I don’t have to be nervous about interviews and having a lot of people there and all that stuff for me is good.”
As the Coyotes continue to move through the rebuild, the team is establishing depth in its forwards. The free agency signing of Nick Bjugstad will mark a reunion for their line with Lawson Crouse that found dynamite last season.
“Having (Bjugstad) on my line last year was huge. He helped me a lot on the ice and even off the ice, so I think it was great,” Maccelli said.
“For me, it’s just fun going to the rink every day,” Maccelli added. “Next year, I think we’re going to be a lot better. We got a couple of big names coming in and I’m super excited and ready to go.”
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Coyotes secure a key part of team with Matias Maccelli deal