The Official 2026 Off-Season Thread: Revenge of the Nerds

[BG]

Meh, Maccelli's xG away from any line without 2 of Nylander, Knies, Tavares on it was grim.

This points to the fact that we didn't have a "top 9". We need better players down the line-up.

 

[zeke]

This points to the fact that we didn't have a "top 9". We need better players down the line-up.

We needed better players up top the lineup to push decent players down the lineup.

McKenna is a nice start there.

 

[MindzEye]

This points to the fact that we didn't have a "top 9". We need better players down the line-up.

Yeah, I think that in a pinch Maccelli is fine as a complimentary skill guy who can get the puck onto the stick of better players (this is where he was at his best in Utah as well fwiw) but as soon as you ask him to become a bigger part of a 3rd line, there's not enough to his game. He can't create his own time and space. He doesn't do a whole lot.

I don't want him anywhere close to our top 6, and he's not a water carrier for the 3rd line...so meh, pass.

 

[BG]

It's been a pretty obvious problem for a long time, when was the last time the Leafs had a PP2 that didn't look like it was just put together to rest PP1?

 

[leafman101]

View: https://x.com/ronoanalyst/status/2071686409077833886?s=46

This guy had a similar year to Macceli.

 

[LeafGm]

View: https://x.com/ronoanalyst/status/2071686409077833886?s=46

This guy had a similar year to Macceli.

And this is right around where I expect Maccelli to end up. AAV that comes in at half of his qualifying offer at most, and probably a little less.

As with most extremely average, replaceable, vanilla depth players, no one’s going to want this guy so badly that they’re going to overpay for him.

 

[LeafOfFaith]

Bummer for him if he sees his pay cut by 50%, but honestly he's just not worth much.

And it's weird to say because maybe on some shit team's first line he can put up 60 points again.

 

[hockeylover]

View: https://x.com/nylanderthews/status/2071683610856300780?s=20

 

[Kritter]

Genius

 

[mbow30]

Maccelli is 1 year older than Robertson fwiw. It's just potentially questionable asset management depending on what they do next. If they blow the doors off and add real talent, then I agree it's fine.

Don’t think dom’s model should be a barometer here.

 

[Leafin']

Any interesting names that didn’t get tendered QO?

Maccelli not much of a loss. Shows just how stupid Bundy was giving away a 3rd for nothing.

 

[LeafOfFaith]

Of all the Bundy trades, the 3rd for Maccelli was maybe his best, by the way.

 

[MindzEye]

Don’t think dom’s model should be a barometer here.

It's always a good practice imo when comparing guys who don't drive their lines, to look at their most common linemates.

Num​

Time​

%​

Players​

GF​

GA​

+/-​

SF​

SA​

SF%​

CF​

CA​

CF%​

1​

233:26​

25.6​

JOHN TAVARES - WILLIAM NYLANDER - MATIAS MACCELLI​

16​

18​

-2​

110​

116​

48.7​

232​

225​

50.8​

2​

171:26​

18.8​

JOHN TAVARES - MATIAS MACCELLI - MATTHEW KNIES​

7​

13​

-6​

81​

73​

52.6​

171​

155​

52.5​

3​

77:27​

8.5​

NICOLAS ROY - DAKOTA JOSHUA - MATIAS MACCELLI​

4​

2​

2​

23​

30​

43.4​

63​

75​

45.7​

4​

32:18​

3.5​

WILLIAM NYLANDER - AUSTON MATTHEWS - MATIAS MACCELLI​

2​

1​

1​

19​

17​

52.8​

35​

34​

50.7​

5​

29:33​

3.2​

DAKOTA JOSHUA - BO GROULX - MATIAS MACCELLI​

2​

2​

0​

11​

22​

33.3​

21​

36​

36.8​

6​

29:14​

3.2​

AUSTON MATTHEWS - MATIAS MACCELLI - MATTHEW KNIES​

2​

0​

2​

12​

12​

50​

22​

32​

40.7​

7​

27:30​

3​

MAX DOMI - MATIAS MACCELLI - MATTHEW KNIES​

0​

4​

-4​

9​

17​

34.6​

25​

32​

43.9​

8​

14:13​

1.6​

MAX DOMI - AUSTON MATTHEWS - MATIAS MACCELLI​

0​

0​

0​

6​

10​

37.5​

11​

21​

34.4​

So yeah, I kind of don't care that his nerdies were okay last year when his shot attempt differential was terrible aside from the lines he's not talented enough to be on if we're trying to be good.

 

[hockeylover]

View: https://x.com/FAN590/status/2071670038684479611?s=20

Justin Bourne asking the important questions like who are you going to get that’s better than Carlo!?

 

[mbow30]

Better question is who can be worse?

I get wanting size and guys who can protect the net on the pk, but they also gotta be able play hockey.

 

[MindzEye]

Oh...this...is what the Leafs problem has been for years.

Not other things. This.

Acquiring Brandon Carlo for a 1st+ wasn't the problem. Valuing "Long D" who can't move the puck isn't the problem. Getting rid of him after 18 disappointing months is.

 

[hockeylover]

Kyper says, actually they had to trade him because he didn’t kick anyone’s ass when Stolarz and Matthews got hurt.

They still don’t really get it.

 

[mbow30]

It's always a good practice imo when comparing guys who don't drive their lines, to look at their most common linemates.

Num​

Time​

%​

Players​

GF​

GA​

+/-​

SF​

SA​

SF%​

CF​

CA​

CF%​

1​

233:26​

25.6​

JOHN TAVARES - WILLIAM NYLANDER - MATIAS MACCELLI​

16​

18​

-2​

110​

116​

48.7​

232​

225​

50.8​

2​

171:26​

18.8​

JOHN TAVARES - MATIAS MACCELLI - MATTHEW KNIES​

7​

13​

-6​

81​

73​

52.6​

171​

155​

52.5​

3​

77:27​

8.5​

NICOLAS ROY - DAKOTA JOSHUA - MATIAS MACCELLI​

4​

2​

2​

23​

30​

43.4​

63​

75​

45.7​

4​

32:18​

3.5​

WILLIAM NYLANDER - AUSTON MATTHEWS - MATIAS MACCELLI​

2​

1​

1​

19​

17​

52.8​

35​

34​

50.7​

5​

29:33​

3.2​

DAKOTA JOSHUA - BO GROULX - MATIAS MACCELLI​

2​

2​

0​

11​

22​

33.3​

21​

36​

36.8​

6​

29:14​

3.2​

AUSTON MATTHEWS - MATIAS MACCELLI - MATTHEW KNIES​

2​

0​

2​

12​

12​

50​

22​

32​

40.7​

7​

27:30​

3​

MAX DOMI - MATIAS MACCELLI - MATTHEW KNIES​

0​

4​

-4​

9​

17​

34.6​

25​

32​

43.9​

8​

14:13​

1.6​

MAX DOMI - AUSTON MATTHEWS - MATIAS MACCELLI​

0​

0​

0​

6​

10​

37.5​

11​

21​

34.4​

So yeah, I kind of don't care that his nerdies were okay last year when his shot attempt differential was terrible aside from the lines he's not talented enough to be on if we're trying to be good.

Yeah. Also Not saying there’s no value in dom’s stats but it’s just one model. And we’re talking about a guy who put up like 12 points the year before.

 

[leafman101]

Kyper says, actually they had to trade him because he didn’t kick anyone’s ass when Stolarz and Matthews got hurt.

They still don’t really get it.

I mean this is also true.

 

[mbow30]

Kyper says, actually they had to trade him because he didn’t kick anyone’s ass when Stolarz and Matthews got hurt.

They still don’t really get it.

Yeah but I mean kypers not totally wrong there.

If a 6’5 240 pd one dimensional dman isn’t gonna even stick up for the captain after his knee was shredded on a dirty play, what use does he bring here?