The Edmonton Oilers have been on a mission to trade Andrew Mangiapane, and it's been quite the journey. Since late December, Mangiapane has been on the trading block, yet the Oilers haven't found the right fit, even as whispers of interested teams have echoed throughout the league.
One team that showed interest last summer was the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Oilers were ready to send Mangiapane east in exchange for Matias Maccelli, but the Leafs weren't biting, as reported by Nick Kypreos.
It's intriguing to think about what that deal could have looked like. Maccelli, on a one-year deal worth $3.425 million, is just shy of Mangiapane’s salary, which doesn't quite align with the Oilers' financial strategy as they approach the trade deadline.
Maccelli, a pending restricted free agent, was recently highlighted as a player to "keep an eye on" by Daily Faceoff. After a coaching shuffle in Toronto, Maccelli got a brief stint on the top power-play unit, but his time there was short-lived, and he's now back on the second unit.
This season, Maccelli has played in 47 games for the Leafs, tallying 10 goals and 24 points. These numbers surpass his previous season with the Utah Mammoth, where he played 55 games. Impressively, all his goals and most of his points have come at even strength, with rates that would rank him well within the Oilers' lineup.
Despite some defensive struggles, the Leafs have maintained a 53.4 percent expected goal share with Maccelli on the ice, according to Natural Stat Trick. HockeyViz notes that his play this season reflects that of a low-end first-line player, capable of driving offense at an average rate and providing defense above the league average.
At 5’11 and 187 pounds, Maccelli may not bring much size, but he could be a valuable addition to Edmonton’s bottom-six, potentially offering more offensive spark than Mangiapane has managed this season.
Don't miss the 2026 Trade Deadline Special on March 6th, hosted by the Daily Faceoff crew. Tune in for comprehensive coverage, instant reactions, and expert insights from 9 AM to 1:30 PM MT on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel.