Olli Maatta Making an Immediate Impact in Calgary

When the Calgary Flames traded MacKenzie Weegar to the Utah Mammoth, the initial reaction to the return was mixed. While much of the focus centered on the haul of second-round draft picks, less attention was paid to the veteran defender coming the other way, a player who had appeared in just 22 games for Utah this season.

However, Olli Maatta might just be the most surprising and impressive addition made by the Flames at the deadline. While the draft capital is undoubtedly important for the future, bringing back a veteran who isn't just a serviceable defenceman, but one who has fit in and helped this team immediately, has been somewhat of a revelation.

The statistical turnaround is staggering. Maatta recorded zero points in 22 games with the Mammoth this season; yet, since joining the Flames, he has gone on an offensive tear. In just 12 games with Calgary, he has racked up 10 points (2 goals, 8 assists), including points in three straight games and back-to-back multi-point efforts.

The Flames have leaned on him for heavy minutes, and the 31-year-old from Jyväskylä, Finland, has made the most of the opportunity.

“It's been a lot of fun,” Maatta told the media postgame following a goal-and-assist performance against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. “A lot of responsibility, playing a lot, that’s what you want. I think the teammates here and the whole organization made the transition very seamless. It’s not always easy coming to a new team, but I’ve felt like I didn’t miss a beat. From day one, I felt like I was part of the team. We’ve got a good thing going on here, so we just have to keep that going.”

Typically described as a stay-at-home defensive defenceman, Maatta noted that he has been refining his offensive game. That work is finally paying off now that he’s being utilized in more diverse situations, including time on the power play.

“I take pride in defending, for sure, it’s a big thing, but nowadays you have to have offence,” Maatta said. “I’ve known I’ve always had it in me, and that’s something I’ve been working on.”

Beyond the scoresheet, Maatta brings an invaluable winning pedigree to the locker room. With 795 games played spanning 14 NHL seasons, he arrived in Calgary with a solid resume that included back-to-back Stanley Cups won as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

For comparison, the Flames’ two former top defencemen dealt at (or before) the trade deadline have produced at different rates with their new clubs. Weegar has recorded three points (one goal, two assists) in 12 games with the Mammoth, while Rasmus Andersson has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 25 games with Vegas.