After the Maple Leafs surprisingly cut ties with the skilled winger, Nashville has a prime opportunity to gamble on the former Utah standout's proven offensive playmaking abilities.
The Nashville Predators could be one of the more interesting teams to watch as free agency gets underway, especially after Matias Maccelli was left unqualified and is now available.
The Toronto Maple Leafs decided not to give the 25-year-old winger a qualifying offer before Monday's deadline, letting him reach unrestricted free agency instead of committing to a $4.11 million qualifying offer.
Things just never seemed to click for Maccelli in Toronto. He finished with 14 goals and 39 points in 71 games, but his role changed throughout the season, and he spent time as a healthy scratch.
Even with that, it's hard to ignore what he did before arriving in Toronto. As a member of the Utah Mammoth he recorded 106 points in 146 games and showed he could create offence on a consistent basis.
Newly hired GM Chris MacFarland has already started reshaping the Predators' forward group, and Maccelli feels like someone who fits that direction. If Nashville wants to add another skilled forward without making one of the biggest moves of free agency, Maccelli feels like a player worth taking a chance on.
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