NASHVILLE — Matias Maccelli made his return to the lineup on Saturday night, and while the result wasn’t what the Toronto Maple Leafs hoped for, the winger’s performance provided a rare silver lining in a 5-3 loss to the Nashville Predators.

Playing in his first game since Nov. 28, Maccelli quickly shook off the rust from his stint in the press box. Head coach Craig Berube avoided burying the returning forward on the fourth line, instead slotting him onto the second unit alongside John Tavares and William Nylander.

The decision paid immediate dividends. Maccelli logged a season-high 16:19 of ice time and earned an assist on Toronto’s second goal after his shot from the point was deflected home by Tavares.

“He was really good. Made plays, skated, hung onto pucks,” Berube said of Maccelli’s performance. “He was good tonight”.

A Second Chance

Maccelli’s return comes at a critical juncture. Acquired from the Utah Mammoth last summer for a conditional third-round pick, he was expected to help mitigate the offensive loss of Mitch Marner. Until now, the transition has been difficult, and the 24-year-old had recently become the subject of trade rumors as his path back to the ice seemed blocked.

“Obviously, everyone wants to play,” Maccelli said regarding his time as a healthy scratch. “No one wants to be sitting in the press box, so it was good to get back in there today”. When asked about the trade speculation and his recent status, he remained brief: “Yeah, obviously it’s not what you want”.

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Roster Shuffling

Maccelli’s opportunity came as Max Domi was scratched for the second time this season. While the coaching staff remained tight-lipped about the change during the morning skate, Berube later characterized it as a matter of managing a deep roster.

“It’s just decisions. I’ve got two extra forwards,” Berube explained, noting that Calle Jarnkrok has also been working his way back. “I’ve got to make decisions on my lineup”.

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With Steven Lorentz also sitting out and the Leafs playing on back-to-back nights, Berube hinted that more changes could be coming. Whether Maccelli has done enough to secure his spot remains to be seen as the Leafs travel to face the Dallas Stars on Sunday.