The Maple Leafs are cutting ties with Matias Maccelli after just one season.The Leafs declined to give the 25-year-old forward a $4.1 million qualifying offer ahead of Monday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline, according to a league source granted anonymity to discuss private negotiations. That makes Maccelli an unrestricted free agent.Toronto acquired Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth last summer for a 2027 third-round pick and saw him produce 39 points in 71 games. A talented playmaker, he also saw some stretches as a healthy scratch due to his uneven defensive play.Maccelli got the first chance on Auston Matthews’ right wing last fall, but that opportunity ended quickly. And while he had his moments, and even finished fourth among Leafs with 31 five-on-five points, Maccelli never did find a consistent place or role in the lineup under now-former coach Craig Berube, averaging just 14.5 minutes — ninth-most among Leaf forwards. A $4.1 million cap charge, potentially, for a player who is probably overexposed in a top-six role and somewhat ill-suited for a checking-line gig in the bottom six felt a touch high.
The Leafs clearly believe they can spend that money better elsewhere.Meanwhile, the Leafs are keeping the rights to Nick Robertson, Emil Andrae and Jacob Quillan. Each of those players received a qualifying offer, according to league sources.The Leafs gave Robertson a $1.8-million qualifying offer. The pending restricted free agent signed one-year contracts for each of the past two seasons and has arbitration rights this summer. He’ll be looking for more long-term security on his next contract, but whether Robertson and a new Leafs front office led by GM John Chayka can get a deal done remains to be seen.Robertson recently changed agents, moving to Andy Scott from Pat Brisson.He scored 16 goals and 32 points in 78 games last season and could fill a depth role once again for the Leafs next season.The low cost of Robertson’s QO made it likely the Leafs would exercise it.Andrae is a bottom-pairing defenseman the Leafs acquired in a trade from the Philadelphia Flyers earlier this month, while Quillan could fill a depth role at centre again next season.On Monday afternoon, the Leafs also made a move to keep depth defenceman Troy Stecher from hitting the open market by signing him to a two-year extension at an AAV of $1.35 million, according to a league source.Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman first reported the news.Stecher was claimed off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers in November and wound up playing a meaningful role for the team, appearing in 58 games for the Leafs last season.Jun 29, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
