Craig Berube sends clear message to Leafs forward Matias Maccelli that he won't like

The Toronto Maple Leafs have won two games in a row, including a big 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers that coach Craig Berube was particularly proud of. That's great for the team, but bad news for one player in particular.

This is Matias Maccelli's first season as a member of the Maple Leafs after coming over from the Utah Mammoth in a trade for a third-round pick . It has been underwhelming, to say the least.

Maccelli has been a healthy scratch for the last two games, and was a healthy scratch earlier in the season as well.

Coincidentally, the Leafs won both contests after a stretch of very frustrating games. As long as the team keeps winning, coach Craig Berube says Maccelli won't get back in the lineup.

It's probably not what Maccelli wants to hear at the moment, but it is absolutely the right call by Craig Berube. After what's been a brutal start to the 2025-26 season, there is no way any coach would mess with the momentum to bring in an underperforming player, unless injuries make it necessary.

Maccelli seems somewhat lost with his new team so far, with an assist against the Montreal Canadiens Nov 22 being his first point in six games. There is talent there, as he proved, putting up 49 and 56 points in the 2022-23 and the 2023-24 seasons, respectively.

Berube and the Leafs need to find a way to draw it out of him or risk this situation going sideways, and another trade request being made by the player.