Matias Maccelli scored 49 power points in his rookie season in the NHL. The score is quite high compared to Finns.
Matias Maccelli rose to the top of the puck with the fins of TPS and Ilves. AOP / USA TODAY Sports
- Matias Maccelli’s NHL career is on the rise.
- The attacker has contract negotiations ahead of him during the summer weeks.
Arizona Coyotes’ Matias Maccelli was selected to the NHL rookie all-star field. The native of Turku scored an excellent 11+38=49 power points in his opening season.
– It’s nice to be elected. Five field players are only selected for it. This was my first season and I got to play with tough players. Maybe the selection wasn’t a huge surprise because the season went so well, Maccelli told Iltalehte.
Not nominated
Maccelli did not make it to the Rookie of the Year nomination. Seattle won the award Matty Bernierswho scored the most goals and points among rookie players.
Owen Power and Stuart Skinner were the other nominees.
– Well, I don’t know if this was a disappointment. I don’t know who decides these things. I know I had a good rookie season. That’s the most important thing, the attacker scores.
Hard numbers
Matias Maccelli scored 49 power points in his rookie season. AOP / USA TODAY Sports
Maccelli’s 49 points is a tough performance when compared to the top-ranked Finnish puck players.
It is almost the same number of points that Carolina Hurricanes’ top center Sebastian Aho scored in his rookie season in 2016-17.
In the same season, Mikko Rantanen got to know the bright lights of the NHL and scored 20 goals and 38 points.
Patrik Laine’s opening season was tough. The man from Tampere shot the little black opponent into the net 36 times. A total of 64 points were scored in the Winnipeg Jets shirt.
Mikael Granlund’s opening season in the NHL and Minnesota Wild produced 41 points. Among players of a slightly older caliber, Saku Koivu scored 20 goals and 45 points in the 1995–96 season. Koivu’s club was the legendary Montreal Canadiens.
Teemu Selänte’s 76 goals and 132 points in his rookie season are in a class of their own.
– It didn’t go well right from the start. At first we had a couple of longer game trips. After that, it started working. The season went better than expected, Maccelli thinks.
What did you learn?
The forward’s contract with the Coyotes expires on the last day of June. The new contract will be signed during the summer weeks. AOP / USA TODAY Sports
Last season, Maccelli played 23 regular season games in Arizona. That’s why the attacker was still considered a rookie this season.
The beginning of my career has been a time of learning.
– The number one thing is probably that small mistakes backfire in this league. For example, small puck losses often lead to a goal. Small things and details are important, I can improve them.
– Coaching, of course, helps in this matter. We watched videos and talked about things with the coaches, that I will become a better player all the time. That is the goal of both.
The body gets tired
The total workload of NHL players is enormous. The teams play a regular season of at least 82 games and some training games. The number of games played by successful teams drops to 100 per season.
Of course, training and sometimes an inhuman amount of traveling will come on top.
– The number of games and traveling has been the most challenging in the beginning. The body gets tired first, not the head. The NHL has been my dream for a long time, it’s great to do this job. The head is not tired yet, says the 180-centimeter Maccelli.
“Rautala Group”
Marko Rautala is the physical trainer of Maccelli and many other hockey players from Turku. PINK BROIJER
In order to keep up, Maccelli is working all summer again in his hometown of Turku. In the so-called “Rautala group”, a lot of tough players are getting themselves in shape.
Mikko Rantanen and Kaapo Kakko are training Marko Rautalan under. Juuso Pärssinen and Mikael Wipes are in the same group. Among the more experienced players, Urheilupuisto sweats, among other things Joni Ortio and Joonas Järvinen.
– There are a lot of guys there. For me, developing the general strength level is important. Summer includes running and jumping exercises, gym training and stair running. Ice training will be added to the program later in the summer.
A new deal
During the summer, Maccelli will renew his contract with the Coyotes.
– There is not much to say about the contract matter yet. After the draft, it might start to happen. Matias needs the salary he deserves. Sometimes things can take a little time. Ian Pulver is negotiating a contract with the club, representing the agent office in Finland Juha Ylönen tells.
– I’m already looking forward to the new season. I’m not completely satisfied with last season. There is even more that I have shown at this point. When I get more games and experience, I have more to give, 22-year-old Maccelli assures.
Before that, the young man spends the summer in his hometown.
– Ruisrock is on the program, it will be quite soon. I am also interested in all racket games, golf perhaps the most. My handicap is eight or nine. Jokiranta and Turku, those are the best places in Finland.