If these comments are any indication, the Leafs really seem to like what they have in Noel Acciari
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A lot of eyes and chatter have surrounded Ryan O'Reilly after the blockbuster trade on Friday with the St. Louis Blues, leaving Noel Acciari as kind of the forgotten one. He doesn't hold the same notoriety as O'Reilly as evidenced by his Frank Selke and Conn Smythe but he is a well respected bottom-6 player with intangibles that a lot of contending teams look for at the trade deadline.
Acciari is an 8-year veteran whose career season came in 2019-20 when he scored 20 goals and 27 points in 66 games for the Florida Panthers. He has chipped in with 3 seasons of double digit goals and currently has 19 points in 56 games this season - 1 goal in 2 games with the Leafs.
What he lacks in offensive production, he makes up in defense, forechecking, and face-offs. When the trade was announced, Acciari was a top-10 player in hits and face-offs with 168 and 53.5% respectively. Over his career he has notched over 150 hits 3 times and is a career 50% face-off man.
Sheldon Keefe is already very impressed with his newly acquired veteran and was quoted as saying:
"An incredible defensive stick. Really heavy and hard on the puck. When he leans on you, you stop, generally. Very, very encouraged with what we have seen from him."
Mitch Marner chimed in as well by saying:
"You know when he's getting on the forecheck, he's taking the body."
The Leafs have several options now by acquiring O'Reilly and Acciari since both can play on the wing or down the middle. As of right now O'Reilly is stationed as the centre of the second line with John Tavares and Mitch Marner, while Acciari is down the middle on the fourth line with Zach Aston-Reese and Alexander Kerfoot. Making a dangerous offensive team that much more dangerous.
Acciari will truly show his worth during the stretch run and the post-season with his forechecking, bodychecking, and defensive capabilities - something the Maple Leafs desperately needed heading into the trade deadline.
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