The Toronto Maple Leafs’ nightmare season truly peaked in the last month; one defeat after another hung heavy on the franchise, with many advocating a complete sell-off to enable the team to start afresh. The Leafs have not been this bad for very long, and the management has some tough decisions to make about the team’s future.
As the team struggles to return to playoff contention, it will have to determine what lies ahead for several of its players. Luckily, the team can find the most advantageous trade candidate in a 29-year-old forward who has been a consistent producer.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Should Make the Most Out of Bobby McMann Trade
Brad Treliving offered little clarity about the Leafs’ management’s plans, explaining that any decision by the Toronto front office depends on how the season turns out for the Maple Leafs. Luckily for Treliving, he will have enough time to investigate the NHL market and make corresponding decisions regarding the team’s key assets.
“While it looks bleak for the Leafs in the standings, they have time on their side with nine games remaining before the March 6 trade deadline, a span that includes the three-week Olympic break. Theoretically, that should give GM Brad Treliving and his staff plenty of time to survey the landscape across the league and determine the market value for almost everyone on his roster,” James Mirtle and Chris Johnston wrote in a recent contribution to The Athletic.
According to Mirtle and Johnston, Treliving could find a desirable trade candidate in forward Bobby McMann. McMann has gone from undrafted to a reliable player for the Maple Leafs, and with a $1.35 million cap hit, will be a significant advantage for Toronto under the new system.
“The fact there are no double retention deals and a new playoff salary cap this year will put a premium on players with low cap hits, and McMann has one of the lowest (at just $1.35 million) among those on our latest trade board,” Mirtle and Johnston explained.
Moreover, if the Maple Leafs plan around their core pieces like Auston Matthews, McMann is arguably the best Treliving has. “McMann is viewed across the league as Toronto’s best deadline asset, assuming the Leafs don’t decide to deal any of their established veterans with considerable term.”
Insiders explained that for the Maple Leafs, McMann is comparable to former Vancouver Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood. In return for Sherwood, the Canucks received two second-round draft picks of 2026 and 2027 from the San Jose Sharks.
“While most teams are looking for a center over a winger, McMann is somewhat similar to Kiefer Sherwood, who fetched the Canucks two second-round picks in a deal with the Sharks last week.”
The Maple Leafs need to seriously consider a retooling around their core players, and a move involving McMann could be a reasonable place to start.
