With the Olympic trade freeze now lifted, the NHL rumor mill is buzzing once again. The Edmonton Oilers currently sit second in the Pacific Division and are expected to explore ways to strengthen their roster ahead of the trade deadline.
One name that has surfaced in recent discussions is Bobby McMann of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Bobby McMann Is a Sensible Fit for the Oilers
McMann is in the final season of his two-year, $2.7 million contract and carries an affordable $1.35 million cap hit. He’s enjoying a solid year in Toronto, registering 19 goals and 32 points in 56 games, making him one of the Leafs’ more valuable trade assets.
With Corey Perry, Connor Brown, and Evander Kane no longer part of the team, and Trent Frederic and Andrew Mangiapane yet to fully click, the Oilers have found themselves depending more than ever on their star players to drive the offense.
When Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl aren’t on the ice, the Oilers have struggled at five-on-five, the bottom six being outscored 60-32. That imbalance has made adding reliable depth scoring a priority.
Despite tight cap space, McMann’s $1.35 million hit makes him an appealing target. While he’s not known as a high-end playmaker, his north-south game and strong work ethic would fit well in Edmonton. He could slot into the third line or move up into the top six, potentially allowing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to shift back to center.
According to NHL insiders Max Bultman and Harman Dayal, a potential framework could look like this: “McMann for the Oilers’ 2026 second-round pick and RW prospect Tommy Lafrenière.”
Toronto might look for a package comparable to what Vancouver landed for Kiefer Sherwood: two second-round picks and an AHL defenseman.
However, McMann isn’t the same type of player as Sherwood, who brings more physicality and is a proven penalty killer. Because of that difference, a return built around a single second-round pick plus 19-year-old prospect Lafrenière feels more realistic.
That said, the salary cap could make things tricky, as the Oilers are working with just $879,316 in available cap space. “Our mock proposal is assuming the Oilers pay another team a modest sweetener to offload Mangiapane, but if they need to dump him to the Leafs… they want Toronto to retain a chunk of McMann’s contract, then obviously it will drive the price up beyond what we’ve proposed,” Insiders said.
It’s still unclear whether a trade will actually come together. In the meantime, the Oilers are focused on their upcoming game against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. Still, with the deadline drawing closer, Bobby McMann’s name isn’t likely to disappear from the rumor mill anytime soon.
