If you thought the Toronto Maple Leafs were going to be quiet at the NHL trade deadline, think again. A new report suggests that GM Brad Treliving is sitting on a trade chip that has significantly increased in value: Bobby McMann.
According to Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun, the market for gritty, scoring wingers has exploded. Looking at the recent return the Vancouver Canucks received for Kiefer Sherwood (two second-round picks and a prospect), the framework is there for the Leafs to cash in. In fact, Koshan believes a first-round pick isn’t out of the question for McMann.
With the Edmonton Oilers circling and the Leafs hovering near the playoff bubble, this creates a fascinating dilemma. Do you keep the affordable depth scorer, or do you replenish the prospect pool with a massive haul?
Analyzing the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Leverage with Bobby McMann
As someone who has watched the NHL trade market fluctuate wildly over the last decade, I can tell you that “cost certainty” is the most valuable asset in the league right now. This is exactly why Bobby McMann is generating such intense buzz. At 29 years old, pending UFA status, and carrying a minuscule $1.35 million cap hit, he is the unicorn that contending teams dream of. He fits literally anywhere in a lineup.
The comparison to the Kiefer Sherwood trade is spot on, but I’d argue McMann might even have a higher ceiling due to his pure finishing ability. If the Canucks pulled two second-rounders and a prospect for Sherwood, Treliving would be foolish not to start the bidding war at a first-round pick.
The Edmonton Oilers Connection
This is where things get spicy. The Edmonton Oilers are the most logical trade partner, and frankly, they are desperate. They need third-line depth that can play heavy minutes, and McMann is essentially “Zach Hyman Lite.” He plays the exact style of hockey that thrives alongside superstars like McDavid or Draisaitl—he goes to the dirty areas, retrieves pucks, and has the hands to finish.
The Oilers don’t have a 2026 first-rounder, but they hold their first-round picks from 2027 through 2029. If I’m Treliving, I am targeting that 2027 first-rounder. Edmonton is in “win now” mode; they cannot afford to care about a draft pick three years from now.
Other Suitors and The Wait Game
While Edmonton makes the most sense, don’t sleep on the Colorado Avalanche or the Florida Panthers. Both teams thrive on aggressive forechecking wingers. However, the Leafs’ recent win streak complicates things. They are five points out of a wildcard spot. Treliving will likely wait until after the Olympic break to make a final call.
My Personal Insight: If a team offers a first-round pick for Bobby McMann, you take it. Period. I love what McMann brings to the Leafs—he’s a homegrown success story and plays with heart. But the Leafs’ prospect pool is thin. Turning an undrafted free agent into a first-round pick is the kind of asset management that builds championship windows. It hurts to lose a roster player during a playoff push, but the value here is simply too high to ignore.
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