Show Bobby McMann the money.
Of the Maple Leafs’ impending unrestricted free agents this summer, a group that includes forwards Scott Laughton, Calle Jarnkrok and McMann and defencemen Troy Stecher and Matt Benning, it’s McMann who should be at the top of general manager Brad Treliving’s to-do list.
And if McMann falls into the range of an average annual value of $4-5 million US a season, that’s fine. In the pool of National Hockey League players who will be eligible for unrestricted status as of July 1, only six had scored more goals than the 15 that McMann had produced this season before games on Sunday.
That includes Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (20 goals), Nick Schmaltz of the Utah Mammoth (18), Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers (18) and three players with 17 goals — Jordan Eberle of the Seattle Kraken, Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres and Kiefer Sherwood of the Vancouver Canucks.
After scoring 20 goals in 74 games last season, McMann is on pace for 26 this year. He’s in the final season of a two-year pact that costs the Leafs just $1.35 million against the salary cap.
The NHL’s salary cap, at $95.5 million this season, will continue to rise in the coming years. It’s projected to be approximately $104 million in 2026-27, and is projected to be $113.5 million the following season.
In short, McMann, who turns 30 next June, would be affordable even with a significant salary bump.
There really shouldn’t be much of an argument against the Leafs re-signing McMann in the proposed AAV range. Going beyond four or five years, though, probably wouldn’t be prudent.
Yes, McMann is a late bloomer, but he also fits perfectly with coach Craig Berube’s power-forward prototype. McMann has speed, hustle and some tenacity, though if there’s one area where he could improve, it would be to bring those elements on a consistent basis. On most nights, it’s what the Alberta native nicely provides. The scoring touch doesn’t need to be explained.
In recent games, McMann has fit well on a line with captain Auston Matthews and Max Domi.
What’s more, while McMann went undrafted, his development in the Leafs organization has been steady since he originally was signed by the Toronto Marlies to an American Hockey League contract in April 2020. It would make no sense for the Leafs, after years of helping get McMann to where he is now, to watch him depart for another team in free agency. Consider, too, that the club doesn’t necessarily have a 20-goal scorer in the pipeline with the Marlies.
As for the other forthcoming Leafs free agents, retaining Laughton and Stecher should be priorities for Treliving.
Some other thoughts as the Leafs return home for a five-game home stand, starting on Monday night against the Minnesota Wild:
Life’s a Mitch
Good news for Matthews: Any questions regarding Mitch Marner probably won’t go beyond Friday, when the Golden Knights make their lone stop in Toronto. Matthews’ terseness in answering Marner queries during the trip was bizarre.
The issue of Marner’s departure was dormant around the team until the Leafs played against him for the first time on Thursday. There hadn’t been Marner questions from media for several months.
And while Matthews might not want to acknowledge as much, Marner’s return will be unlike any other Leafs home game in years, no matter which way the reception goes (we don’t anticipate anything outside of a chorus of boos, but we’ll see).
Have patience, Auston. In a few days, the Marner questions will end. It really shouldn’t be this bothersome.
Five uneasy pieces
We wouldn’t go so far as to say we’re going to find out what this Leafs team is all about on the home stand.
The club has turned a corner with a 9-1-3 record in its past 13 games and gets top marks for some gutsy play on the trip, especially in Colorado and Winnipeg.
The Leafs are playing with more cohesiveness and while there will be breakdowns every so often, they’ve been smoothed over by solid goaltending for the most part.
Still, each of the five games, against Minnesota, Detroit, Vegas, Colorado and Buffalo, in order, will present significant challenges. The Leafs are in a battle with the Sabres, among other teams, for wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference; the other four visitors already have reached the 60-point mark.
No power trip
The Leafs managed to get five of eight points on their trip — and as Berube said after the win in Winnipeg on Saturday, were seven seconds in Vegas from a sixth point — with little help from the power play. Toronto had just eight power plays during their four-game swing and scored once, during the 6-5 overtime loss in Vegas.
One positive: Though the Leafs were 23rd in the NHL on the power play at 16.9%, they’re better at home with a man advantage, scoring at a 22.2% success rate (14-for-63), which is 10th in the league. Mixing in some power-play goals during the home stand should go without saying.
Nylander watch
As we’ve said before, the Leafs are better with William Nylander in the lineup and the sooner their leading scorer (48 points in 37 games) gets back, the better.
The expectation is that Nylander, after aggravating a lower-body injury in Las Vegas, won’t play on Monday. Clarity should be provided by Berube in the morning at Scotiabank Arena.
There was no update on Sunday, as the Leafs had a day off.
X: @koshtorontosun