The Bobby McMann noise isn’t slowing down, and the latest chatter from the Real Kyper and Bourne show only cranked it up. Suddenly, the question isn’t if the Toronto Maple Leafs would move him. It’s who they want back, and whether this is the moment Brad Treliving tries to squeeze someone.
Everyone Seems to Have McMann Headed to the Oilers
The team everyone’s whispering about? The Edmonton Oilers. From the outside, it makes sense. The Oilers are going for it. It’s a Stanley Cup-or-bust season. They need cheap help, bottom-six muscle, a north–south winger who actually finishes checks and can hammer a puck if it lands on his stick. McMann checks every one of those boxes.
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McMann also grew up just east of Edmonton, cheering for the Blue & Orange. So, from his perspective, that would be an attraction. But what Toronto should want in return? That’s where things get interesting.
The Maple Leafs Don’t Want “Pieces” — They Want a Piece
This is where the debate gets real. Some people hear “McMann trade” and immediately picture the usual deadline package: a third-rounder, maybe a B-level prospect, maybe a warm body who’ll bounce between the American Hockey League (AHL) and the press box.
But honestly? For the Maple Leafs, that’s not going to cut it. If they move McMann, it can’t be for “volume.” Not picks thrown into the drawer. Not a prospect you talk yourself into because his Elite Prospects page looks nice.
Bobby McMann, Toronto Maple Leafs (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Toronto needs something that matters: a real young player, or a top prospect, or someone who helps the NHL roster next season. They need someone who brings substance.
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One of the hosts said it perfectly: “If you’re Edmonton and you offer a third and a middling prospect? I don’t want that. Give us a player.” Exactly.
The Word Is that Toronto and Edmonton Have Been Talking
Apparently, the Maple Leafs and Oilers have already had conversations. That tracks — Treliving didn’t even go on the road trip. He stayed back, bunker-style, working the phones heading into what’s basically a two-stage trade deadline. There’s the pre-Olympic freeze, then the actual deadline. And teams are acting like both matter.
Brad Treliving, Toronto Maple Leafs (Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
There’s still enough time for something to develop, but it’s clear: McMann’s name is out there, and it would seem that some serious conversation is happening.
If the Oilers Want Him, They’ll Have to Pay
Here’s the part every Maple Leafs fan should pay attention to: if Edmonton really wants McMann, this is exactly the kind of spot where Treliving should squeeze them.
He’s cheap. He’s fast. He hits. He shoots it hard. He’s having a career year at exactly the right moment. And he fits everything the Oilers say they need to support Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the bottom half of the lineup. Teams pay for that at the deadline. Sometimes they overpay.
Bobby McMann, Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
The Oilers, more than most teams, might talk themselves into it. Especially if they see him as this year’s version of the cheap, hard-skating winger who “just clicks” beside one of their stars.
Getting McMann on an Extension Matters More Than Anything
Here’s the wrinkle: the Oilers won’t make this trade unless they know they can extend McMann. That means if the Maple Leafs are legitimately shopping McMann, his agent already has the green light to talk to other teams. That’s how it works.
Related: Maple Leafs in Limbo: GM, Coach, and the Players in Question
The agent finds a match, figures out the number, and brings it back. Teams do it all the time. This one is no different. If the Oilers want him, they’ll need permission to talk contract. And they’ll need a deal ready.
Because Toronto absolutely cannot let McMann walk for nothing this summer. He’s an unrestricted free agent (UFA) when his contract expires this offseason, so moving him now makes perfect sense.
The Leafs Like McMann… But They Don’t Love the Uncertainty
Here’s the truth about McMann: he’s become a real NHLer. Big body, great skating, heavy shot, plays harder than people think. He’s scored 17 goals already, probably finishes around 20–25, and he’s done it in a contract year.
That’s the kind of player teams convince themselves on at 11:59 on deadline day. But he’s also streaky. He goes two weeks without you even noticing he’s in the lineup. That’s why Toronto’s pro scouts matter here. It isn’t the stats; it’s the feel.
So What Happens?
Either Treliving squeezes Edmonton for something meaningful, or McMann stays in Toronto, and the Maple Leafs work hard to extend him. But one thing’s clear: the conversation isn’t really about McMann. It’s about what the Maple Leafs think they are right now — and what kind of team they want to be after the Olympic break.
And, after another Maple Leafs loss last night, that’s the part nobody seems totally sure about.
