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The Edmonton Oilers are likely looking to make a significant move ahead of the trade deadline. At the Olympic break, the reigning Western Conference champions are holding on to the sixth spot in the playoff race. They are, however, just four points away from dropping out of postseason contention altogether.

Because of their precarious place in the standings, Edmonton is not considered to be a favorite to make another Stanley Cup appearance. Instead, teams like the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and Minnesota Wild are in a better position in the West. Nevertheless, the Oilers can improve their playoff chances by taking a big swing in the trade market.

NHL insider Chris Johnston believes that Toronto Maple Leafs star Bobby McMann would be a perfect target for Edmonton. In fact, he has predicted that the Oilers will eventually land the forward once the NHL’s roster freeze is lifted. Due to the Olympic break, clubs cannot complete trades until February 23.

“The Oilers are all-in to chase a championship, but they’re operating with limited cap flexibility while sizing up new pieces. Enter McMann,” Johnston writes for The Athletic. As the insider points out, McMann is earning a very doable $1.35 million AAV in Toronto. Despite the modest salary, the forward has posted an impressive 32 points in 56 games during 2025-26.

Edmonton Oilers Would Have Solid Chance to Retain Bobby McMann if Acquired

GettyBobby McMann grew up just a few hours away from Edmonton.

McMann’s current cap hit is a crucial piece of the puzzle in Edmonton’s potential pursuit of the scorer. According to PuckPedia.com, the Oilers have under $3 million in current cap space. The team also does not have a lot of attractive assets to move out to make room for pricy new additions. McMann will be looking for a significant pay increase when he hits free agency this summer.

Along with Edmonton appreciating his productivity and modest salary, McMann is also originally from Alberta. Johnston believes that because of these factors, the forward could very well re-sign with the Oilers if he is, in fact, acquired before the March 6 deadline.

Edmonton will obviously have to make a suitable offer to Toronto. It was previously revealed that the Maple Leafs want a first-round draft pick if they were to offload McMann. This could soon change, though.

As pointed out by James Mirtle in the aforementioned article, the asking price may ultimately transition to two second-round selections. A similar situation just occurred when the Vancouver Canucks sent Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks.

Oilers Likely Hoping for Maple Leafs to Continue Slide in Standings

Edmonton’s chances of potentially acquiring McMann hinge on Toronto’s intentions ahead of the deadline. At the moment, the Maple Leafs are six points out of a playoff place. Many insiders around the league believe that Toronto would resist a full-blown rebuild, but could trade away pending free agents. McMann would fit into this category.

The Oilers have a series of issues with their roster, particularly in defense and between the pipes. Nevertheless, potentially grabbing a forward such as McMann may be too good to pass up. Edmonton could also certainly use some secondary offensive help behind superstars Conor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore

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