If the Toronto Maple Leafs are hoping to get Bobby McMann on a two-year “bridge” deal, it’s time to temper expectations. At 29 years old, McMann isn’t a prospect or a young forward who needs a proving period—he’s entering the prime of his career. He’s a player with three consecutive NHL seasons showing he can score, stay relatively healthy, and mesh well with top-six talent. That’s a track record you can count on, not a gamble that warrants a short-term test.

Bridge deals are for younger players. McMann isn’t one of them.

Bridge deals are for players who are still finding their footing. Teams use them to see what a 23- or 24-year-old can do when pushed into bigger minutes, often at a discount, while keeping cap flexibility for the future. McMann doesn’t fit that profile. He’s a known quantity, and asking him to sign a two-year deal that “proves” anything would be, frankly, insulting. At this point in his career, he’s looking for security, consistency, and term—something that allows him to plan for the next few years while still playing meaningful minutes on a competitive team.

For the Maple Leafs, this shifts the calculus. If they want McMann to stay in Toronto, they’ll need to commit for more than a couple of seasons. A three- or four-year deal at a reasonable cap hit is realistic, something that locks him in while giving the team some certainty on the wings outside of their top line. Trying to get clever with a bridge deal could backfire; McMann has leverage, and other teams—especially those in Western Canada with cap space and playoff aspirations—could make a compelling offer.

From what we know, McMann wants to stay in Toronto.

It’s also about timing. McMann is not from the Toronto area, but he likes playing in Toronto and fits the lineup chemistry. The word is that he wants to stay. His next contract will likely reflect both his proven production and the security he deserves at this stage of his career. The Maple Leafs have to decide: do they want to secure a stable piece for the next few seasons or risk losing a player who can contribute 20 goals and 30–35 points to a rival to save a year or two on the contract?

At 29, there’s no bridge. There’s a term, value, and a chance to lock in a player who can be part of the Auston Matthews-William Nylander core while it’s still competitive. Anything less and Toronto risks losing both production and continuity on the wing.