The Minnesota Wild don’t necessarily need another star; they need another reliable finisher. That’s why Toronto Maple Leafs’ winger Bobby McMann is an intriguing target. McMann isn’t a household name, but his production suggests he could be exactly the type of secondary scoring winger Minnesota needs to take another step.

McMann has quietly emerged as one of Toronto’s most efficient goal scorers. He’s fourth on the team in goals with 19, trailing only Auston Matthews (26), John Tavares (22), and William Nylander (20). He’s ahead of Matthew Knies (15). While 19 goals may not seem elite, he’s showing the ability to outscore some of the league’s best. McMann is accomplishing that without consistently playing top-line minutes.

His 19 goals tie him for 69th in the NHL. Still, he’s outscoring some star players. Several established offensive players across the league finished behind him in goals: Kevin Fiala (18), Mitch Marner (16), Brady Tkachuk (15), Logan Cooley (15), Brayden Point (14), and Elias Pettersson (13). 

McMann’s production isn’t only a result of playing with Matthews and Nylander all the time. He earned those goals through smart positioning, winning puck battles, and smart shot decisions. 

 

Bobby McMann has 14.3 expected goals, which ranks fourth on the Leafs, indicating that he was regularly putting himself in position to score. More importantly, he has 4.7 goals above expected. 

McMann’s 4.7 goals above expected ranks second on the Maple Leafs and ties him for 38th in the NHL. He’s ahead of Jack Eichel (4.6), Nikita Kucherov (4.3), Cooley (4.2), Robert Thomas (4.1), Marner (3.8), Alex DeBrincat (3.5), Sebastian Aho (2.2), and Connor McDavid (1.9). McMann is making a better impact when it comes to goals above expected than Eichel, Kucherov, Marner, and McDavid. 

Here are their goals and expected goals: 

Eichel 

Goals: 21 

xGoals: 16.4 

Kucherov 

Marner 

McDavid 

McMann shouldn’t score more than Marner, given his situation with the Leafs. Marner plays consistent minutes with Eichel, but he isn’t as effective as McMann in expected goals and goals scored. 

That’s why McMann is a low-risk investment. He’s 29 and in his prime and wouldn’t require a massive contract or a franchise-altering trade package. In a proposed deal, Minnesota could move a depth forward like Ryan Hartman and a mid-round draft pick. 

Secondary scoring has often been the difference between early playoff exits and deep runs. McMann has shown he can capitalize on opportunities. The Wild are in a contention window, but they must balance aggression with responsibility. Not every trade needs to be a blockbuster. Sometimes the smartest move is trading for a player with production showing untapped upside without paying a superstar price.

What would McMann’s next contract look like? He only costs $1.35 million towards Toronto’s cap. However, he’s a pending UFA this summer. He’ll likely have a cap hit worth above $5 million. In the new cap era, $5 million is worth it for a power forward they need in their system. Re-signing McMann wouldn’t prevent the Wild from extending Quinn Hughes. 

Bobby McMann may not dominate headlines, but his finishing ability and age make him an ideal low-risk, high-reward target. If he maintains his current trajectory, then he could provide the secondary scoring boost Minnesota needs to push deeper into the playoffs.

 

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