{"id":455722,"date":"2026-02-12T15:51:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T15:51:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/455722\/"},"modified":"2026-02-12T15:51:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T15:51:13","slug":"oilers-linked-again-to-20-plus-goal-man-in-latest-insider-predictions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/455722\/","title":{"rendered":"Oilers Linked Again to 20-Plus Goal Man in Latest Insider Predictions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just as everyone around the hockey world was beginning to feel that Bobby McMann to the Edmonton Oilers was a foregone conclusion, conflicting reports surfaced suggesting<\/a> GM Stan Bowman had actually been in discussions with the Toronto Maple Leafs about Nicolas Roy and Oliver Ekman-Larsson\u2014not the Wainwright, Alberta native.<\/p>\n

While that development, along with competition from other interested contenders, throws somewhat of a wrench into the plans of those penciling McMann in to the Oilers, they remain one of\u2014if not the\u2014frontrunners in the eyes of many, including TSN insider Chris Johnston.<\/p>\n

In Part 5 of The Athletic\u2019s trade matchmaker series, Johnston predicted that McMann would still wind up in Edmonton.<\/p>\n

Johnston wrote<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Oilers are all-in to chase a championship, but they\u2019re operating with limited cap flexibility while sizing up new pieces. Enter McMann. There won\u2019t be another 20-plus goal man available at this deadline who commands a cap hit below the league\u2019s minimum salary. But the Leafs can get him there with full retention. There\u2019s going to be a premium charged for doing that, but part of being all-in is doing whatever it takes to increase your odds of winning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnston adds that while the Oilers may not be focused on immediately extending McMann, the forward is an Albertan who was raised a few hours from Edmonton in Wainwright. \u201cIt\u2019s conceivable he might be more than just a rental if the fit is right. He has shown in Toronto that he can go get the puck for highly skilled linemates and play anywhere you need him in the lineup.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 29-year-old McMann is, of course, a pending UFA in the second and final season of the two-year, $2.7 million extension signed with the Maple Leafs in 2024. He\u2019s enjoyed a very productive start to the campaign, recording 32 points (19 goals, 13 assists) through 56 games.<\/p>\n

Bobby McMann Remains An Ideal Target for the Oilers<\/p>\n

Players with term on their contracts, like Roy and Ekman-Larsson, are intriguing and provide more certainty, but when all is said and done, McMann is still exactly what Edmonton needs.<\/p>\n

\"\"Bobby McMann Oilers<\/p>\n

His straight-line game\u2014built around speed, strength, and finishing ability\u2014is a tremendous fit in the Oilers\u2019 top nine, and he\u2019s the type of player who could thrive alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl if needed, as we\u2019ve seen with similar-style players in the past.<\/p>\n

McMann\u2019s $1.35 million cap hit is \u2014 which could go down to $675,000 with full retention \u2014 another major advantage for an Edmonton team that\u2019s perpetually tight against the cap and often forced to ask for retention just to make deals work. He checks every box.<\/p>\n

That said, GM Brad Treliving is reportedly seeking a first-round pick<\/a>, which is a hefty price to pay. Unless Bowman is confident he can hammer out an extension with McMann, it\u2019s hard to imagine him wanting to part with another first-rounder for what could ultimately be a rental. If they can get past that hurdle, however, there\u2019s a very real chance the Oilers and Maple Leafs connect on a deal before the March 6 trade deadline.<\/p>\n

Next: <\/p>\n

\tDiscover more from NHL Trade Talk<\/p>\n

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