NHL Rumors: The Toronto Maple Leafs and Bobby McMann

Bobby McMann hasn’t lived up to expectations this year, and if they don’t view him as a good long-term prospect, could he become a trade asset for them?

Sportsnet: James Mirtle on the JD Bunkis on the Toronto Maple Leafs and soon-to-be UFA Bobby McMann. He’s underperformed this season, and if they don’t see him as a good long-term prospect, he might be someone who could have some value.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Bunkis: “I just don’t see how any of these guys we’re talking about would be a good buy low for another team. The only one, and that’s why I thought I was curious yesterday, is probably McMannn. Where he went, I think it was eight games without a point before he scored (Monday) night, and good for him, if he was in the back of the net. But that was created by Nick Robertson.”

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And I think he actually looks in terms of guys that you kind of had a basic expectation that McMann is a little bit higher on the list for me, given what he did for you last season, scoring 20 goals. And largely absent this year. Mostly just a complete mind doing the same thing I mentioned with (Matias) Maccelli. Where the one thing you notice in games is that he’s in a hurry with the puck on his stick when he breaks down the wing. Everything else with McMann so far is missing.

And when you’re talking about who you might turn at some point, and who someone might actually be interested in, I’d probably say that one seems the most likely given salary and past production.

Mirtle: “I learned some interesting things about that, which is that he’s played with good players for most of the season. He’s played a lot of minutes. He’s played more than 15 minutes a game. He’s had opportunities that a lot of other guys haven’t had.”

And the other thing with McMann is you have to make a decision because his contract is coming up. He wants to get paid. Last year he scored twenty goals. He’ll probably get something that seems outrageous. I mean, look at the contracts signed by players who have only scored 20 goals in the last two months.

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So the leaves have to decide: is he part of your team that you want to pay three plus million for? And if the answer is no, then it might make sense to talk about something else that suits you better.

Bunkis: “Right now the fit looks pretty tough. It’s been a really tough start for him, like….”

Mirtle: “He’s a guy who really struggles with self-confidence, really struggles with, you know, I mean, he was in the ECHL at one point. He had a quick rise to where he was last year. It was unexpected. And you know, he’s a nice guy, a cerebral guy, I think maybe I need to think about this a little bit, instead of just going out there and doing it. And you know, he just needs to get his confidence back again.”

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