Pending Free-Agent Bobby McMann Linked to 4 Teams
Free agency starts in just six weeks as there's going to be a number of players receiving hefty pay raises on their new deal. The salary cap is going up and the crop of talent this summer isn't as game-breaking as usual, so a player like Bobby McMann is someone to circle as a forward ready to secure the bag.
McMann split last season between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Seattle Kraken and posted career highs with 29 goals and 46 points. McMann's combination of speed, skill, and size make him one of the best wingers on the open market and at this point, there's no signs that he'll be returning to the Kraken.
Recently, The Athletic posted an article on free-agent predictions from some of their insiders and it's clear that McMann is going to be on the radar of several teams. While there's an outside chance John Chayka circles back on McMann in Toronto, here's the four teams and explanations the insiders provided:
Detroit Red Wings: Really, most of the top forwards are names the Red Wings should consider: Tuch, Mason Marchment and even Evgeni Malkin would all help Detroit. I picked McMann, though, because of his power/speed combo on the left wing, which would really suit Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond as a running mate. McMann will surely be looking for a big payday, but he’ll be below Tuch’s stratosphere and probably has more pure offense than Marchment. Any of the above would fit. — Max Bultman
Los Angeles Kings: The Kings need centers, and the already limited UFA market further dried up with Coyle re-signing in Columbus. It’s hard to see Malkin and Pittsburgh parting ways, but they can still use scoring up front. McMann, 29, will certainly look to cash in on a career-best 29-goal season between Toronto and Seattle. He’s a late bloomer who skates with purpose, goes hard to the net and has shown some finishing touch the last two seasons. If the price isn’t exorbitant, he’s worth a look. — Eric Stephens
Ottawa Senators: It wouldn’t hurt for the Senators to add another goal-scoring winger. And it certainly wouldn’t hurt for the Senators to add some speed up the wing. Enter McMann, whose max skating speed of 39.03 ranked in the top 10 this past regular season according to NHL Edge. McMann also nearly hit the 30-goal mark while splitting the year between Toronto and Seattle. — Julian McKenzie
Utah Mammoth: Utah is pretty set on the back end with the MacKenzie Weegar addition, plus the expected growth of Dmitri Simashev. Up front, though, the Mammoth could use a middle-six forward, especially one who could be an upgrade in the spot that Kailer Yamamoto occupied on Logan Cooley’s line. A winger with size, grit and secondary scoring, such as McMann or Marchment, should warrant consideration. — Harman Dayal
Where do you see McMann signing this summer?
Photo credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
