The Toronto Maple Leafs have officially begun selling off pieces at this year’s NHL trade deadline. The club jettisoned Nic Roy on Thursday for a handsome return.
With Roy out of the picture, all eyes in Leafs land turn to Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. But it’s McMann, in particular, that may become the pebble in Toronto’s shoe.
The Maple Leafs have been actively trying to re-sign McMann despite ongoing trade rumors. The 29-year-old will be a UFA at the end of the season, and, well, the idea is to keep him or trade him.
The desire is for both sides to remain together. But the Leafs are balking at McMann’s asking price. Meanwhile, a recent overpay by the San Jose Sharks hasn’t helped matters, either.
The Sharks extended winger Kiefer Sherwood to a five-year, $28.75 million deal. The contract carries an AAV of $5.75 million.
That sounds eerily similar to what chatter has posited McMann’s camp is looking for. Insider Pierre LeBrun confirmed that McMann’s camp wants a deal around five-years, and $5 million AAV. And Sherwood’s contract has just helped his case.
And it makes sense. Sherwood is a year older than McMann and has pretty much the same numbers. He’s notched 18 goals and 25 points in 49 games this season. While Sherwood has missed some time with injuries, his production has held up. It’s consistent with a middle-six winger, exactly the role that McMann plays. That’s why the Sharks overpaid for Sherwood. They wanted to keep Sherwood since acquiring him from the Vancouver Canucks in January. Thus, the deal made sense for both Sherwood and the Sharks.
Maple Leafs May Be Better Off Trading McMann
Unless McMann is willing to give the Maple Leafs a break, Toronto may be better off trading him. The Leafs got a first-round pick from the Colorado Avalanche for Nic Roy on Thursday. So, there’s no reason why the Leafs couldn’t get a first for McMann. Alternatively, the Leafs could get two seconds, like what the Sharks paid for Sherwood.
In that situation, the Maple Leafs stand to make a better profit by moving McMann. Then, the undrafted forward would have to figure out if he wants to hit the open market or re-sign with his new team. That’s a bridge McMann and his people will have to cross when they get to it.
Could McMann and Leafs Remain Together Post Deadline?
Another possibility could be for both the Maple Leafs and McMann to remain together after the trade deadline, even without a deal. That situation brings about an interesting scenario. The purpose of such a situation would be for both parties to agree to a handshake deal. Then, they could work out the details throughout the rest of the season.
It’s certainly a big gamble for both sides. The Maple Leafs would risk missing the boat on a valuable trade chip. Meanwhile, McMann could overplay his hand. Instead of heading to a contender at the deadline, he could be stuck in Toronto, hoping to get the deal he wants.