Toronto Maple Leafs Avoided Major Disaster With Breakout Forward Bobby McMann
The Toronto Maple Leafs could look a whole lot different if things didn't go their way last year and nearly lost out on a crucial part of their team.
If you were to ask Maple Leafs fans who has been the biggest surprise in recent years many would probably say Matthew Knies' emergence as a star or how poised Joseph Woll was against the Bruins last year. But a lot of people would say that Bobby McMann surprised everyone last year, and they'd be right.
Scoring 15 goals in his first real season with the Maple Leafs, McMann added size, strength, speed, and scoring to a Maple Leafs lineup that needed a bit of an injection of offense. Proving he belongs with the team, McMann has translated that into a wildly successful 2024 season, and showing that even at how big he is, he moves like lightning.
This season he already has 6 goals and shows no signs of slowing down, figuratively and literally. But things could have been a lot different last year if NHL teams were paying attention.
Yup. McMann was placed on waivers last season about two weeks into it. 31 other teams had a chance to put a claim in on the power forward but decided to pass on the opportunity, and are now kicking themselves. McMann has a unique blend of power and speed, and being able to be a relentless engine has led Toronto to great success.
Killing it for the Marlies during his time there, he's very reminiscent of another forward with breakout potential in Alex Steeves. Both players have followed a similar trajectory, and if Steeves can imitate McMann's production; the Maple Leafs can be very deadly. Alex Steeves was also placed on waivers this year, but like McMann, went unclaimed.
Waiver claims are a tough beast. GMs need to decide whether or not a player and their cap hit are worth it, and more often than not, a diamond in the rough is passed over. Overall, this is a business at the end of the day, and if teams can't find room, they unfortunately miss out. It's a massive relief that Toronto was able to hang onto McMann.
It could have been disastrous for the Maple Leafs if Bobby McMann was claimed off waivers last year, given how much potential is still within him. He's already shown that he can be an impact player for the team in such a short span, it's going to be exciting to see what happens as McMann continues to grow.
