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Bobby McMann, Toronto Maple Leafs (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Bobby McMann Offers Candid Take on Toronto’s Collapse

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Jim Parsons | Last updated Mar 12, 2026 5:55 PM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs entered the 2025–26 season with expectations of contending for the top of the division again. Instead, they find themselves near the bottom of the standings, sellers at the trade deadline, and trying to figure out what went wrong.

The latest comments from ex-Leaf Bobby McMann, who was traded to the Seattle Kraken at the deadline, and recently offered a candid perspective on where things went off the rails. His comments weren’t harsh, but they weren’t reserved, either.

“When you’re not working as a cohesive unit, you’re not going to be successful. Things can start to go south pretty quickly. I think guys were maybe overthinking things a little bit too much.”
source – ‘Bobby McMann on early goodbyes, the weight of a city and a lost Leafs season’ – Joshua Kloke – The Athletic – 03-11-2026

Fair enough, and this can be said about several teams in the NHL. It’s easy to overthink the game, especially when goals and wins aren’t coming easily.

McMann Suggested The Players Stopped Trusting the System

He added, “We had a lot of key players out of games early in the season. And then when you go through those games, you’re not winning as much, and then you get those players back, and it’s like, ‘OK, we should be good.’ But sometimes, the team isn’t clicking where you want it to be,” he said.

He noted that when things unraveled, the team and the players tried to make adjustments. “Then you start trying to change things up a little bit. I think that’s where you start to run into problems, instead of trusting the system.”

Essentially, it sounds like McMann is suggesting that the players stopped believing in the plan and, by extension, the coaching philosophy. The messaging from Craig Berube wasn’t sinking in, and the players started veering. When that doesn’t work, things shift again… then again, when the pivot fails.

Constant changes can disrupt rhythm. Chemistry between linemates disappears, and shifting bodies around and trying new combinations offers little in the way of cohesion.

Then, if guys like Auston Matthews or William Nylander go on a dry spell, or the goaltending falters, things really get iffy.

Is There A Deeper Issue in Toronto?

McMann’s comments suggest something deeper may have happened in Toronto. Maybe it’s a distrust of the head coach. Perhaps the team doesn’t believe it’s built to win. The roster as constructed didn’t work this season, and even if the injuries hadn’t played a role, the Leafs likely weren’t as strong a contender as they’d hoped. Trades were likely coming regardless.

“When things aren’t going well, it’s that much harder to play there, I think,” McMann said. “We’re all human, and I think all NHL players at times get put on a pedestal. Everybody lets things get to them to a certain extent, some more than others.”

Players are frustrated, while others, like Nylander, are concerned. The Maple Leafs look disconnected—something McMann is seemingly confirming. At best, this is a collection of talented players who can’t get into a rhythm. Now it sounds like everyone is second-guessing the plan.

A Window Into the Leafs’ Summer Plans?

McMann’s comments could be a hint at what’s coming. If he felt in his last weeks with the team that the franchise was searching for an answer, one has to believe management may be questioning things, too.

That could lead to big changes over the offseason, and no one should be surprised by the speculation surrounding the futures of Matthew Knies and William Nylander.