Report: Maple Leafs started preliminary extension talks with Bobby McMann

The Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly had preliminary extension talks with forward Bobby McMann, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger.

“I know there has been [conversations] with Bobby McMann,” Dreger said during an appearance on First Up on Friday. “ Just ‘what does an extension look like for you, let’s start batting this around.’  I don’t think that they’ve swapped numbers.”

McMann is in the midst of a solid campaign, sitting seventh on the team in scoring with 24 points (14 goals and 10 assists) in 46 games played, along with 100 hits and 20 blocks. His 14 goals have him third on the team behind only Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares. McMann is in the final year of a two-year contract that carries an AAV of $1.35 million.

The Leafs have invested a significant amount of time in McMann’s development since he signed with the Toronto Marlies on an AHL contract in 2020. It’s paid off in spades as he has emerged as a reliable utility player who can be just as effective on the top line as he can on the fourth line. Dreger says that this, along with McMann’s scoring abilities, means his next contract will likely have an AAV that starts with a five.

“ If you wanna be cheap and get a discount, it’s probably 4.8, 4.9. But I would submit that’s a hard 20-goal scorer,” he said. “Then you have to look at some of the other attributes that Bobby McMahon has brought to the table. He’s developed with the Toronto Map Leafs, check that box. He’s got flat-out breakaway speed, check that box. He’s got size? Yep. [Craig] Berube loves him. Obviously, check that box.”

Dreger later said that the Leafs have lots of reasons to want to get this deal done sooner rather than later, especially considering McMann is expected to take a significant pay raise in the offseason. If the Leafs are unable to get a deal done before July 1st, there is a good chance he could be a hot commodity in a light free agent class. In the meantime, the Leafs will continue to enjoy the bargain value that McMann provides up and down the lineup.

“Speed. A lot of good things. He has such great speed, and he uses it extremely well,” Berube said of McMann on January 12. “I know we lost Robby, so I ended up moving Bobby onto a bunch of different lines, which is nice. He can play anywhere, and he does the job. Defensively, he was outstanding with his stick and his speed. He broke some plays up.”