Latest On Bobby McMann
Despite a recent winning streak, the Toronto Maple Leafs remain on the outside of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. Were they in the West, their record would be good enough to be in a playoff spot at this moment, but the quality of the conference they find themselves in makes it difficult to imagine a clear path for them to return to the playoffs.
As a result of their current situation, Toronto is likely considering selling off some of its assets in order to best position itself to compete next season and beyond, and one of the key trade chips the club has to work with is winger Bobby McMann.
A pending UFA, McMann is on pace to set career highs in offensive production. He has 19 goals and 32 points in 56 games this season, which is a 28-goal, 47-point 82-game scoring pace.
McMann has attributes to his game beyond just his scoring ability that are likely to make him a player of interest to contending teams. He’s relatively big, standing 6’2″, 217 pounds, and offers the blend of size, pace, and aggression that teams typically covet.
As a result, Toronto is seeking a first-round pick from any team that trades for McMann, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Toronto can’t be blamed for aiming high in terms of the return it seeks for its top pending UFA, but it’s unclear at this time whether the team will ultimately be able to land a first-rounder in a deal.
On one hand, as mentioned, McMann possesses several qualities that are in demand among contending teams, and that could positively contribute to their chances of landing a first-rounder. On the other hand, McMann does not fully fit the mold of players in the past who have landed first-rounders as rentals at previous trade deadlines.
First and foremost, McMann is a winger, and typically teams have been more willing to surrender top draft choices for players at more “premium,” in-demand positions, such as centers and right-shot defensemen. The Maple Leafs themselves are likely aware of this, having surrendered first-rounders at deadlines past in exchange for centers such as Scott Laughton and Ryan O’Reilly, as well as right-shot blueliners such as Brandon Carlo.
With that said, there is still some precedent for a winger to land a first-round pick. Toronto dealt a first-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets to acquire veteran winger Nick Foligno in 2021, and other wingers have also returned first-rounders as rentals, such as Tyler Bertuzzi in 2023. There’s not nearly as extensive of a track record of rental wingers landing first-round picks as there is with centers, but there are examples the Maple Leafs can cite.
Ultimately, whether or not the Maple Leafs are successful in their pursuit of a first-round pick seems dependent entirely on how highly contending teams value McMann. If he’s one of the more coveted assets available on the market, it would be easy to imagine the price for his services rising high enough.
But on the other hand, numerous contending teams have already dealt away their first-round pick, as Friedman mentioned. That makes it more difficult for the right circumstances to emerge where such a pick would be dealt for McMann.
In any case, once NHL play resumes, McMann will be one of the key players to watch as Toronto looks to chart its path into an uncertain competitive future.
Photos courtesy of John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Teams Interested In Acquiring Oliver Ekman-Larsson
- Lastly, Pagnotta reported that if the Toronto Maple Leafs pivot toward selling ahead of the March 6th trade deadline, plenty of teams will be interested in acquiring Oliver Ekman-Larsson. It won’t be without hurdles, as the 34-year-old defenseman is signed through the 2027-28 season at a $3.5MM salary with a 16-team no-trade clause. Still, he’s having an excellent offensive year with Toronto, scoring eight goals and 34 points in 56 games, with most of that production coming at even strength.
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Morgan Rielly Out Through Olympic Break
- Before taking the ice against the Calgary Flames yesterday, The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke reported that the Toronto Maple Leafs won’t return defenseman Morgan Rielly to the lineup before the Olympic break. Rielly left Toronto’s recent win over the Vancouver Canucks due to an upper-body injury. Given that he’s not playing for Team Canada at the upcoming Winter Olympics, Rielly will likely return after the international event, but the Maple Leafs couldn’t specify a recovery timeline.
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Morgan Rielly Leaves Game With Injury
- Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner Morgan Rielly left yesterday’s victory over the Vancouver Canucks with an upper-body injury, according to a team announcement. Rielly, 31, has missed just a single game this season, meaning if his absence is in any way extended, it would have significant implications for how head coach Craig Berube is able to staff his lineup. While Rielly’s play has come under increased criticism this season as Toronto has struggled to gain ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race, he still plays a significant role on the team. He’s scored 31 points in 54 games, and is Toronto’s No. 2 defenseman in terms of average ice time per game, skating 21:33 per night in a role that includes key power play responsibilities.
Maple Leafs Activate William Nylander
The Toronto Maple Leafs are activating forward William Nylander from the injured reserve for the second time in the last three weeks. Additionally, the team has reassigned Jacob Quillan to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies in a corresponding roster move.
Nylander has been on the shelf for much of January. A groin injury has limited him to only four games this month, not including this evening. Still, he was extremely productive during those contests, scoring three goals and seven points with a +2 rating.
Throughout the entire season, Nylander leads Toronto in scoring with 17 goals and 48 points in 37 games with a +1 rating, averaging 18:33 of ice time per night. Unfortunately, that hasn’t translated to much success on the defensive side of the puck, where Nylander is averaging an 85.9% on-ice SV% in all situations. That’s second-lowest on the team, barely ahead of John Tavares.
Regardless, the Maple Leafs have clearly struggled without him in the lineup. Since Nylander exited the lineup for a second time on January 17th, Toronto has managed a 1-5-1 record, averaging 2.57 GF/G. Their current losing streak has dropped the Maple Leafs to second-last in the Eastern Conference, 10 points back of the final wild-card spot.
If Toronto has any hope of clawing back into the playoffs for the 10th consecutive year, they will need Nylander to remain in the lineup. The team has shown dramatic flaws without him.
Meanwhile, Quillan will return to AHL Toronto after one appearance with the Maple Leafs during his recall. The 23-year-old forward has scored eight goals and 27 points in 28 games for the Marlies this season.
Latest On William Nylander
Los Angeles Kings Head Coach Jim Hiller told reporters, including Zach Dooley, Manager of Editorial Content, that Alex Turcotte is out for the remainder of the road trip due to an upper-body injury.
Having returned home, the forward is ruled out until at least next Wednesday, as the Kings will take on Seattle back in Los Angeles.
Set to turn 25 next month, the former fifth overall pick has just 12 points in 49 games, but he still brings versatility to the Kings’ middle six. Turcotte has won 55.7% of draws this season, a career best, to go with a standout 57.2% Corsi For at even strength. The Illinois native may not pan out as a high offensive producer as initially expected, but he is still a valuable third line center for now, who will be missed for the rest of the week.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Roy is absent tonight against Detroit, noted by Sammi Silber of The Hockey News. Both he and Rasmus Sandin were listed as questionable, the latter able to return to action. Meanwhile, Roy will miss his second game of the campaign, the first coming last Tuesday, due to an apparent lower-body injury. The 30-year-old has 14 points in 53 games on the season, serving as a steady shutdown righty averaging 20:46 a night, good for third on the team. Roy could return by Saturday, as his Capitals host Carolina. Until then, Declan Chisholm remains in the lineup.
- Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander practiced today but still won’t play in Seattle tonight, per Sportsnet’s Luke Fox, who did say that there is a “good chance” he returns Saturday in Vancouver. The forward is dealing with a lingering groin ailment which sidelined him for six games earlier in the year. Without their leading point-getter, who has 48 in just 37 games, the Leafs have gone 1-4-1 and lacking a regulation win, in a time they desperately need points to try and reach the postseason.
Tanev And Joshua Placed On LTIR
The Maple Leafs have placed defenseman Dakota Joshua and defenseman Chris Tanev on LTIR, PuckPedia reports (Twitter link). Joshua is dealing with a lacerated kidney that has kept him out for the last month and while he has started light skating, he’s not expected to return until after the Olympic break. Tanev, meanwhile, has missed the last month with a groin issue. There’s no timeline for his return but he has already missed the required 10 games and 24 days so if he returns – something that is in the air with him reportedly uncertain about surgery – so he’s eligible to be activated at any time.
Maple Leafs Reassign Henry Thrun, Dakota Mermis; Recall Marshall Rifai
The Toronto Maple Leafs are making a few changes to the bottom of their defensive core ahead of a four-game roadtrip through the Pacific Division. According to a team announcement, the Maple Leafs have reassigned Henry Thrun and Dakota Mermis to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and recalled Marshall Rifai to the NHL club.
Thrun, 24, was on his second recall of the year. In his first season with the Maple Leafs organization, he has served exclusively as an injury replacement. Throughout his two recalls, Thrun has gone scoreless in four games with Toronto, averaging 14:52 of ice time per game.
He’s understandably been more productive with AHL Toronto. In his first significant playing time in the AHL since the start of the 2023-24 season, Thrun has scored three goals and 14 points in 28 games with the Marlies, with a -2 rating. That’s good for second on the team in scoring among defensemen.
Expectedly, Mermis heads to the AHL after being placed on waivers yesterday. He has played more NHL games this year than Thrun, scoring one goal in 11 appearances and averaging 13:02 of ice time per game. Unfortunately for Mermis, he has been out of action since early December as he suffered a long-term lower-body injury. Assuming his current demotion goes well, it’s likely that he’ll return to the active roster relatively soon.
Meanwhile, Rifai will join the Maple Leafs for the second time this season. The 27-year-old began the year on Toronto’s long-term injured reserve as he recovered from a wrist injury. Since the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign, Rifai has appeared only for the Marlies, scoring three goals and 17 points in 75 games with a +15 rating. In his only NHL action back in the 2023-24 campaign, he went scoreless in two games.
Maple Leafs Place Dakota Mermis On Waivers
Ahead of their game against the Sabres tonight, the Maple Leafs placed defenseman Dakota Mermis on waivers, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Today marked the end of an extended conditioning loan to the AHL for the defender, who was on long-term injured reserve, meaning they had to either activate him or designate him as waivers non-roster.
Mermis came to the Leafs as a free agent signing in 2024. He signed a new two-year deal last summer to extend his stay in the organization. Still, this is the third time they’ve placed him on waivers since landing him. They were unsuccessful the first time, losing him to Utah in December 2024, but they reclaimed him a few weeks later when he ended up back on the wire, and they haven’t lost him since.
He cleared waivers successfully to begin this season and was yo-yoed between leagues for the first month before sticking on the Leafs’ roster from the beginning of November onward due to their rash of injuries on defense. That bug ended up biting Mermis in December, sidelining him for over a month with a lower-body injury until he was able to get back to action in the minors a couple of weeks ago.
While Mermis’ conditioning loan began a while back, multiple extensions were granted and he didn’t end up getting into game action until last Sunday, recording a -1 rating and two shots in an overtime loss to Providence. It was just his third AHL appearance of the season, as he’s spent most of his time up with the Leafs or on IR.
With Troy Stecher in the mix now and Henry Thrun seemingly set to stick around as a press-box option with Philippe Myers for the time being, Mermis’ services aren’t needed on the NHL roster. The 32-year-old, who has 466 AHL appearances across 10 seasons in the minors, will now get to add to that tally on a more consistent basis in the coming weeks.
In 11 NHL contests for the Leafs earlier this year, the 6’0″ lefty had one goal, a -3 rating, and a 46.9 CF% at even strength while averaging 13:02 of ice time per game.
Nylander And Joshua Skate Before Practice
- Maple Leafs winger William Nylander skated today as he continues to work his way back from a lingering groin issue, mentions David Alter of The Hockey News. He missed six games earlier this season with the same issue and was reinjured in his fourth game back. There remains no timetable for his return with the team likely to be extra cautious but the fact he’s back on the ice is an important first step toward returning.