Bobby McMann’s incredible rise with the Maple Leafs shows that sometimes the best talent comes from unexpected places.
The 29-year-old forward, who wasn’t even drafted into the NHL, just wrapped up a breakout season with 20 goals and 34 points in 74 games. Pretty impressive for a guy who had to fight his way onto the roster.
But it’s not just about the raw numbers. When McMann was on the ice, the Leafs scored an average of 3.01 goals per hour – putting him right up there with team stars Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares.
Here’s what’s really turning heads: McMann’s goals-for percentage at five-on-five sits at 60.25%. That places him among the top 25 forwards in the entire NHL last season (minimum 900 minutes played).
In simple terms? The Leafs are just better when he’s playing.
But keeping his spot won’t be easy. The team’s gotten busy in free agency, bringing in Nicolas Roy, Dakota Joshua, and Matias Maccelli to compete for offensive roles.
New head coach Craig Berube hasn’t guaranteed anyone’s position for next season. McMann will need to keep up his strong play if he wants to stay in the lineup.
The competition for spots is about to get intense as the Leafs look ahead to 2025-26. But with the way McMann’s been playing, he’s making a strong case to stick around.
After all, it’s not every day an undrafted player becomes one of your most reliable scorers.
