Maple Leafs could miss out on major trade windfall

The Toronto Maple Leafs had hoped forward Bobby McMann would be their ticket to a big trade return at the NHL deadline. McMann, generating significant interest around the league, was being positioned as potentially the most valuable trade chip on the team. Toronto expected a haul that included a coveted first-round pick.

But the market isn’t always kind, and the Leafs may need to temper their expectations. James Mirtle recently compared the situation to Kiefer Sherwood’s trade last month, noting that “The Leafs are hoping for a first in return here, but McMann may top out at two seconds the way Kiefer Sherwood did.”

Sherwood’s move from the Vancouver Canucks to the San Jose Sharks yielded two second-round picks (2026 and 2027) and minor-league defenseman Cole Clayton: respectable, but far from the blockbuster first-round haul Toronto has envisioned as a comparable for McMann. This could mean that a McMann trade could fall short of the team’s lofty hopes.

Elliotte Friedman highlighted the interest McMann has generated across the NHL, underscoring that while the forward is a desirable asset, the ultimate return may not match Toronto’s ambitions. The Leafs are now in a delicate position: push for a first-round pick and risk scaring away potential buyers, or accept a solid, if unspectacular, return to move the player before the March 6 trade deadline.

As the clock ticks down to the deadline, one thing is clear: the Maple Leafs may not get quite the windfall they expected for McMann.