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The Toronto Maple Leafs did the logical thing at the trade deadline by sending away Bobby McMann.
On an expiring contract, he did the Leafs no good, and he got draft capital back from the Seattle Kraken.
A few months later, McMann is now heading for free agency as expected, and the NHL will have decisions to make.
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McMann broke out this season before the trade, and the league will have to decide what he might be worth.
Daily Faceoff's Matt Larkin wonders in a new article on Friday whether McMann might actually be a "trap" in free agency.
"Before the Toronto Maple Leafs traded him at the deadline, reports indicated McMann was seeking a contract in the range of five years at $5 million per," Larkin writes. "Would a deal like that represent a trap for anyone looking to sign him? He possesses a tantalizing mix of speed and size, and he buried 10 goals in 18 games after joining the Kraken, upping his total to a career-best 29. But he bloomed so late that he’ll already turn 30 before signing his next deal."
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It's not that McMann can't be good in the near term. It's whether this late-bloomer breakout makes it seem like he should get more contract years than he actually warrants.
The Maple Leafs were speculated at the time of the trade itself as a team that might try to circle back and get McMann to return to Toronto. That might still be in play.
But his well-rounded skillset could certainly help out a lot of teams, if the price is right.
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