With the Los Angeles Kings season already over, all eyes are turning over as to who they will target in free agency to help revamp their team.
That's where Bobby McMann, an underrated free agent, enters the conversation. In his fourth season, McMann is coming off a career-best year with 29 goals, 17 points, and 46 assists after being traded to the Seattle Kraken just before the trade deadline. The forward is a very intriguing under-the-radar name available for the Los Angeles Kings.
The Kings are facing a difficult reality right now, with the center/forward market looking a bit limited, and a rising forward who just had his best season this year could be a huge steal in a market that looks dry.
This scenario could force general manager Ken Holland to be very aggressive in the limited market and look elsewhere for offensive upgrades.
While McMann won't solve the Kings' problems directly down the middle, he could address another major issue that became obvious during their four-game sweep loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
A lack of secondary scoring and consistent pressure outside of their top line, and at times their best line, was a glaring issue despite giving problems to the Avs defensively.
Injuries, too, Kevin Fiala definitely played a big part in the Kings' struggles with their secondary scoring, as they were relying too heavily on an aging Anze Kopitar, and the rest of their core didn't produce offensively like they needed to in order to advance past Colorado.
The Kings have young, talented forwards in Quinton Byfield, Kevin Fiala, Adrian Kempe, and Alex Laferriere, but adding another wing who can not only score 20 goals while bringing physicality, but also spell for any injuries LA might encounter again.
The other question in signing McMann comes with the contract offer after a breakout season, the 29-year-old is gonna want his money, but may still come at a more manageable price compared to some of the other bigger names who are expected to hit the market.
LA still needs to address its center depth and other roster concerns. Targeting a player like McMann's tier could make more sense than waiting for a star player to hit the market or committing money elsewhere that doesn't address the team's strengths.
Of course, there are risks, with McMann being a one-season wonder, but every season his numbers have increased, and a player whose career is moving upward as he continues to improve each year is the perfect fit to pair with the Kings' young core moving forward.
Even if the Kings go in a different direction, don't be surprised if McMann is at the top of LA's list to help address their weaknesses going into next season.
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