Seattle Kraken's Jared McCann speaks on being a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs for a very short time and the fit Bobby McMann has had with his new team.
Seattle Kraken center Jared McCann has never played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, yet he has ties to the organization, and it's not related to his birthplace of Stratford, Ont.
One moment that is unforgettable to some Leafs fans came in mid-July 2021, when Toronto acquired McCann from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Filip Hallander and a 2023 seventh-round pick.
Later that month, the Kraken selected McCann in their expansion draft, as the Maple Leafs decided not to protect him. In the following two seasons, McCann went on to record a 50-point season and then a 40-goal and 70-point campaign. In other words, he went on to be a star for Seattle when Toronto had him secured for all but a few days.
Ahead of Zach Hyman's celebrity golf tournament, McCann was a guest on TSN's First Up on Monday morning, and he was asked about what went down between getting traded to the Leafs and being taken by the Kraken in the 2021 expansion draft.
"I was actually at a buddy's cottage in Grand Bend when I got the call from the GM of Pittsburgh, and he told me that I got traded to Toronto, and it happened really quickly because Kyle (Dubas) called me like 15 minutes later, told me, 'we're going to figure out the expansion draft," McCann explained.
"It turned out kind of different that way, and I went to Seattle pretty quickly. So yeah, I'm still waiting for my jersey," he joked.
McCann also added that some of his friends continue to poke fun at him for having a brief moment with his hometown team. Aside from that, it was a swing of emotions for him to experience in such a short time.
"It was a roller coaster, that 72 hours of getting traded and then the expansion draft, it was a lot.
"I heard from people that I haven't heard from in a long time when I got picked up by the Leafs. I think they were ready for getting some tickets," he said.
In the end, it turned out just fine for McCann's career, as he is a huge piece of the Kraken today. Looking back, he sees the whole process as "a cool experience."
Another forward who has now become an important player for Seattle is former Maple Leafs left winger Bobby McMann.
In a separate media scrum, McCann spoke about how his new teammate is fitting in with the team since getting traded there from Toronto at the trade deadline of this past season.
Since the move, McMann has scored 10 goals and 14 points in 18 appearances. That earned him a six-year contract extension at $5.75 million per season.
"Bobby, obviously, he had a great start for us when he got traded, he's fitting in quite well," McCann said. "We're excited to see what he brings this season."
What does McCann like most about McMann's game?
"Speed," he said without hesitating. "Speed, he's got a great shot… it doesn't take him long to get up to full speed."
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