McMann has 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 points in 63 games with the Maple Leafs this season. Mar 25, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann (74) tracks the play against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/6da1c927-18e3-45d2-a019-c2e5f92364e9.jpeg] Mar 25, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann (74) tracks the play against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Bobby McMann hit another career milestone on Tuesday in the Maple Leafs' 7-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The 28-year-old scored in the second period off a great feed from William Nylander behind Philadelphia's net. The goal, which put the Maple Leafs up 3-1, was McMann's 20th goal of the season. It's the first time he's hit the 20-goal mark in the NHL. "It's great. If you told me at the start I'd get that, I'd be happy," he said following the game." But just happy we won more than anything and feeling good about our team game." McMann's story is few and far between. An undrafted forward who signs an AHL deal, starts his career in the ECHL, and works his way up to eventually getting an NHL contract and opportunity with the Maple Leafs. There wasn't much known about McMann when he showed up in Toronto in 2021, but it's clear he's used every chance to grow his game. "There's many different ways to get [to the NHL] and continue to believe in yourself and trust yourself. Sometimes you just need the right opportunity, the right break, and like I said, continue to believe in yourself, enjoy the game, and appreciate the journey," John Tavares said on Tuesday night. "Everyone's different, but thrilled for Bobby and what he's become for us as a player and his impact, not just on the scoresheet, which is obviously phenomenal and a great accomplishment by him, but certainly how he can be counted on in so many different areas and make an impact for us. "His journey is a great one for a lot of young kids to learn from." McMann's career started to take off during the 2021-22 season, where he broke the Marlies' rookie goal record with 24 goals in 61 games. He filled the back of the net in the AHL again the following season with 21 goals in 30 games before getting a shot in the NHL. The Wainwright, Alberta, native lauded former Marlies head coach Greg Moore as someone who helped him unlock his potential at the next level. "I think my decision-making, as far as when to carry the puck and when to dump and try and go get the puck back. I think that's a skill that's sometimes overlooked and I think there's guys that I've watched previously trying to break into the league that do that really well," McMann said. "That was something I worked on with the Marlies a little bit. Understanding how you can be effective and how I can carve a role for myself in the NHL. I think that was something that was really big for me. And then, it's watching video and then try to get the reps every game and every practice." That process has helped McMann. And now, he's on the Maple Leafs' second line, producing alongside players like Tavares and Nylander. Even Max Domi, who, at moments, has played alongside McMann, offered praise for the 20-goal scorer on Tuesday. "He's a really good skater. He can score. He knows where to go, goes to the dirty areas, and has got that knack [for goal scoring]. He's playing great hockey right now." Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube has rotated McMann between Toronto's second and third lines this season. There was also a point in the year when the forward played alongside Auston Matthews on the team's top line. When asked about McMann following their win against the Flyers, Berube mentioned how he "quietly goes about his business" while being a consistent player for the Maple Leafs. "I think you get pretty consistent play out of him in terms of what he needs to do to be successful. He does a lot of things right every game and they go unnoticed a lot of times," Berube said. "But his skating, he really does a great job of pushing D back all the time with his speed and he's very consistent at it. He skates extremely well and he's a big, strong guy and he's on top of pucks all the time." McMann has never played a postseason game in the NHL, though it's trending like he will in a couple of weeks. He's been able to produce consistently in the regular season, and the next step will be doing so in the playoffs, when Toronto will need it most. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwytvfCA?ceid=CA:en&oc=3] to never miss a story.
