McMann is one of several pending UFAs that the Maple Leafs have on their roster this season.
All Bobby McMann has ever known in his professional hockey career is the Toronto Maple Leafs, and he wants to keep it that way as he looks towards free agency this summer.
The 29-year-old is on pace for a career year for the second season in a row. He's up to 15 goals and 25 points in 48 games; nine left to tie, and 10 more to break his career-high of 34 points in 74 games last season.
Five more goals, too, and he ties his career-high in that category.
McMann is on an expiring deal. He's going to get paid. Whether it's with the Maple Leafs or another team remains to be seen. The Wainwright, Alberta forward, though, is interested in sticking around in Toronto.
"Yeah, it'd be cool," he told Sportsnet.ca's Luke Fox on Monday.
"This place kind of has everything that you could ask for. Made a lot of good friendships, good relationships with a lot of great people, a lot of great staff in this organization. So, it's definitely a spot that I could see myself being in.
"And the fans are great here. It's like a hockey centre. Everybody loves watching hockey, whether it's our games or anyone's. I think it's just a cool spot to be for hockey."
Ever since signing an AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies out of Colgate University in April 2020, McMann has had to work immensely to carve his path. It's not a road that's well-travelled, and McMann defied the odds.
He's signed two NHL contracts (both two years in length) since April 2022.
This one, however, is different.
If he decides to test free agency, there'll be numerous teams lining up for the forward's services. McMann is quick, strong, can score, and as we've seen recently, can also play in a top-six role.
There's a lot more money on the table (upwards of $4 million per year, and maybe more) with this contract than with any other. Amidst an important year, McMann said he's not thinking too much about a contract, leaving it to his agents, Brian and Scott Bartlett.
McMann also told Fox that he and the Maple Leafs haven't gotten into significant talks yet. It's all been preliminary discussions, for now.
But if he and the Maple Leafs cannot find common ground, McMann is okay with seeing what's out there on the open market on July 1.
"Yeah. I mean, it's kind of both ways," McMann said. "Like, what the team wants, what works for me, and I think I just trust my agents to represent me and figure it out. Because I don’t really know the market and how that works.
"Like, I haven’t really negotiated a lot of deals or anything. Obviously, they’ve done a ton. So, I'm just trusting that they'll guide me in the right direction."