We are deep into silly season, so names are being thrown around among NHL fan bases like they’re going out of fashion.

There’s an understanding among Edmonton Oilers fans that the team doesn’t have much money to spend. That has put them out of the running for someone like Artemi Panarin, and probably any of the big fish the St. Louis Blues are dangling. However, with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ recent regression, Bobby McMann’s name has been mentioned in the capital city.

The rumour initially started on Oilers Now during Bob Stauffer’s conversation with Elliotte Friedman. The two subtly mentioned that McMann would be an ideal fit in Oil Country. From there, the speculation spread like wildfire and is quickly becoming a legitimate interest in Edmonton.

McMann is an Alberta native, born in Wainwright, just east of the city. He played his junior hockey with the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL before moving on to Colgate University, then flourished in his late 20s with the Maple Leafs.

The Toronto forward is 29 and a pending unrestricted free agent. His cap hit is only $1.35 million, with a respectable payday on the horizon this summer. He has posted three straight seasons of at least 15 goals as a secondary scorer in Toronto and looks to be exactly what the Oilers need.

“Yes, I do,” David Pagnotta said on Oilersnation Everyday when asked whether the Oilers have interest in McMann. “You look at what he’s capable of — the offensive outbursts he can produce — and he plays with the big boys. You can argue that (Auston) Matthews has played up to that level. Either way, it bodes well for what the Oilers have.”

Since becoming a full-time Maple Leaf at the start of the 2023-24 season, McMann has played 192 games for Toronto, scoring 52 goals and 88 points while posting a plus-22 rating. He is the Leafs’ fifth-highest goal scorer at even strength over that span with 46 goals, two fewer than Matthew Knies, who has played 26 more games than McMann. If those 46 even-strength goals were applied to the Oilers, McMann would rank fourth over that span, 16 goals ahead of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Additionally, he has averaged 13:48 of ice time during that period.

His skill makes him a popular player, but his $1.35-million cap hit makes him an incredibly valuable one.

“Plus, that cap hit. He’s (Kiefer) Sherwood, but to another degree, based on output and financials,” Pagnotta said. “He doesn’t have the same physicality as Sherwood, but he’s not afraid to throw his body. McMann is a prime target for the Oilers. However, he’ll be a prime target for many teams. Colorado and L.A. are a couple of others that would love to get their hands on this guy.”

There aren’t many players who become available with that combination of cap hit and production. However, similar deals have occurred in recent seasons. A notable example came a few years ago, when Blake Coleman was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a first-round pick and Nolan Foote. Coleman was 28 at the time and had one year remaining on his $1.8-million contract after scoring 21 goals before the trade.

Another comparable deal came last season, when San Jose traded Fabian Zetterlund to Ottawa for Noah Gregor, Zack Ostapchuk and a second-round pick. Zetterlund was 25 and a pending restricted free agent. He had 17 goals and 36 points at the time of the trade, with a $1.45-million cap hit.

It’s fair to assume a McMann deal, if one were to happen, would fall somewhere within those ranges. Another factor to consider is that neither of those deals included salary retention, which would increase the cost.

Either way, McMann has proven he can play alongside star players, produce without the power play and do so with a manageable cap hit — the type of player Edmonton should be looking at ahead of the deadline.

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