McMann wanted long-term deal with Leafs — The Fourth Period
The Toronto Maple Leafs traded Bobby McMann to the Seattle Kraken on trade deadline day last Friday, a move the winger hoped, at the time, didn’t happen.
McMann, 29, is in the final year of his contract and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
The Maple Leafs and McMann’s agent had discussed various possibilities of what a contract extension could look like, but as TFP’s David Pagnotta reported last week, Toronto wasn’t willing to give him around $5 million per season on his next deal.
“I wanted to stay there a little bit longer. And that wasn’t happening,” McMann told The Athletic in an interview.
Going into deadline day, McMann tried to keep himself preoccupied, later knowing an extension was out of the equation. In between updates from his agent, the versatile winger did his best to keep busy and remain distracted until the inevitable reared its head.
In preparation for a move, when the Maple Leafs landed back in Toronto on Thursday night after a game in New York, McMann hugged it out and said goodbye to his teammates.
“There’s never a bad time for a hug,” McMann said. “Those relationships will last a lifetime. Sometimes people underestimate the importance of good character and good people and the effectiveness that has a long career.”
The Maple Leafs also traded forwards Nicolas Roy on Thursday and Scott Laughton on deadline day.
