It’s time for Bobby McMann and Pontus Holmberg to take another leap

Through the rigours of an 82-game schedule, opportunity presents itself in myriad, different ways in the National Hockey League. The story of the 2023-24 Toronto Maple Leafs is still being written but you could argue that the defining quality of this high-octane flamethrower of a team, prone to maddening lapses, is their ability to respond to injuries thus far. Mitch Marner’s high-ankle sprain is more severe than originally anticipated while Calle Jarnkrok has been placed on long-term injured reserve with a hand injury.

It is perhaps a ghoulish notion but in the wake of Marner and Jarnkrok’s injuries, opportunity has come knocking for Bobby McMann and Pontus Holmberg. Both players weren’t lineup mainstays to begin the season, but now it’s time for the pair to take another leap this season and there’s evidence to suggest they’re both capable of it. The final 16 games of the regular season are an exercise in optimizing the playoff roster and working on tactics, formations and set plays the Maple Leafs will use in the spring. For McMann and Holmberg, it’s a chance to punctuate their spots on the roster next month.

McMann has already taken a leap and along with Simon Benoit, you could argue that he’s been the positive surprise of the season. He’s grown exponentially more confident since a Feb. 13 hat-trick against the St. Louis Blues, the turning point of his season and perhaps his career. The 27-year-old was rewarded with a two-year contract extension on March 13 and figures to be a larger part of the Maple Leafs’ plans in the immediate future. And now it’s incumbent upon McMann to take another leap if he’s pushing for extended playoff minutes — there’s reason to suggest he’s ready for it.

McMann caught fire during a six-game stretch, recording seven goals and 10 points from Feb. 13-22. Since this breakout sample, his point production has tailed off but he’s still doing plenty of things well. The Colgate University product has been temporarily elevated to a line with Max Domi and William Nylander and it’s a showcase for his speed, size and opportunism to fully coalesce. During Toronto’s last 10 games, McMann leads the team with 33 shots at 5-on-5 via Natural Stat Trick, while ranking second in individual chances created, third in rebounds created and third in hits. That’s pretty damn good! And it should lead to improved point production as well as we surmise that McMann is much better than his three percent shooting percentage over this span would lead you to believe!

From the eye test, McMann looks like a confident player. When he’s in top form and given some space to operate, McMann can create havoc against good teams. To actualize his full skill set, McMann needs to use his speed more often to punish defenders off the rush. He’s doing a better job of getting to the net and high-danger spaces lately and this needs to be a point of emphasis.

McMann’s speed is a major asset and if he continues to hound defenders aggressively, he can continue to make smart plays in space. In the clip below via Omar from The Athletic, McMann nutmegs Arber Xhekaj and then he’s off to the races, looking off his teammate and beating the goaltender clean for an equalizing goal against the Montreal Canadiens on March 9. It’s the type of smart play that separates average players from key contributors during the playoffs and an example of McMann at his best.