Kraken general manager Jason Botterill didn’t have far to look when seeking a second opinion on versatile power forward Bobby McMann, the latest addition he hopes can bring added offensive punch to his playoff positioned team.
Ahead of acquiring 6-foot-2, 217-pound McMann, 29, from the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of Friday’s noon PT trade deadline for a pair of draft picks, Botterill reached out to Kraken head coach Lane Lambert. He’d been an associate coach in Toronto last season when McMann had a breakout 20 goals ahead of following up with 19 thus far the first 60 games of this current campaign.
“We look at Bobby as a player that brings speed to our lineup, gets pucks to the net, gets to the net and I think can come up and complement our group very well,” Botterill said after sending the Maple Leafs a fourth-round pick in next summer’s NHL draft and a conditional second round pick in 2027 in exchange for McMann, who will wear No. 74. “We talked a lot about making sure our chemistry with our group stayed the same. Making sure that our young players still had an opportunity to grow. And just the fact that Bobby has a relationship with Lane from last year, I think will just make the transition that much easier into Seattle from here.”
Botterill said his conversations with Lambert focused on “the little things” such as McMann’s speed and attacking style. Also, his versatility up and down the lineup and pedigree as an undrafted player out of Colgate University who’s had to work at every level to make the NHL.
“If you look at it, we’re a team that needs to continue to work on getting pucks to the net and increasing our shot totals,” Botterill said. “That’s what Bobby does.”
He added: “When we’re playing well, when we’re creating opportunities, we’re utilizing our speed up there and we’re hard on the forecheck. These are elements that I think he brings and helps our group.”
McMann was the lone Kraken trade acquisition on a day team captain Jordan Eberle signed a two-year, $11 million deal while the team’s three additional pending unrestricted free agents – Eeli Tolvanen, Jaden Schwartz and Jamie Oleksiak – remained in the fold.
The Kraken in prior seasons have shipped out pending UFAs for draft picks, most notably dealing away Yanni Gourde and Brandon Tanev last year while also moving Oliver Bjorkstrand with a year to go on his contract. But that was with the team well out of the playoff hunt, unlike this season with the Kraken holding the final Western Conference wild card spot by three points over San Jose, Los Angeles and Nashville heading into play Friday.
“We could have maybe put some out in the trade market,” Botterill said. “But this team’s in a playoff position. In previous years we’ve made some difficult decisions and let some good players go because we weren’t in a playoff situation and got some draft assets back.
“Even this year, we put out an NHL player (Mason Marchment) to get some draft picks back. We felt it was now time to utilize some of those picks and bring a player like Bobby here into the mix.”
Botterill wouldn’t rule out signing Tolvanen, Schwartz or Oleksiak before they hit free agency and is thrilled to have them with the squad for its final 21-game stretch run. But he added, “Right now, our main focus is to help this group and stay focused on hockey.”
Alberta native McMann will be a UFA this summer as he winds down a two-year, $2.7 million deal. His 19 goals rank second on the Kraken behind the 22 by Eberle, while his 32 points rank sixth just behind Jared McCann’s fifth-best total.
Botterill wouldn’t commit to where in the lineup McMann will play other than to say it would be on one of the top three lines. The Kraken have taken a balanced approach to their forward lines this season, with the scoring and ice time between the top nine forwards often indistinguishable.
He’ll leave that decision to Lambert for now, as well as any calls on which players will sit to make room for McMann joining the roster. He cautioned that with 15 games in 31 days this month, the Kraken will be taxed at times and have their depth tested.
“What I like right now is, depending on the opponent, Lane has different players that he can put into the lineup that are going to bring a little bit of a different element to our group,” Botterill said. “So, at the end of the day, those are going to be Lane’s decisions. And he’s done a good job with it throughout the year.”
