Self-determination leads McMann to breakout season

Feature photo: Getty Images

---

Bobby McMann's journey to the NHL is a testament to perseverance, dedication and the courage to trust an unconventional path.

Growing up in the small town of Wainwright, Alberta, approximately 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, McMann's passion for hockey was evident early on as he honed his skills and set big dreams for himself.

His sister, Jaclyn, eight years his senior, recalls her younger brother’s unabashed love for the game, excelling at a young age.

“He was a good little skater when he was a toddler, and you could see how much he loved hockey,” said Jaclyn. “He would shoot pucks in the driveway at this old rickety net and be out there for hours.”

McMann enjoyed every moment he had a hockey stick in his hands.

"In the winter, I would rush home from school and hope that my dad got home early from work – he usually started early in the morning, so he would be home around four – and then head to the outdoor rink if I didn't have to practice. You would be out there even if it was minus 25. I would wear a scarf under my helmet to keep the ears warm. My dad would go out there with me. He would drag the net down the alley to get the rink just down the street.

"We'd come home for dinner – we're a meat and potatoes family, so usually, it would be a roast with carrots and potatoes and then watch some hockey on TV.”

When he wasn’t playing hockey or tuning in to watch it, McMann would often try to tag along with his older sisters, Jaclyn and Cassie.

“I was pretty annoying,” he said with a laugh. I was always trying to hang out with them.”

He would also often share his ultimate dream with them and his parents.

“When he was eight and said he wanted to play in the NHL … I thought it was impossible,” said Jaclyn.

For a time, it would seem so.

McMann played hockey as a member of the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the Alberta Junior Hockey League before playing at Colgate University for four years.

It was at Colgate, a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, where McMann excelled on the ice and on the stage.

He majored in Economics with a minor in theatre.

"I took the basic intro class, which was acting. I started to really enjoy it and felt like I was good at it. My professor was great, and she encouraged me to take more classes. A couple of other players started taking classes, too."

McMann was a natural when it came to acting, and even took his show on the road.

"I enjoyed the acting side a lot. We did a couple plays, including a children’s play, where we traveled to elementary kids and did some shows in the gymnasium. 

“I had done enough classes at that point – I did some contemporary dance and other classes to round out my minor. It's cool to be able to get a well-rounded education like that.

“With the theatre minor, it's playing with the ridiculousness, taking things to the maximum or minimum with what you do, so learning the ranges of emotions and being in different situations was really cool. I feel I learned a lot about myself through those experiences.”

McMann played four seasons at Colgate, serving as alternate captain before being named captain of the Raiders in his final year. To top it all off, McMann wrapped up his fourth season by being nominated for the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s top men’s ice hockey player.

He leaned on the values he learned in Wainwright as the foundation for his leadership roles.  

"Growing up in a small town, it was very important to treat people the right way. A lot of those times, you were going to see those people on a regular basis, and you understood that they were going to have a huge impact on your life. It felt good to be a good person, which I learned from my parents. 

"You transferred that to hockey, where it was about being a good teammate. That was something I leaned into more when I played junior hockey and things got more competitive. I learned what being a good teammate means and how much better the response is from coaches and teammates when you are looking out for the guy next to you. It might sound cliche, but it is true."

Despite his successes at Colgate, McMann went undrafted at the NHL level, but signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, bouncing between the AHL and ECHL.  

The opportunity to play in the NHL appeared to be a long shot, but three years ago, the tide would eventually turn in his favour.

Playing with the Marlies in 2021-22, McMann scored 24 goals, establishing a new franchise record for most goals in a season by a rookie.

The following campaign, after recording six points in three games, he was named the AHL's Player of the Week for Jan. 8, 2023. Two days later, McMann was recalled by the

Maple Leafs. He made his NHL debut the following day on Jan. 11 against the Nashville Predators.

Jaclyn was there to see it.

“We’ve always watched his games at every stage of his career. When he played his first NHL game, I flew out to watch him. It was at the last minute. My husband stayed home with our kids, and I went to see Bobby play. It was amazing.”

As was the Maple Leafs Mentors Trip experience this January.

For Jaclyn, it was a reminder of just how far her brother had come.

“The NHL wasn’t something I was following closely until Bobby was there. It seemed so far away for a long time. But he always believed, and it was always the goal.

“He just loves hockey – he has poured everything he has had into hockey. This is where he has always wanted to be, so I think there is a peace that comes with that.”

McMann, who has scored 20 goals – sixth on the Maple Leafs – continues to play an integral role on a team that sits atop the Atlantic Division standings with less than half a dozen games left to play in the regular season.

He has learned a lot about himself as a player and a person throughout the 2024-25 NHL season.

"One thing is that trusting my own abilities will lead to success. It's easy for someone to have that imposter syndrome when you are first trying to break into the league. You aren't sure if you deserve it or not, but looking back, I think it was helpful in knowing how much I put in, where you feel you do deserve success when you put the hours in. 

"It's almost crediting myself and being happy for myself, which leads to more success. You start to realize you deserve it, rather than questioning, 'Should I be here?' Should I be given this opportunity?' You understand you should because you put in the work to be there."

As Jaclyn reflects, her brother’s success can be traced to a clear game plan: relentless hard work, unwavering patience and an unshakable belief in himself.

“I have watched the same pattern over and over – he has the blueprint from the AJHL to college, the AHL and ECHL. I remember him sitting on the bench his first year of junior and not playing very much. That was the first time that kind of happened for him. But he was committed to being patient, working hard and showing what he was capable of. By the time his AJHL season was over, he was the league MVP. He goes to college and by his final year, he is the captain. He goes to the Marlies and by the end of it, he is breaking a scoring record. So, it doesn’t surprise me how this blueprint has carried over to his NHL career.

“And the extra off-ice work Bobby does in the summers is amazing. Whether it was in Wainwright, or in Toronto or anywhere else, he tries to shoot 10,000 pucks in the offseason. I think that says a lot about his commitment to the game.”

Proud would be an understatement of how the McMann family feels about Bobby’s unwavering commitment to realize his NHL dream.

“There were times I would Google, ‘How long is too long before you don’t get a chance in the NHL?’ You really start to wonder. It felt like it was entering the territory of it being rare. Cassie is so supportive of Bobby and always has been. I know how much it means to her and to my parents to see him living his dream.” 

The player who wears No. 74 for the Maple Leafs – the first player to wear that number in the team’s history – will tell you it took a village to get him to where he is.

“There have been people who have been with me on the entire journey, others for parts of my career – there have been so many people who have lent a helping hand to get me to this point.

"My family has always been encouraging and helpful, especially on the mental side – I have a great relationship with my parents and sisters, so any time I have needed to talk through anything, I have always had their support. And then there are the former coaches and teammates, who taught me so much and always supported me. I know how fortunate I am to have that great support system."   

One that can’t wait to see what is in store for the pride of Wainwright.

“Whenever I watch him play, I think the sky is the limit for him,” said Jaclyn.