Could Bobby McMann trade Leafs blue and white for Oilers blue and orange?

EDMONTON — A little over two hours’ drive southeast from the pristine Rogers Place in Edmonton lies the town of Wainwright, Alta. Blink when you’re beetling down on Highway 14, and you might miss the quiet, windy town.

But most of the 6,000 or so people who live in the town swell with civic pride when one of its most prominent citizens returns, as Bobby McMann will during the Olympic break.

Not long after the Maple Leafs’ McMann scored his fourth goal in seven games Tuesday night, he darted out of the Toronto dressing room and toward a large group of family and friends waiting for him in the stands. The Leafs winger will see them more and more in the coming days, as he gets some downtime in Wainwright. He’s proud to be from a small town in Alberta.

A question McMann might hear during this upcoming stretch is the same one many around the hockey world are now asking: Could his stay in northern Alberta soon be extended? With McMann, a pending UFA, rising up the list of players who could be available ahead of the March 6 NHL trade deadline, could all of northern Alberta soon be proud to call him an Edmonton Oiler?

McMann’s Leafs and the Oilers are in drastically different spots in the standings. And so throughout the Leafs’ 5-2 win over the Oilers on Tuesday night, it was hard to escape the thought of seeing McMann trade blue and white for blue and orange in the next month or so. A McMann trade from Toronto to Edmonton might make sense in a few ways.

“(McMann) has been flying, creating scoring chances from nothing,” William Nylander said. “It will be interesting to see what the (Leafs) decide to do. He’s in trade rumours because he would be a high value add for a team.”

With the Leafs’ win, their Olympic break is officially underway. Their next game is in 22 days against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

During that time, there promises to be continued debate within the organization about their short-term future. The Leafs are on a three-game winning streak and their resounding win over the Oilers was different from their previous two. The Leafs neutralized two of the most dangerous players in the league, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. They got remarkable — and remarkably athletic — goaltending from Anthony Stolarz, who looked different from the goalie who struggled before and after an injury this season. They earned the win with depth scoring, including a pair of goals from Matias Maccelli. When the Oilers did press the Leafs, the visitors’ commitment to defending kept the NHL’s second-highest-scoring team at bay.

It was the kind of win that ticks a lot of boxes for Leafs coach Craig Berube.

“It (gives the Leafs) a lot of confidence,” Berube said of the team’s three-game winning streak. “Coming out of the break, we have to be prepared and ready to go. We have some catching up to do here.”

It might not have been the Leafs’ best win of the season. But it’s in the conversation. And it will make the larger conversation around the future of the Leafs that much more interesting.

The Leafs now sit five points out of the playoffs with only the Columbus Blue Jackets standing between them and the doorstep of the final wild-card spot. The odds of the Leafs’ making the playoffs are a bit shorter, but do still feel long as the Olympic break begins.

Should they sell and who are the most pressing questions for the Leafs. McMann is at the centre of that debate as the team’s most valuable UFA. And once again, McMann was at the centre of the action Tuesday.

For the second game in a row, McMann iced a win with an empty net goal. But even before that, he was at his best against the Oilers, consistently showing his best attributes against a team that could use him in a possible trade. He won puck battles and created offence out for his skilled linemates. His speed was evident all over the ice. McMann hunted, but never cheated, for offence. His five shots on goal were the most of any Leaf.

With McMann, the Leafs’ top line was registered 56 percent at five-on-five expected goals, the most of any on the team, per Natural Stat Trick.

Tuesday night sure felt like an audition for McMann in Edmonton.

“I’ve coached him last year and this year, and he has been a very good player for us in a lot of different ways: scoring, for one, and his speed. He was physical tonight. He does a lot of good things for us,” Berube said, before finishing his statement with conviction. “He’s a valuable player for this team.”

The Leafs are just a point behind the Oilers with the same number of games played. Anyone who has spent even a few minutes around them during this trip will tell you the vibe is different. The players are louder. They’re walking taller, brimming with confidence in their playoff chances. They believe they can make it, just as the Oilers believe they’re still Stanley Cup contenders.

So why should the Leafs sell their top-line winger?

The reality of the standings is different for the Leafs and the Oilers. And that’s what makes McMann the kind of player who seems like a perfect fit for northern Alberta.

The Oilers’ third line was virtually nonexistent against the Leafs. When Josh Samanski, Jack Roslovic and Matt Savoie were on the ice at five-on-five, the Oilers nabbed a paltry 26 percent of the expected goals, per Natural Stat Trick. It’s a line that could certainly benefit from the kind of speed and power that McMann brings.

Maybe McMann would work even higher up the Oilers lineup. His skills and versatility allow him to fit anywhere. Considering how well Zach Hyman fits in the Oilers lineup. McMann, a similar player, could fit just as well.

As McMann comfortably burst up and down the ice in Edmonton, it certainly felt like he was winning many over inside Rogers Place. McMann would be attractive to the Oilers because of his minuscule $1.35 million cap hit, as they project to be tight against the salary cap at the trade deadline. McMann presents a unique opportunity to the Oilers. You don’t see players scoring at a 27-goal pace available at that price. The Oilers want to play fast, and McMann can do just that.

The Oilers also have what the Leafs don’t: high draft picks to move. The Oilers have their second-round picks for the next three years, as well as their first-round picks from 2027 to 2029. If the Leafs retain some salary and can create some kind of bidding war, a first-round pick as a return for McMann doesn’t seem so far-fetched. The Leafs’ priority at the trade deadline must be restocking their barren cupboards with high draft picks and intriguing prospects.

Finally, McMann is a local boy. That’s an emotional investment that’s hard to quantify but could pay off for the Oilers should they pursue him.

After the Oilers’ loss to the Leafs, it certainly feels like they should pursue McMann. Whether they do is a question they’ll answer soon enough.