Bobby McMann outlines the silver lining from disappointing Maple Leafs playoffs run after 7-game series loss to Panthers

The Toronto Maple Leafs faced disappointment yet again as they fell ahead of the Conference Finals for the ninth straight year. Their forward Bobby McMann reflected back on the playoffs and aimed to get better in the upcoming season.

During the Celebrity Hockey Game in his hometown of Wainwright in Alberta, McMann opened up about his NHL playoffs experience.

“We didn’t get the result we wanted, but we finished first in the regular season, and I gained a lot of experience playing in my first playoff series,” McMann said. “It was hard to go through and not come out with a win, but I think we learned a lot from it.”

The Leafs were successful in their first round against the Ottawa Senators in the Battle of Ontario, which they won in six games. But they faced stiffer competition in the second round against the defending champions, the Florida Panthers, who bounced out Toronto in a hard fought seven-game series.

While Toronto was able to take the eventual repeat champions to the stretch and the only team to do so during the playoffs, their Game 7 blowout loss was characteristic of their playoff performances. It was their sixth Game 7 knockout blow since the 2017-18 season and first in the second round.

Having debuted two seasons prior, this was the first time that McMann featured in the playoffs. His 34-point performance in 74 regular season games with just 14:30 total minutes on ice per game factored into his selection.

Bobby McMann makes feelings known after playing in hometown

Charity games are a mix of emotion and joy for players and even more so if they are in front of the crowd where they grew up. Wainwright's annual celebrity hockey game featured McMann and other NHL, WHL and local talent. McMann led a team that lost 10-9 to Team Soucy, led by New York Rangers' Carson Soucy.

“I love coming back here. I love that people show up and support. It’s for such a great cause, KidSport, the Rotary, and the town. It’s easy for us, we just get to play hockey, and there’s a lot of volunteers behind it that make it all happen,” McMann said.

With the Leafs having added some depth to their lineup, McMann will have to be at his best right from the start. He is also nearing the end of his two-year contract that has a $1.35 million cap hit.