Bobby McMann was an undrafted free agent when he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2020.
He signed a two-year NHL contract with the Leafs in 2022, after two successful seasons in the ECHL and AHL.
McMann has been a solid fourth-liner this season with the Maple Leafs, and he’s recorded one goal and three assists in 15 games.
Although he started the season in the AHL and has been a healthy scratch in several games, he’s received praise for his performances when he’s given the opportunity.
But last night, against the Anaheim Ducks, he found himself getting tossed from the game, but fans were absolutely furious with the officiating.
It was early in the second period that McMann hit Pavel Mintyukov, resulting in him getting slammed into the boards. Lyubushkin immediately stepped up to fight McMann, standing up for his fellow blueliner.
McMann received a five-minute major for boarding and another five for fighting, and with the 10-minute game misconduct, he was assessed 20 minutes worth of penalties. Mintyukov wasn’t injured as a result of the crash with the boards, and he played the rest of the game.
However, on social media, fans were absolutely outraged with the officiating, with many claiming there wasn’t a boarding involved at all, and that it was a clean shoulder-to-shoulder contact, which shouldn’t have been penalized at all.
“Very odd call,” James Mirtle, Senior managing editor for The Athletic, wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
But Mirtle wasn’t the only one with that opinion. The general feeling on social media was that McMann didn’t do anything wrong.
“Not even a penalty. The Anaheim player knew McMann was there. He chose to make the play and put himself in a vulnerable position,” one said.
“Not even a penalty according to the rules. Shoulder to shoulder. Not late. No charge. No jump to hit. Why is that a penalty?” another said.
“Least malicious 5-minute major ever. I can see 2, but even then.. it’s just not a great spot on the ice to be hit, more than anything. Refs called it based on the noise and result, I guess,” a third added.
The Maple Leafs tied the game 1-1 late in the third, and Auston Matthews scored the game-winner in OT, becoming the first player to reach the 30-goal mark this season.
