Life is good for Jared McCann right now. He’s playing the hockey of his life, and yesterday, it was announced that the Seattle Kraken had extended McCann to a 5-years, $5 million AAV contract.
Many still believe that McCann can get even better after having a breakout season, scoring 21 goals in 51 games. He is in his first year with the Seattle Kraken, as he was picked from the Toronto Maple Leafs in the expansion draft last summer. McCann was a Maple Leaf for a total of 72 hours, and he still gets reminded of it, at least from his pals.
Some were surprised when the Toronto Maple Leafs traded for McCann just days before the expansion draft, but as it turned out, it was all part of a master plan. The Leafs were in a position where they could lose Alexander Kerfoot in the expansion draft. But when they got the opportunity to trade McCann, they went for it, and as they expected, the Seattle Kraken chose McCann ahead of Kerfoot.
But although everything turned out great for McCann, he’s been getting some sticks from his friends because of his short amount of time at Toronto.
“I was a Leaf for 72 hours. My buddies never let me hear the end of it.” McCann says, according to writer Mike Stephens.
Jared McCann is from Stratford, close to Toronto, and one can imagine that he grew up a Toronto Maple Leaf fan, and that’s probably why his friends keep mocking him. But with how well McCann’s playing right now, he’ll probably get the last laugh.