When Bunting came to Toronto, he had little to no National Hockey League experience playing just eleven games over the previous two seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, but former General Manager Kyle Dubas prided himself on the understanding that although the numbers didn't explain what kind of player he was, he had tremendous upside with the idea that he would likely be pencilled in on the Maple Leafs top line alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
Although Buntings numbers were respectable while with the Maple Leafs, they paled in comparison to Zach Hyman who left town as a free agent to sign with the Edmonton Oilers. But similarly, to Nazem Kadri, Bunting could not be relied on when it truly mattered as he seemed to have a chat with the Department of Player Safety at the most inopportune times during the Maple Leafs runs over the last two seasons.
As the Maple Leafs look to pivot to a new top line Left Winger in Tyler Bertuzzi, the hope for the franchise and the fanbase should be that along with respectable numbers Bertizzi brings the grit necessary to help propel the top line and maybe lead by example in that department, teaching a thing or two to his linemates while hopefully helping carry the squad through a long playoff push that hasn't been seen in the city of Toronto since the early 90's and beyond to the pinnacle of1967.
POLL | ||
AOUT 16 | 74 ANSWERS Hurricanes Bunting felt ghosted by former team Do you feel Michael Bunting deserved consideration to resign in Toronto based on his play the previous two seasons? | ||
Yes | 34 | 45.9 % |
No | 40 | 54.1 % |
List of polls |