Michael Bunting and James van Riemsdyk are still looking for work as NHL training camps near their end, leaving the two former Toronto Maple Leafs still looking for a job.
At this point in the offseason, that's a little interesting. Most teams have a pretty good idea of what their opening-night rosters are going to look like, and there aren't a ton of spots left. Which makes finding a job extremely difficult. Especially with most of the GMs' and head coaches' mindsets being ‘let’s see what this team can do,’ rather than ‘let’s try and add to this roster before opening night.
Bunting and van Riemsdyk still remain out of work
Bunting is the more interesting name because he is coming off a season where he was acquired at the deadline to try and push for a cup. And now he is without a job, and now he is without a job. Last season, he had 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points in 73 games with the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to find the same consistency since leaving the Maple Leafs, but there is still a reason teams could have some interest in him. Bunting doesn't need to be a top-six player to be useful, and if a team is looking for some offence and a little more energy from its bottom six, he could make sense.
As for van Riemsdyk, he’s a grizzled vet who does add value to a team’s bottom six and power play. The former Maple Leafs forward has more than 1,000 NHL games under his belt and has scored more than 300 goals in his career. He isn't the same player he was when he was putting up big numbers in Toronto or in Philadelphia, but there is still a lot of experience there. Which is why teams like the Columbus Blue Jackets or the Detroit Red Wings decided to sign him the last two seasons.
The biggest question with van Riemsdyk is probably what kind of role a team would give him. At this stage of his career, he’s not going to be a 20-minute-per-night player. He isn’t going to score 20+ goals. But, he can give you solid effort, mentor the younger players in your lineup while also scoring 10-15 goals, slot in on the second power play unit, and play 10 minutes per night. At veterans minimum, that’s not bad to have on your team, at all.
Sadly, for both players, it might take an injury or a team realizing it needs a little more depth before either gets a serious opportunity. With the training camp almost over, things can change pretty quickly once teams start dealing with injuries. For now, though, Bunting and van Riemsdyk are still waiting for a team to call them. It's a little surprising to see two players with this much NHL experience still looking for a team this late in September. However, when the time comes, they need to be ready, especially for Bunting; that call could come at any point.
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