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Toronto Maple Leafs: Top 4 Breakout Candidates for 2021-22

By Stephen Nixon

MONTREAL, QC - MAY 24: William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Montreal Canadiens in Game Three of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre on May 24, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - MAY 24: William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Montreal Canadiens in Game Three of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre on May 24, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
RIGA, LATVIA – MAY 30: Michael Bunting #27   (Photo by EyesWideOpen/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Michael Bunting

The Scarborough, ON native is getting the biggest opportunity of his young career, as he’ll more than likely be playing alongside a combination of either Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner or William Nylander-John Tavares.

By playing alongside such skilled players, Bunting will shine and will score 20-plus goals for the Leafs.

In 26 career games, Bunting has 11 goals. He has a very high-shooting percentage in those games that is not sustainable in an 82-game regular season, but he’s shown that he can score at every level he’s played. Bunting played at a 20-goal per season pace in the AHL and that will continue with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Playing back in your hometown is a tough challenge for some players, but Bunting will seize this opportunity.

After his first year, Kyle Dubas is going to look like a genius that he secured Bunting on a two-year deal worth only $900 AAV and he’ll be one of the best bright spots on the roster.

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