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Toronto Maple Leafs Who Could Have Breakout Seasons in 2021-22

By Jeremy Ridgewell

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 11: Rasmus Sandin #38 of the Toronto Maple Leafs fires a puck up ice against the Arizona Coyotes during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 11, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 11: Rasmus Sandin #38 of the Toronto Maple Leafs fires a puck up ice against the Arizona Coyotes during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 11, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Michael Bunting, Arizona Coyotes (Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports) /

Michael Bunting

The Leafs signed Michael Bunting over the summer in the hopes that he could be a late bloomer as opposed to a flash in the pan.

Bunting famously went on quite the tear near the end of last season upon being called up the the Arizona Coyotes.  He scored 10 goals in 21 games and earned himself a free agent gig with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As one of the Toronto Maple Leafs newest signings, Michael Bunting will be looking to have a breakout season. He scored 13 points in 21 games last season for the Arizona Coyotes.

If Bunting is indeed ready to be an NHL regular and play a full season, he could be looking at a very big breakout this season. He has looked really good in training camp and pre-season play so far. Some have him penciled in to play in Toronto’s top six to start the season, but realistically, a 26 year old rookie stepping into a competing team’s top six to play with some of the best players in the world is slightly unlikely.

Doesn’t mean that it can’t happen, but preseason goals don’t really mean much, and the odds against Bunting holding on to a top six left-wing job against the likes of Kerfoot, Mikheyev, Kase or even Ho-Sang seem small.  If it did happen though, it would be amazing, and it is the potential for the unlikely that makes watching sports fun.

Whether it is in the team’s top six or bottom six, Bunting is good a candidate as anyone else to be the Leafs breakout player of the 2021-22 season.

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