The Toronto Maple Leafs head into this season with Michael Bunting’s sweetheart deal set to expire at the season’s end and it’s time to lock him down long-term
While there’s zero chance that the Toronto Maple Leafs can renew the Calder Trophy finalist for a cap hit as low as his current $950,000 deal, they can still save money.
The trick to do so will be to offer a maximum term; something that Pierre LeBrun stated is being looked at as a possibility.
The direct comparable for such a deal would be the 7-year contract with a $3.15 million cap hit that the Tampa Bay Lightning signed with Nick Paul.
Toronto Maple Leafs Should Retain Their Top Line
Quite clearly, there is chemistry between Michael Bunting and his regular line mates, Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews. Keeping those three together as long as possible would be greatly valuable moving forward.
The Toronto Maple Leafs should absolutely seek to capitalise on the fact Bunting is playing for his hometown team and while the term ‘hometown discount’ is often bandied about; perhaps a willingness to lock in a long-term deal speaks to that.
Certainly from the team’s perspective, if locking Bunting in for the maximum 8-year term brings his cap hit down from the range of Zach Hyman at $5.5 million and closer to Nick Paul at $3.15 million; it’d be a big win.
In turn, it’d ensure that the Toronto Maple Leafs can continue to run one of the league’s better lines for the foreseeable future, and can only serve to help in future Matthews and Marner contract negotiations.
A long-term extension for a 27 year-old isn’t always something teams have an appetite for as there’s obviously regression curves, but Michael Bunting is a bit unique.
He didn’t breakthrough as a full-time NHL player until last season and thus may not follow exactly with the traditional regression curve, due to slightly less wear on his body.
Simple fact is that if the Toronto Maple Leafs need to offer long term to bring his cap hit below $4 million; it’s a winning deal. There’s certainly less effective players in the league presently earning way more than that and inked long-term.
The Toronto Maple Leafs should absolutely try to get Michael Bunting locked down early and for on a long-term deal. Nobody foresaw his 63-point season last year, but he’ll be intending to at least match that. Not doing so feels unlikely at this point.
Especially given the fact he’ll likely spend the whole season on the top-line; the Leafs would be very wise to get straight to negotiations. After all, two seasons with 60 or more points is a significant argument for more money.
The salary cap is going to increase, Alex Kerfoot’s contract will come off the books among others – there is some money to go around. Kyle Dubas just needs to make it happen.