Toronto Maple Leafs: Michael Bunting Helps Team With Stupid Play

The Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t actually better without Michael Bunting – he’s an awesome player who is incredibly underrated.

But when the Toronto Maple Leafs player was suspended for a questionable hit in game-one, it forced the Leafs to play their top prospect.

Enter Mathew Knies.

Despite having just three NHL games under his belt, Knies was an impact player in game-two and it’s clear the Leafs are better with him in the lineup.

Toronto Maple Leafs and Matthew Knies

The Leafs have been waiting since Gary Roberts retired for a quality power-forward to join their team.  The prototypical 80/90s power-forward ala Gary Roberts, Cam Neely, Eric Lindros, Brendan Shanahan just doesn’t exist in today’s NHL very much.

You have Matthews Tkachuk and you have his brother Brady.  You could include Chris Kreider, Gabriel Landeskog  and Evander Kane.  That’s five guys out of 32 teams, before you’re including wannabes like Josh Anderson (who’s fine).

Clearly this is a rare and yet extremely valuable type player.

And Matthews Knies has the chance to be such a player. The 6’3, 210 monster on skates is does not lack confidence.  Despite just starting his NHL career, he battles like a maniac and has no qualms about holding the puck and fighting his way to the front of the net.

On a line with Ryan O’Reilly in his playoff debut, the Toronto Maple Leafs outshot the Lightning 9-2 when he was on the ice, as well as an 85% Expected Goals rating.

Knies was fantastic in game one as well, despite getting called for two pretty questionable penalties.

If Knies works out and becomes a star, he will be the missing piece the Leafs have been searching for.  Despite years of high-picks, the Leafs failed horribly in the Mark Hunter years with picks outside the first round.

The Kyle Dubas years look much more promising, but coupled with trading some of their better prospects, they are yet to hit on a star player in the lower rounds.

Knies could be that player, and so could Nick Robertson.  The Leafs fans are extremely mercurial (not to mention myopic) and have mostly written him off, but once he gets a stretch of healthy games, he too will be a fan-favorite. He’s not quite the power-forward type, but he never quits moving his feet and he has an elite NHL shot.

Next season should see the Toronto Maple Leafs top-six featuring both players, and coming off a possible Stanley Cup with two such prospects will be incredibly impressive.

Of course, they have to get through Tampa first.  Game three is tonight, and even when Bunting is back, I highly doubt we’ll be seeing another Leafs game where Knies is a healthy scratch.

Now if we could just get Timothy Liljegren back into the lineup.