Toronto Maple Leafs Should Sit Sam Lafferty for Michael Bunting in Game Five

The Toronto Maple Leafs Michael Bunting made a stupid decision, but it knocked one of the Lightning’s best defensemen out of the series and forced the team to play Matthew Knies.

While it’s unfortunate that Cernak was injured on the play, there is no denying the fact that the Toronto Maple Leafs have a much better chance of winning when he’s not in the lineup.

That doesn’t excuse Bunting, because it was an idiotic play, but the three playoff game suspension was extremely sever   and the Leafs will be getting a huge boost by getting one of their better players back into the lineup. 

The only question is who sits?

Toronto Maple Leafs Need to Sit Someone

As much as you hate to mess with a lineup that has won three games in a row, Michael Bunting isn’t someone you healthy scratch, no matter what.

His performance last year when he outscored Connor McDavid at 5v5 was one of the best measured performances by an NHL forward in 20 years.

This year he followed it up with another excellent season.

Bunting had 49 points, 36 of them at 5v5.  The Toronto Maple Leafs outscored the opposition by 30 goals with Bunting on the ice, and he posted a 55% Expected Goals Rating. 

This is not a player you sit, even if the last time he played he made a terrible decision.

Sheldon Keefe already said he won’t be sitting Matthew Knies, which makes perfect sense – Knies has been great so far in his short career.  For one, the Leafs are 6-0 when he plays.

For another, he has a 53% Expected Goals rating and has not only been great with Ryan O’Reilly, but he’s also gotten shifts with Matthews, Marner, Tavares and Nylander.

Neither Knies nor Bunting should ever be a healthy scratch.

That means the Leafs must sit one of the players from the fourth line.

David Kampf is Sheldon Keefe’s favorite, and so he isn’t an option.

That leaves Sam Lafferty and Zach Aston-Reese.

There isn’t much of a difference between them, so I’d lean towards sitting Lafferty because Aston-Reese has been on the team longer, and his story as a PTO who made the team is fantastic.

Lafferty gives more speed and versatility, but you get better defense from Aston-Reese, and so that is an easy call.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are up 3-1 and are getting back one of their better players, it’s a great advantage and hopefully they can close the series out at home.