Michael Bunting ending up back with the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer might not be as unrealistic as it sounded a few months ago.
Bunting was on Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and David Pagnotta this week, and once Toronto came up, it was pretty obvious he still has a soft spot for playing here. Some players never really settle into the market. Bunting honestly looked like one of the few who enjoyed the chaos that comes with it.
In his appearance on Leafs Morning Take, he had some interesting things to say about playing in Toronto.
"" grew up with it; I've always been around it since I was a kid, so that part was fun for me. The media cares; the fans care a lot here.""Michael Bunting
A reunion with Bunting would be a perfect fit
With John Chayka now leading the front office, the Maple Leafs are heading into an offseason where the roster probably changes quite a bit. They still need more life in the middle six too, especially now with Max Domi out indefinitely after complications from offseason surgery.
His first run with the Maple Leafs was messy at times, but effective. He played with emotion, got under people’s skin, went to the net, and found ways to produce without needing everything built around him. Toronto has plenty of skill already. What they have lacked at times is players who consistently make games irritating for the other team.
Since leaving in 2023, Bunting’s moved around quite a bit. Carolina, Pittsburgh, Nashville, and Dallas. Usually when that happens, it tells you teams still see value in the player, but maybe nobody has found the perfect fit yet. Now he’s 30 and heading back toward free agency again. The contract likely is not what it once would’ve been, and that changes the conversation a bit for Toronto too.
A reunion still might not happen. But if the Maple Leafs are looking for cheaper veterans who already understand the market, the pressure, and the way this fan base reacts to every little thing, Bunting does make some sense.
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