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Speculation: Michael Bunting (a realistic look at)

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Mess said:
It wasn't an either/or choice as Leafs could have had both as Bunting is just a low $950k add.

Hyman was making $2.25 mil and now making $5.5 mil which is only $3.25 mil more ... So instead of signing Ritchie for $2.5 mil who has been a complete bust and given that money to Hyman instead, with some other minor adjustment you could have had both.

Leafs are still missing a top 6 capable forward in addition to having Bunting and could have had.

Hyman -- Matthews -- Marner
Bunting -- Tavares -- Nylander

Keefe recently tried new combos to create a stronger top 9 but it failed because he is essentially missing someone like Hyman to complete that, so he abandoned that plan.

If Dubas goes out and trades another 1st round pick this year for a rental like Foligno last year to play in the top 6, then the cost to replace Hyman includes that investment as well, as that rental forward wouldn't be required. IMO

Now had Dubas not foolishly protected Holl in expansion, and instead newly acquired Jared McCann [41 games 19 goals 11 assists 30 points] and then with him and Bunting in the top 6, you would have replaced Hyman and not needed to invest more assets and draft capital later and could have built a strong top 9 unit. Paying McCann $2.9 mil seems a lot brighter than paying Ritchie $2.5 mil to sit in the pressbox if that was the plan without Hyman.
Click to expand...

- Mess claims Hyman is a crushing loss
- Mess claims foolish GM screwed up expansion draft
- Mess claims Leafs are a bubble team

...3 months later...

- Leafs are an elite team by every measure
- Leafs GM's off-season moves a spectacular success
- Mess again calls Leafs GM foolish
 
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Mess said:
Leafs are still missing a top 6 capable forward in addition to having Bunting and could have had.
Click to expand...

Scoring Paces

Mikheyev 63pts
Kerfoot 61pts
Hyman 59pts
Bunting 57pts

Even Strength

Kerfoot 55pts
Bunting 51pts
Hyman 41pts
Mikheyev 32pts
Kase 31pts
 
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Not that I think he belongs on the top 6, but Spezza has been sneaky good only 4 less goals than Bunting. Consider his line mates and ice time.
ES G/60
Matthews 1.652
Bunting 1.124
Mikheyev 1.094
Tavares 1.042
Marner 1.038
Nylander 1.018
Kase 0.992
Spezza .991
Engvall .841
Kerfoot .629
 
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bbgobie said:
Not that I think he belongs on the top 6, but Spezza has been sneaky good only 4 less goals than Bunting. Consider his line mates and ice time.
ES G/60
Matthews 1.652
Bunting 1.124
Mikheyev 1.094
Tavares 1.042
Marner 1.038
Nylander 1.018
Kase 0.992
Spezza .991
Engvall .841
Kerfoot .629
Click to expand...

Problem is, I doubt his body holds up with any additional duties. Not to mention there will be a point of diminishing returns, increase his ice time and get a more tired and less effective Spezza.
 
Last edited:
Mess said:
It wasn't an either/or choice as Leafs could have had both as Bunting is just a low $950k add.

Hyman was making $2.25 mil and now making $5.5 mil which is only $3.25 mil more ... So instead of signing Ritchie for $2.5 mil who has been a complete bust and given that money to Hyman instead, with some other minor adjustment you could have had both.

Leafs are still missing a top 6 capable forward in addition to having Bunting and could have had.

Hyman -- Matthews -- Marner
Bunting -- Tavares -- Nylander

Keefe recently tried new combos to create a stronger top 9 but it failed because he is essentially missing someone like Hyman to complete that, so he abandoned that plan.

If Dubas goes out and trades another 1st round pick this year for a rental like Foligno last year to play in the top 6, then the cost to replace Hyman includes that investment as well, as that rental forward wouldn't be required. IMO

Now had Dubas not foolishly protected Holl in expansion, and instead newly acquired Jared McCann [41 games 19 goals 11 assists 30 points] and then with him and Bunting in the top 6, you would have replaced Hyman and not needed to invest more assets and draft capital later and could have built a strong top 9 unit. Paying McCann $2.9 mil seems a lot brighter than paying Ritchie $2.5 mil to sit in the pressbox if that was the plan without Hyman.
Click to expand...
You’re a Mess.
 
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zeke said:
- Mess claims Hyman is a crushing loss
- Mess claims foolish GM screwed up expansion draft
- Mess claims Leafs are a bubble team

...3 months later...

- Leafs are an elite team by every measure
- Leafs GM's off-season moves a spectacular success
- Mess again calls Leafs GM foolish
Click to expand...

Surely Mess will go on and on about this year's team demolishing the franchise points record by 10+ points like he did with Lou right??
 
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4thline said:
As much as I want to be able to talk about this one day, someone once said something about chickens and counting.
Click to expand...

I mean going .500 with a couple OTLs sprinkled in there breaks the record. If we go below .500 for 40 games there's going to be a completely different conversation we're having.
 
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The Podium said:
Bunting does well
“There was certainly no guarantee that he would fit as well as he has”

Marchment has 3 outlier games
“Dubas should’ve know he traded away one of the leagues best power forwards”
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Not sure I follow. Were you certain he would fit as well as he has? What does Marchment have to do with Bunting?
 
ACC1224 said:
Not sure I follow. Were you certain he would fit as well as he has? What does Marchment have to do with Bunting?
Click to expand...

Not directed at you per se, it’s just funny that the sentiment around here is how Bunting was a gamble even though he showed promise through the ranks, including the NHL, but Marchment is a big fumble by Dubas and he should’ve recognized the talent despite no production at any level ever.
 
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The Podium said:
Not directed at you per se, it’s just funny that the sentiment around here is how Bunting was a gamble even though he showed promise through the ranks, including the NHL, but Marchment is a big fumble by Dubas and he should’ve recognized the talent despite no production at any level ever.
Click to expand...
Got it.
 
HamiltonNHL said:
Not misleading.

It’s not Bunting’s fault he is more durable.
Click to expand...

LOL, Covid and an injury in practice? That has never happed to any player ever. No player has ever contracted Covid and no player has ever been hurt in practice. It was absolutely misleading anyone with half a brain would understand that.
 
ACC1224 said:
Not sure I follow. Were you certain he would fit as well as he has? What does Marchment have to do with Bunting?
Click to expand...

Easy really. Bunting = good signing, therefore good on Dubas. This puts the universe out of equilibrium requiring an example of something that doesn’t look good.
 
Dayjobdave said:
Easy really. Bunting = good signing, therefore good on Dubas. This puts the universe out of equilibrium requiring an example of something that doesn’t look good.
Click to expand...
Lol. It’s all about the balance
 
Does Bunting have legitimate shot at Calder or his age plays a factor?
 
It’s hilarious that if Bunting is even mentioned in the Calder thread on mainboards it turns into a bunch of really upset fans who have no clue about Leafs going right off. There’s even a Mod on there who doesn’t watch Leafs but will become very offended if you even say Bunting has been having an excellent season. Reminded me why I stay away from the toxicity of the mainboards.
 
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He could get calder but if he is 4 points ahead of Seider i think Seider gets it. More important with a D. Age dont matter , but should matter.

In a game i want leafs to win even if they dont deserve it. When it is calder etc. i want the player who deserve it to win. And it is not Bunting.
 
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