Speculation: Michael Bunting (a realistic look at)

[Buds17]

I am just as optimistic as the next leaf fan when it comes to new acquisitions and a new season.

I know very little about Michael Bunting. All I know is that he costs very little.

Is he special? I think Dubas believes so.

I'd like to hear your opinion of him. Is he really good enough to play in the top 6?

My gut feeling is that his stats might be similar to Jumbo Joe Thornton. 5 goals 15 assists for 20 points.

Am I selling him short?

Thornton had 20 points in 44 GP. Prorate that total to something resembling more of a full season and it sounds like quality production from Bunting at his cap hit. I think he's one of three candidates (Kerfoot, Ritchie) in the running for the two spots currently up for grabs in the top six.

 

[Rude Dog]

Type of player Leaf fans love. Hard working not afraid to get dirty. IMO he will be one of the best free agent signings of the summer factoring in dollars as well.

 

[ottomaddox]

Thornton had 20 points in 44 GP. Prorate that total to something resembling more of a full season and it sounds like quality production from Bunting at his cap hit. I think he's one of three candidates (Kerfoot, Ritchie) in the running for the two spots currently up for grabs in the top six.

No. I'll stick to 20 points. 82 game season? Sure.

I don't think Joe was heading for a productive 82 game season. His playoff performance was enough for me to decide.

 

[Buds17]

No. I'll stick to 20 points. 82 game season? Sure.

I don't think Joe was heading for a productive 82 game season. His playoff performance was enough for me to decide.

In fairness and for whatever it may be worth, Thornton did fall a bit shy of top six TOI/G. I'd nevertheless still agree that too much of an increase in GP or ice time would have led to diminishing returns and that's probably a good explanation for why he wasn't re-signed.

It appears as though it will be fairly tough for Bunting to disappoint. The team is apparently going to need one of the new adds to assume a top six role though.

 

[Mess]

Thornton had 20 points in 44 GP. Prorate that total to something resembling more of a full season and it sounds like quality production from Bunting at his cap hit. I think he's one of three candidates (Kerfoot, Ritchie) in the running for the two spots currently up for grabs in the top six.

Its interesting that a player Jumbo Joe the 1st overall pick, with 1680 NHL games and age 42 is being used to guesstimate the production of a mid round drafted 27 year career minor leaguer with 26 games and 14 points because they might play in the same spot beside Matthews and Marner on Leafs top line. You couldn't find a more proven player to prorate an unproven one based purely on opportunity of where they might play.

If Bunting didn't play in the Soo with Dubas as his GM and Keefe as his coach back in 2013 would he even be in this position today?

This is a potential Cinderella story in the making, where a player gets recalled from the AHL post trade deadline to help fill out a roster of a non playoff team, gets hot for a month putting up 13 points in 21 games, after toiling for 6 years and 325 games in the AHL prior, gets signed and the next year he is full time NHL playing on Leafs top line beside a pair of $11 mil linemates.

Right place, right time, right people to know and right situation to fall into as all the stars align to see if this story has a happy ending.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Type of player Leaf fans love. Hard working not afraid to get dirty. IMO he will be one of the best free agent signings of the summer factoring in dollars as well.

Could be. Whatever he was doing got him 17 minutes per game last year. This year he starts in the Nhl and could just do his job with talented linemates. Bring the same style should be good for him to be effective for the team.
He is not going to be on the pace in goal scoring of last year. He got lucky for some reason getting almost half a goal per game. If he is a 20 goal scorer this he’s a complete gem of a signing. Maybe he doesn’t get the same opportunity with the leafs and drops back to the 3rd line because Robertson plays lights out in camp and challenges for his spot.
Anywhere in the top nine forwards and producing is a good signing for me personally. I’m hoping for 15 goals or so and 35 points.
I don’t have him locked in the top 6 players like most. He has that something for a third line too. Basically he is already a good contract for me. I’m not going to say he needs to play top 6 or he’s bust. The story line in every thread has him in the top six. I have occasionally said it myself. In reality we should be happy if he makes the roster and adds the things that got him here. I think he is going to be successful with our roster because he brings a need. I’m going to lay off on expectations and just hope he bring that same tenacity.

 

[Buds17]

Its interesting that a player Jumbo Joe the 1st overall pick, with 1680 NHL games and age 42 is being used to guesstimate the production of a mid round drafted 27 year career minor leaguer with 26 games and 14 points because they might play in the same spot beside Matthews and Marner on Leafs top line. You couldn't find a more proven player to prorate an unproven one based purely on opportunity of where they might play.

If Bunting didn't play in the Soo with Dubas as his GM and Keefe as his coach back in 2013 would he even be in this position today?

This is a potential Cinderella story in the making, where a player gets recalled from the AHL post trade deadline to help fill out a roster of a non playoff team, gets hot for a month putting up 13 points in 21 games, after toiling for 6 years and 325 games in the AHL prior, gets signed and the next year he is full time NHL playing on Leafs top line beside a pair of $11 mil linemates.

Right place, right time, right people to know and right situation to fall into as all the stars align to see if this story has a happy ending.

These are the gambles a playoff contender generally takes within that price range. It sometimes has to opt for the veteran hoping to be able to continue to ply his trade in a good role and on a good team. At other times, it has to look at the player that has largely flown under the radar and is hoping to establish himself. I wouldn't expect "everything" to depend on Bunting. He will need to be one of the players in quantity (Ritchie, Kase etc.) that can hopefully help to replace the production of Hyman at the more sensible cost though.

 

[Menzinger]

Its interesting that a player Jumbo Joe the 1st overall pick, with 1680 NHL games and age 42 is being used to guesstimate the production of a mid round drafted 27 year career minor leaguer with 26 games and 14 points because they might play in the same spot beside Matthews and Marner on Leafs top line. You couldn't find a more proven player to prorate an unproven one based purely on opportunity of where they might play.

If Bunting didn't play in the Soo with Dubas as his GM and Keefe as his coach back in 2013 would he even be in this position today?

This is a potential Cinderella story in the making, where a player gets recalled from the AHL post trade deadline to help fill out a roster of a non playoff team, gets hot for a month putting up 13 points in 21 games, after toiling for 6 years and 325 games in the AHL prior, gets signed and the next year he is full time NHL playing on Leafs top line beside a pair of $11 mil linemates.

Right place, right time, right people to know and right situation to fall into as all the stars align to see if this story has a happy ending.

I'd say it's more his 10 goals during 20ish games that would have garnered attention from plenty of GMs without needing a Sou connection

 

[ottomaddox]

Its interesting that a player Jumbo Joe the 1st overall pick, with 1680 NHL games and age 42 is being used to guesstimate the production of a mid round drafted 27 year career minor leaguer with 26 games and 14 points because they might play in the same spot beside Matthews and Marner on Leafs top line. You couldn't find a more proven player to prorate an unproven one based purely on opportunity of where they might play.

If Bunting didn't play in the Soo with Dubas as his GM and Keefe as his coach back in 2013 would he even be in this position today?

This is a potential Cinderella story in the making, where a player gets recalled from the AHL post trade deadline to help fill out a roster of a non playoff team, gets hot for a month putting up 13 points in 21 games, after toiling for 6 years and 325 games in the AHL prior, gets signed and the next year he is full time NHL playing on Leafs top line beside a pair of $11 mil linemates.

Right place, right time, right people to know and right situation to fall into as all the stars align to see if this story has a happy ending.

I would kill for a Cinderella story with this team.

 

[meefer]

 

[McSnypsky]

I'd say it's more his 10 goals during 20ish games that would have garnered attention from plenty of GMs without needing a Sou connection

I'd say also that the Yotes are selling anything that isn't nailed down getting ready to be sold, they are going to be a disaster much like Buffalo. Having the smallest payroll possible makes you the most money and allows the buying team to rebuild.

 

[banks]

Wouldn't a career AHLer, now 7 years removed from his draft year, and a career 26 NHL games and 14 points total making $950k getting 15-20 goals be considered a home run grand slam?

There's a pun here somewhere about a bunt. It's just not coming to me.

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(Please, readers, make up your own joke and insert it here.)

 

[ULF_55]

I'd say it's more his 10 goals during 20ish games that would have garnered attention from plenty of GMs without needing a Sou connection

Combination.

He isn't a complete unknown, on all his previous contracts he was RFA, and his hot streak.

Can't sign him when he's another team's RFA.

 

[Mess]

Combination.

He isn't a complete unknown, on all his previous contracts he was RFA, and his hot streak.

Can't sign him when he's another team's RFA.

You can sign them as in Ritchie, Kase and Kampf when the other team doesn't offer their own RFA's a qualifying offer and thus sets them free.

Bunting is among those annual rare couple dozen RFA players that can become Group VI free agents who are over age > 25 played +3 or more professional seasons (7) experience but not enough NHL games (< 80) to be considered NHLers. Late blooming career AHLer as they're often referred to as.

Leafs management know him well as he played in the Soo when Dubas was the GM, and Keefe was his coach.. Leafs had acquired his Soo centre from back in the day a week earlier in Jared McCann but lost him to expansion which is a shame because the former 1st rounder #24 OA is a much better player (taken only 16 spots after William Nylander), than Bunting who was a mid rounder in the same draft class of 2014.

Great opportunity for Michael Bunting a local GTA kid from Scarborough to play for his hometown team, and get plucked from the AHL and perhaps get to play on a line with an $11 mil centre in Matthews or Tavares with only 26 NHL games and 14 NHL points to his name as he is about to turn 26. Not a situation other interested teams willing to take a flyer on him can offer.

I'd personally feel a lot better about the outcome if it was actually Jared McCann the player who is coming off a 14 goal 18 assists 32 point NHL season in only 43 games in 2020-21 that could ride shotgun in the Leafs top 6 and put up the 15-20 goals and 35-40 points which is being expected of Bunting instead now. That would be a much safer bet.

 

[ULF_55]

You can sign them as in Ritchie, Kase and Kampf when the other team doesn't offer their own RFA's a qualifying offer and thus sets them free.

Bunting is among those annual rare couple dozen RFA players that can become Group VI free agents who are over age > 25 played +3 or more professional seasons (7) experience but not enough NHL games (< 80) to be considered NHLers. Late blooming career AHLer as they're often referred to as.

Leafs management know him well as he played in the Soo when Dubas was the GM, and Keefe was his coach.. Leafs had acquired his Soo centre from back in the day a week earlier in Jared McCann but lost him to expansion which is a shame because the former 1st rounder #24 OA is a much better player (taken only 16 spots after William Nylander), than Bunting who was a mid rounder in the same draft class of 2014.

Great opportunity for Michael Bunting a local GTA kid from Scarborough to play for his hometown team, and get plucked from the AHL and perhaps get to play on a line with an $11 mil centre in Matthews or Tavares with only 26 NHL games and 14 NHL points to his name as he is about to turn 26. Not a situation other interested teams willing to take a flyer on him can offer.

I'd personally feel a lot better about the outcome if it was actually Jared McCann the player who is coming off a 14 goal 18 assists 32 point NHL season in only 43 games in 2020-21 that could ride shotgun in the Leafs top 6 and put up the 15-20 goals and 35-40 points which is being expected of Bunting instead now. That would be a much safer bet.

I actually don't see either as a top 6 forward.

But as we know from history, not every forward in the top 6 is a top 6 forward, unless people want to believe Semenko was a top 6 forward ;-).

 

[Mess]

I actually don't see either as a top 6 forward.

But as we know from history, not every forward in the top 6 is a top 6 forward, unless people want to believe Semenko was a top 6 forward ;-).

The impression I get is that Leafs are going to try and squeeze a square peg into a round hole with Bunting, based on need (no capable top 6 LWer in the organization now with Hyman leaving) and limited cap space available. so that the hope is Bunting is going to be able to ride on the coattails of Leafs top 4 forwards depending on what line he is tried on, and his production will be amplified not by his own talents and abilities but his linemates propping up his stats.

We just saw Jimmy Vesey a proven NHLer tossed beside JT and WN and he produced 5 goals and 7 points in 30 games before being waived.

Ideally I agree that Bunting at best is a bottom 6 player (if things work out) on his own merits, that can bang and crash and provide a little energy and occasional offense, while not being a defensive liability and help fill out the bottom of the roster with a <$1 mil player based on current cap management and spending situation.

I can see Bunting being forced to play higher up the roster than his own skillset allows and the expectations for his production seems fairly optimistic that this will all work out. He is not a high-end skilled player but a blue collar hard working one that can be useful if used right. Not a great playmaker, nor skater, but a straight ahead crash the net, fearless player that is rewarded at times for effort. In 5 of his 6 AHL years he never reached 2o goals in a season, so a more conservative expectation might be better suited here.

We have all seen our Lonny Bohonos of the past, where a carer minor leaguer has flashed over a small sample size and then tossed beside a Mats Sundin ,and then are gone again as fast as they arrived.

 

[Stephen]

I think of Michael Bunting as the 2019-20 offseason version of a Carter Verhaeghe. Guy who showed flashes who could pop. He's gotten a ton of press but at the price we got him at, it's a modest roll of the dice.

 

[Sypher04]

It's easy to look at his 10 goals in 21 meaningless games in AZ after his callup and get excited but I'm not getting my hopes up here.

He should be given an opportunity in the top 9 and let him earn the ice time. Let the cream rise to the top as they say.

Right now there are a bunch of guys competing for a few wing spots...

Bunting
Robertson
Anderson
Gabriel (although I like him as the 13th F)

Not sure if they still see Engvall as a W or a C.

Even Simmonds shouldn't be a lock but IMO if he plays like they need him to he's going to be spending more time on the IL than in the lineup and if he doesn't play heavy and tough then he has no business in the lineup.

I understand keeping expectations tempered but in what way were the games he played actually meaningless? To his team's season? Sure, but does that make scoring in this league any easier? I'd say no, in fact it could make it harder if some teammates have checked out. Obviously he played against the California teams a bunch of times, but for the most part they struggle to score more than defend. In 10gp vs Vegas, Minnesota, St Louis and Colorado, he had 5 goals and 1 assist. Those games definitely were meaningful to their opponent. What about the fact this was his first crack at the NHL, and he seized it. It was meaningful to him.

I absolutely get it's a small sample, but at the very least Bunting proved he is a capable goal scorer in a short sprint. Now we get to see if he can be more than that

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I'd say it's more his 10 goals during 20ish games that would have garnered attention from plenty of GMs without needing a Sou connection

A high shooting % goes with that and a hat trick but he was really good in the Ahl. Tocchet liked him more by the game and piled on the ice time and opportunity. He ran with it. Good on him.

It will be interest to see who Ritchie and Bunting work better with of Tavares/Matthews. I’m not sure if Tavares needs more speed to his line (Bunting) or a player same pace ( Ritchie) both go to the net.
I would like to see Ritchie/Tavares/Marner or Ritchie/Matthews/ Nylander. Bunting/Tavares/Marner etc. Keefe has 6 players that are completely interchangeable there i hope.
Mixing that up with no predictability for teams to scout works for me on the top 6.

 

[Sypher04]

I can see Bunting being forced to play higher up the roster than his own skillset allows and the expectations for his production seems fairly optimistic that this will all work out. He is not a high-end skilled player but a blue collar hard working one that can be useful if used right. Not a great playmaker, nor skater, but a straight ahead crash the net, fearless player that is rewarded at times for effort. In 5 of his 6 AHL years he never reached 2o goals in a season, so a more conservative expectation might be better suited here

You basically just described Hyman

 

[Sypher04]

Well maybe. Perhaps a balance between what was said about him when he first signed and the "battling for a roster spit against Ho-Sang, Engvall, and Amadio".

Bunting might play better than his $950K contract, and I sure hope he does. I just caution fans that he might not live up to his "Top 6 winger" hype.

Don't mistake in the top 6 for regarded as a legitimate top 6 player. I think Bunting has all the qualities that make him potentially a suitable tagalong for some combination of the big 4. Much like Hyman was. Obviously that is yet to play out, and we will see what happens

 

[Marshy]

I understand keeping expectations tempered but in what way were the games he played actually meaningless? To his team's season? Sure, but does that make scoring in this league any easier? I'd say no, in fact it could make it harder if some teammates have checked out. Obviously he played against the California teams a bunch of times, but for the most part they struggle to score more than defend. In 10gp vs Vegas, Minnesota, St Louis and Colorado, he had 5 goals and 1 assist. Those games definitely were meaningful to their opponent. What about the fact this was his first crack at the NHL, and he seized it. It was meaningful to him.

I absolutely get it's a small sample, but at the very least Bunting proved he is a capable goal scorer in a short sprint. Now we get to see if he can be more than that

I'm just not convinced he's a top 6 forward yet. He may earn that with the opportunity he will be given but my hopes are more tempered. Something along the lines of 3rd line winger 15 goals 15 assists in a full 82 game season. If he produces more than that in a top 6 role that will really exceed my expectations. Best of luck to him I hope he has a breakout season.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Don't mistake in the top 6 for regarded as a legitimate top 6 player. I think Bunting has all the qualities that make him potentially a suitable tagalong for some combination of the big 4. Much like Hyman was. Obviously that is yet to play out, and we will see what happens

Hyman will be playing with McDavid again who is a rush player every shift. He generates his own offense frequently. It’s going to be interesting to see how Hyman fits with him. It might see Hyman’s offense go away a bit.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I'm just not convinced he's a top 6 forward yet. He may earn that with the opportunity he will be given but my hopes are more tempered. Something along the lines of 3rd line winger 15 goals 15 assists. If he produces more than that in a top 6 role that will really exceed my expectations. Best of luck to him I hope he has a breakout season.

Tochett though so. He knows something about him to do that and increase his icetime and powerplay time too. He earned it there and will have to earn it here too. He’s probably chomping at the bit to play in our top 6.
Matches Hyman’s production and work ethic and we are good. He could turn in to a bigger scoring threat than Hyman and plays gritty nasty will back it up.Looking forward to hopefully having a unpredictable and interchangeably top 6. Matthews/ Marner don’t need to play attached to each others hip any longer. They lost that prestige losing first round again and doing little.

 

[Antropovsky]

Calls himself "a rat".... all I need to know (along with he's had success offensively in ahl and ohl) to get excited for him and look forward to him getting an opportunity.