Should Bunting be put back into the lineup?

[Racer88]

Yeah it's tough. One on hand I can see Tampa players going after him and either him drawing penalties or him retaliating and getting the penalty, but at the same time maybe Tampa leaves him alone and doesn't risk it because their season is on the line.

I have two minds about this - we'll see if anything is said today that indicates how Keefe is feeling.

You make a valid point

 

[QJo]

I was just curious if your absolute statement actually had qualifications. Now we know it does and we can try to figure out where the line is.

Comparing THEE Auston Mathews, Mr. 60 goal scorer to Mike Bunting is such a flase equivalence, idk what else to say to you.

Here's a comparison. Michael Bunting does not demand the same lineup change decisions as Auston Matthews.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Split vote!

Most polarizing player since...Kadri, Bozak, Kessel, Dion, Lup...

 

[saltming]

Imo it should be looked at this way, does Bunting game changing tools to the table?
In our top 6 who does he replace? Maybe Jarnkrok, but ia the difference between the two enough to warrent the risk of disrupting the chemistry?
Personally I don't see it, but I've always been a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kinda guy

 

[PROUD PAPA]

Split vote!

Most polarizing player since...Kadri, Bozak, Kessel, Dion, Lup...

Not surprised as there’s valid reasoning for both sides.
I didn’t vote because I’m against him playing game 5 but not against returning later on.

 

[Puckstuff]

Split vote!

Most polarizing player since...Kadri, Bozak, Kessel, Dion, Lup...

Imagine a Bunting-Kadri-Kessel line lol

ironically, 2 of them have cups.

 

[wingman75]

Not surprised as there’s valid reasoning for both sides.
I didn’t vote because I’m against him playing game 5 but not against returning later on.

I think if the question was worded like that it would be a massive % on yes. My vote (no) was specific to Game 5.

 

[notDatsyuk]

One of the guys at my hockey game tonight said that he thought the elbow to Cernak wasn't that bad, but it looked like he landed on his tailbone when he went down.

Saw the replay on Sportsnet just now, and he has a point.

Been there, done that, threw up on the t-shirt: landed on my tailbone earlier this year, and all I could do for about five minutes was lie on the ice and swear (and I don't swear). I could barely move, and my son (who plays goal) had to drive me home. Missed a couple of weeks.

 

[Macman]

I’m shocked by this. We desperately need to finish this tonight and there would be a decent chance, refs aside, that Bunting would draw an instigating minor in the obligatory fight he would have to have. He would drive the Bolts to distraction, and besides, he’s one of the top scorers on the team.

 

[BlueBaron]

I think you sit him til we lose and then you swap him with Laf.

 

[ACC1224]

I’m shocked by this. We desperately need to finish this tonight and there would be a decent chance, refs aside, that Bunting would draw an instigating minor in the obligatory fight he would have to have. He would drive the Bolts to distraction, and besides, he’s one of the top scorers on the team.

‘Obligatory fight’? He doesn’t fight, he debates.

 

[deprw]

It's 50/50 if his effective to us or to our opponent. We've won three in a row with this lineup, so why mix it up. This also sends a message to him and hopefully he gets it. We need him with his work gloves and scoring gloves on. No clowning or any other circus stuff at the moment. Refs won't give him any leeway.

 

[Macman]

‘Obligatory fight’? He doesn’t fight, he debates.

It’s “the code,” as stupid as that is. Whether you fight or not. Or somebody will just jump him and take an extra penalty anyway.

 

[Subway Schenn]

Don't mind. I voted for him to be in but really don't think it's a right/wrong thing.

Basically this- I don't think sitting Bunting tonight will mean the difference between winning and losing.

 

[ACC1224]

It’s “the code,” as stupid as that is. Whether you fight or not. Or somebody will just jump him and take an extra penalty anyway.

Maybe if the game is out of hand.

 

[ULF_55]

Is there a reason to break up the line-up right now?

Do people think he'd jump right back into the top 6 with the way the top 6 is producing?

 

[aingefan]

One of the guys at my hockey game tonight said that he thought the elbow to Cernak wasn't that bad, but it looked like he landed on his tailbone when he went down.

Saw the replay on Sportsnet just now, and he has a point.

Been there, done that, threw up on the t-shirt: landed on my tailbone earlier this year, and all I could do for about five minutes was lie on the ice and swear (and I don't swear). I could barely move, and my son (who plays goal) had to drive me home. Missed a couple of weeks.

I remembering from that night, no recent replays, but Cernak got aired; Bunting didn’t and couldn’t hit him that hard.

 

[ULF_55]

One of the guys at my hockey game tonight said that he thought the elbow to Cernak wasn't that bad, but it looked like he landed on his tailbone when he went down.

Saw the replay on Sportsnet just now, and he has a point.

Been there, done that, threw up on the t-shirt: landed on my tailbone earlier this year, and all I could do for about five minutes was lie on the ice and swear (and I don't swear). I could barely move, and my son (who plays goal) had to drive me home. Missed a couple of weeks.

I'm sure many of us have suffered tailbone injuries over the years.
As a kid I was unable to sit without discomfort for over a year.
Couldn't got to movies as I could sit through those.
Of course in those days the treatment for everything was "suck-it-up."
However, I don't recall it impacting anything else, so Cernak just has to suck-it-up and stay on his feet.

 

[MSteve]

We were outplayed for 5 of the last 6/7 periods. I don't get the 'keep a winning lineup' mentality.

 

[showtime8]

We were outplayed for 5 of the last 6/7 periods. I don't get the 'keep a winning lineup' mentality.

Yeah, this is pretty spot on.

My take on Bunting is, does he impact the game in a net positive outcome? So you know he has skill, can be a pest on the ice, but the target will firmly be on his back and staying out of the scrums did well for the Leafs in giving the Lightning additional power plays. I think he would provide more than what Zach Aston Reese is bringing to the table and if worse came to worse, he could replace Jarnkrok if that line isn't going.

 

[pspot]

they have three games to close out, keeping bunting out gives them a card to play
also sends a message to bunting which I think is needed

 

[wingman75]

The more I think about this, I think it is a guarantee he plays in the next game. R1 G6 or R2 G1.

 

[Blaylock38]

No I don't. I think the chemistry is important now. We need to stay out of the box. Bunting is a great agitator but doesn't seem to have the ability to control it. The Last thing we need is to fuel TB with scrums, Powerplays, negative ref interactions. Plus it is good to make a point to him to show how valuable these games are. If we lose, he could be the perfect pushback player to help us get over the hump.

 

[SImpelton]

One of the guys at my hockey game tonight said that he thought the elbow to Cernak wasn't that bad, but it looked like he landed on his tailbone when he went down.

Come on, that doesn't matter in the slightest. Bunting's hit finished with an elbow high. If you'r Bunting, that's death. You don't even APPEAR to be making dirty hits if you're Bunting right now and he KNOWS that.

Even if all that atually happened was a freak injury with bad ooptics, Bunnting is STILL responsible for how that play looked to the officials. And hhe STILL made a stupid hit on Cernak, resulting in injury, and showing Bunting throwing a flying elbow into Cernak's head area. I don't even care if he didn't actually make contact (which he diid) that would have STILL been dumb. even if Cernak was uninjured, Bunting still should have sat for how needless and risky that play was.

Regardless of what actually hurt Ccernak, that's on Bunting and of all times he does this in game 1 of a playoff series. Bunting KNEW he should be on his best behavior in the playoffs and he still did something that stupid. Nevermind that he wasn't even in the same area code as the puck.. Even Brad Marchand isn't that dumb, not in the playoffs anyway.

 

[Pete2000]

Bunting, yes, can be a "good boost," however, that boost can be used as a lightning rod and extra motivation by TB against the Buds.
Don't need to kick the bear any further. Sit Bunts. If it goes 7 games then unleash hell, bring back the agitator and go for broke. I coach my daughter's ringette team, so I definitely know what I'm talking about.