What do we do with Bunting?

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I'm conflicted with Bunting, because there is a version of Bunting that LOVE and want to keep, that version was on full display against Montreal.

However there is also a version of this player that I am more then fine moving on from, and although not on full display there were flashes of that last night, namely his stupid offensive zone penalty that he did not need to take.

And that's the thing with Bunting, for all the good he does there is A LOT of good, he takes to many calls and doesn't draw enough PP chances to balance it out.

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[Warden of the North]

If he wants too much you move on. More then 4AAV is probably my number.

Dubas has proven he can replace these guys pretty easily

 

[Suntouchable13]

I think the timing of these questions “what to do with X player” is off. Should ask that question after the Leafs season is done. That would affect my answer greatly.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

ROR comes first and then Bunting .. but likely he is gone and gets his fair market value which is right for him

 

[LivingRentFree]

In Buntings defense, Florida should have got called for too many men before bunting got called

 

[ACC1224]

I think the timing of these questions “what to do with X player” is off. Should ask that question after the Leafs season is done. That would affect my answer greatly.

Yep, premature thread is premature

 

[613Leafer]

Ideally we re-sign him, but the contract needs to make sense.

You don't just get 20+ goals and ~50-65 points, just because you're playing with Matthews, Marner, Nylander, and/or Tavares. Ritchie, Mikheyev, Kerfoot, Engvall, Kapanen, Johnsson, Kase, etc were all given looks in the top 6, and none have been as consistent or fit in as well as Bunting.

I think people assume we could replace him easily, just because we replaced Hyman with Bunting pretty easily. But given all the other guys we've tried in that position who have struggled, I think it's a lot more likely that we just got really lucky with Bunting, and can't assume we'll strike lightning twice with another cheap 50+ point guy.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

He takes over Kerfoots contract or we move on. Pretty straight forward.

 

[Dekes For Days]

What we do is we talk about it in the offseason.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Ideally we re-sign him, but the contract needs to make sense.

You don't just get 20+ goals and ~50-65 points, just because you're playing with Matthews, Marner, Nylander, and/or Tavares. Ritchie, Mikheyev, Kerfoot, Engvall, Kapanen, Johnsson, Kase, etc were all given looks in the top 6, and none have been as consistent or fit in as well as Bunting.

I think people assume we could replace him easily, just because we replaced Hyman with Bunting pretty easily. But given all the other guys we've tried in that position who have struggled, I think it's a lot more likely that we just got really lucky with Bunting, and can't assume we'll strike lightning twice with another cheap 50+ point guy.

But you don't need to replace him in free agency what about the trade Market?

Guys like Duclair, Toffoli, Reinhart, Garland, I'm big on Garland but admittedly I'd rather he replace Kerfoot.

What if Matthew Knies can do it?

Point is you don't need to limit yourself to gambles,
Especially this off season when they actually have some cap space

 

[ITM]

Come, come now, we have a round or two to win first before we talk about other things.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

If he wants too much you move on. More then 4AAV is probably my number.

Dubas has proven he can replace these guys pretty easily

But what's to much? are you OK with 4x6?

I don't mind 4 million but I wouldn't go past 4x4

I don't mind 6 years but if It's 6 years It's got to be less than 4.

 

[Christ]

Think he is gone in the off season. Shame but we cannot afford to keep everyone and with the refs seemingly after Bunting his value is less to us then it otherwise would be

 

[dubplatepressure]

Think he is gone in the off season. Shame but we cannot afford to keep everyone and with the refs seemingly after Bunting his value is less to us then it otherwise would be

Ditto. We have Robertson, Knies, Jarnkrok, all under contract, and potential extensions to ROR and Acciari. I see him and Holl getting higher contracts than we can afford. Was a good stretch.

 

[FiveHoleo]

I'm conflicted with Bunting, because there is a version of Bunting that LOVE and want to keep, that version was on full display against Montreal.

However there is also a version of this player that I am more then fine moving on from, and although not on full display there were flashes of that last night, namely his stupid offensive zone penalty that he did not need to take.

And that's the thing with Bunting, for all the good he does there is A LOT of good, he takes to many calls and doesn't draw enough PP chances to balance it out.

You gotta watch more than just Leaf games buddy. Bunting might be the most easily replaced player on our entire roster because every team in the NHL has a handful of guys just like him. You mean he skates hard, takes bad penalties and shoots left? What a unicorn.

 

[Maple Leaf]

trade

 

[Martin Skoula]

But what's to much? are you OK with 4x6?

I don't mind 4 million but I wouldn't go past 4x4

I don't mind 6 years but if It's 6 years It's got to be less than 4.

Yeah the term is scary on a guy that might be forced to play a completely different game by factors out of his control like refs.

 

[TMLAM34]

I think you give him the Kerfoot contract, 3.5 per over 4 years. Away from Matthews/Marner, his offensive production drops a ton.

 

[HEAVY DUTY]

i think we should walk away. even at 3.5M for 4 years, it will feel like an anchor if he can't live up to his 1st season numbers with the Leafs.

plus the refs will continue to f*** him over next year. they will not let up.

better for us to just move on.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Knies is our key left winger now.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Prefer Jarnkrok in the top 6 and then use the cap space we were going to give him towards trying to lock up Acciari and ROR.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Knies is our key left winger now.

He's looked good in his 2 games but It's been 2 games let's relax a little bit.

 

[horner]

He's looked good in his 2 games but It's been 2 games let's relax a little bit.

Knies is making Bunting expendable next yr.

Sign
OReilly 5 mil
Accuri 1.5 mil
Schenn .9 mil

Trade
Murray probably have to retain 1 mil

LTIR Jake

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Knies is our key left winger now.

I don't know how you come to that conclusion after 2 games

 

[Voodoo Child]

Last year I sang a different tune but meh.

He wants 5 - and he puts up the numbers to get it, peace.

He wants 3 with term I sign in a second and tell him to cool it with the shenanigans.