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What's With Bunting This Season?

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DitchMarner

DitchMarner

TheGlitchintheSwitch
Jul 21, 2017
11,528
8,763
Brampton, ON
The offense simply isn't there this season, but Keefe continues to use him on the top line. I think it may be time to move him down in the line-up and see if that gets him going offensively.

He only has two goals, but it's not just that. From what I've seen, he doesn't seem to be generating a lot of offense for a top line player and he seems to lack confidence in his finishing ability when he gets chances.
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We play even more possession based then last year

He is great at getting in the tough areas. We have in part nerfed his best trait and he's not going the extra mile to get to those areas on the ice
 
GlitchMarner said:
The offense simply isn't there this season, but Keefe continues to use him on the top line. I think it may be time to move him down in the line-up and see if that gets him going offensively.
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Have you not watched the last few games? That's where he's been. The 3rd line while Kerfoot has been on the top in his regular spot.
 
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An underwhelming season thus far for him and yet he's sixth on the team in points. The offence has been led by the big five (and David Kampf!) with the others kind of lagging behind at the moment.
 
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Well we have Robertson who doesn't look ready and Kerfoot who isn't doing jack shit out there either competing with him on LW. Not a lot of options.
 
He was awful in the playoffs, a real red flag. The big caveat was coming off an injury, but his start this year might confirm he hit above his weight last year. Hope I’m wrong, we really need him to be a force.
 
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GlitchMarner said:
The offense simply isn't there this season, but Keefe continues to use him on the top line. I think it may be time to move him down in the line-up and see if that gets him going offensively.

He only has two goals, but it's not just that. From what I've seen, he doesn't seem to be generating a lot of offense for a top line player and he seems to lack confidence in his finishing ability when he gets chances.
Click to expand...
It's not just that the offence isn't there... there is nothing there. Plays die on his stick yes, but he loses almost every battle, takes dumb penalties because he is pissed he just lost that battle and has been very soft on the puck all season.

I don't know the guys history pre-Leafs, but feels like he overachieved last season... but he is so far away from that I am starting to believe last season was complete fiction.
 
It really hurts because he is our only true top 6 winger, if he continues like this and becomes a middle six winger we could be in some trouble
 
Against Van tonight, he was gawdawful to start. No finishing checks, weak fly by forechecking, skating in circles - and that frustrated penalty yall were talking about again.

Then he had a couple shifts in a row where he finally started doing some Bunting things, and on the Engvall goal, homeboy banged and cross checked and ended up laid out on his back in front of the net when Pierre popped it in the open side.

Now doesn't that feel better Bunts?? A little more like that, a little less of the 'Superstar' bullshucks.
 
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It's too bad because all you really need to do to play with Matthews is try hard and forecheck. Never have an night off from an effort standpoint (like Hyman).
 
Looks like a guy who thinks he can coast because of his rookie season. You put up points riding next to 2 top 5-10 forwards, needs to get back to his strengths and remember why he was making his NHL debut in his mid 20's.
 
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No offense to the fan base he built here but this guy stinks. Don't know if absolutely stinks or just stinks at the moment but he stinks.
 
DarkKnight said:
He was awful in the playoffs, a real red flag. The big caveat was coming off an injury, but his start this year might confirm he hit above his weight last year. Hope I’m wrong, we really need him to be a force.
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Might be time to accept that when Matthews and Marner are playing at level 10/10 they can turn anyone with any semblance of game into a 60 point player.

As soon as they drop to 9 or less, the truth reveals itself.
 
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Bunting has been most successful loosely emulating the Hyman jack of all trades, grind, pest, connective tissue on the Matthews-Marner line last year, but the Matthews-Marner duo has dried up this year and Bunting's game started looking a lot more like Marner's with the little area plays and give and go's. Got away from the pest role that made him effective.
 
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Roll call:

Raise your ✋ hand if you're here in this thread because you have Bunting in your hockey pool.

;)

What can I say about Bunting?

I knew he wasn't as good as his stats suggested. I might even be bold enough to say that last season might be the best of his career.

I wanted Dubas to trade him in the offseason.
 
Stephen said:
Bunting has been most successful loosely emulating the Hyman jack of all trades, grind, pest, connective tissue on the Matthews-Marner line last year, but the Matthews-Marner duo has dried up this year and Bunting's game started looking a lot more like Marner's with the little area plays and give and go's. Got away from the pest role that made him effective.
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And kept the dump penalties.
 
He's a decent player but a not a top 2 line player at all.

He can be an average to above average 3rd liner. Not a guy you sign to an 8 year deal like it was rumored.
 
Bunting is an effective offensive player. He makes a lot of slick and subtle offensive plays that really complement Matthews and Marner when they are playing well. He has been impacted by what ails the whole team. They are pressed to the outside and aren’t generating offence the same way as in the past. He is not a complete player the same way Hyman was so when they are having droughts like this he is really exposed.
 
Racer88 said:
Can you send a copy to Dubas please
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🤣

Ianturnedbull said:
Roll call:

Raise your ✋ hand if you're here in this thread because you have Bunting in your hockey pool.

;)

What can I say about Bunting?

I knew he wasn't as good as his stats suggested. I might even be bold enough to say that last season might be the best of his career.

I wanted Dubas to trade him in the offseason.
Click to expand...
Looks like he dropped the ball on that though in fairness he’s like the only toughness we got
 
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