The Maple Leafs Don’t Need Michael Bunting; They Need Better Roster Thinking
One interesting thing about building an NHL roster is that the easiest move isn't always the right one. When a familiar player becomes available, especially one who had success in Toronto, the temptation is obvious. Fans remember the good moments. They remember the chemistry and the games where a player seemed to fit perfectly.
That is where the Michael Bunting to the Maple Leafs conversation gets interesting.
Bunting was a very good Maple Leaf. There is no question about that. During the 2021-22 season, he scored 63 points in 79 games and quickly became one of the most noticeable players on the roster. He brought energy, emotion, competitiveness, and the kind of edge that Toronto had been missing.
But the bigger question is not whether Bunting was good in Toronto. The bigger question is whether bringing him back would make the Maple Leafs better today. And that is where roster building becomes more complicated.
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An interesting point from a reader gets to the heart of the Maple Leafs’ situation.
A reader made an interesting point: maybe Toronto does not need another left winger. Maybe the issue is not finding another familiar name. Maybe the issue is finding the right player for the current roster. That is an important distinction.
The Maple Leafs have already changed the identity of their forward group. John Chayka added players who bring size, defensive responsibility, penalty-killing ability, and playoff experience. The team appears to be moving away from simply collecting offence and trying to build a group that can handle the difficult parts of postseason hockey.
So where does Bunting fit on the Maple Leafs’ roster? That is the question.
There is no denying he played his best hockey beside Auston Matthews. But that also raises another question: was Toronto getting the best version of Bunting because he was an excellent fit alongside an elite player, or had Bunting himself become the kind of player who could drive offence independently? The answer is probably somewhere in the middle.
Good teams need complementary players. Not everyone has to drive a line. Sometimes a player’s greatest value comes from understanding his role and making better players even better. But NHL teams also have to avoid chasing memories. The player who helped you three years ago is not always the player who helps you three years later.
Bunting is a popular player, but is he right for the Maple Leafs?
That is why the Bunting debate is more interesting than simply asking whether Toronto should bring back a popular former player. The real question is whether the Maple Leafs are building toward the team they want to become or trying to recreate the team they used to be.
Sometimes the smartest roster move is not bringing back someone who worked before. Sometimes it is finding the player who fits what you are trying to become.