The One Player I'd Love to See Return to the Maple Leafs
Michael Bunting coming back to the Toronto Maple Leafs is one of those ideas that probably lives more in the “fun to think about” category than anything else—but it’s still an interesting one. After his time in Nashville and a trade-deadline stint with the Dallas Stars, his contract expires on July 1.
Bunting will be searching for the right fit again. And he has strong connections in Toronto. Could he return to a place where he had his early breakout?
When Bunting was with the Maple Leafs, he looked really good.
When he was with the Maple Leafs, Bunting was useful in a way that’s hard to replace. He wasn’t a superstar, but he was absolutely the kind of guy teams need when the games get tight and the playoffs get messy. He could chip in 20 goals, play up and down the lineup, and had that edge to his game that made life uncomfortable for opponents.
He also got under people’s skin. He was always around the puck, always talking, always pushing the line just enough to tilt a game emotionally. Coaches love that when it’s controlled. Opponents hate it when it works.
And offensively, he wasn’t just a pest. He could actually finish. Those back-to-back 20-goal seasons in Toronto weren’t a fluke. He found chemistry with the Leafs’ top guys at times, and he looked like he understood how to play in that system and that market.
At the time, Bunting drew penalties, but he also took them.
The knock on him, of course, was discipline. Penalties piled up, and eventually that became part of why things moved on. That’s the trade-off with a player like Bunting—he gives you energy and chaos, but sometimes it spills over the edge. Maybe he’s learned his lesson. He’s older now and, one can think, more settled.
And, if you’re talking about a short-term, low-risk idea? It’s not crazy to think about his return. Nobody is suggesting a big contract or a long-term commitment. But a one-year or even two-year deal at a reasonable number? That’s the kind of swing a team like Toronto could at least consider if they’re looking to add depth scoring and a bit of bite to the lineup.
Bunting knows the Maple Leafs, and they know him as well.
There’s also the familiarity factor. Bunting knows the city. He knows the organization. He knows the core group. He’s already been in that room. That matters more than people think when you’re plugging in depth players late in the process.
Would the Leafs actually do it? Hard to say. Teams don’t always go back to old players, especially those who left with baggage. But hockey has a funny way of circling back on itself sometimes. And who knows what the new leadership group might value?
Bunting could be a good depth option for the Maple Leafs ‘ forward unit.
At his best, Bunting is exactly the kind of depth winger who makes life easier for your top players. He doesn’t need power-play time to matter. He just needs the right role, the right expectations, and a little bit of trust.
And if you’re in Toronto, that’s really what makes the idea at least worth a second thought—even if it probably stays in the “wishful thinking” category.