Former Leaf Gives his Take on Michael Bunting and Praises Sheldon Keefe

Published April 26, 2023 at 11:47
BY JULIEN TREKKER

The Maple Leafs may be on their way to win and pass the first round for the first time since 2004. All they need is one victory to silence their detractors.

According to Kris Versteeg, who played with the Leafs in 2010, they have a chance to win, thanks to Sheldon Keefe.

Former Leaf Gives His Take on Bunting and Praises Sheldon Keefe

During an episode of the Leafs' Lunch podcast, Versteeg praised the coach's growth since last year and compared him to Jon Cooper.

"Cooper was playing chess while he was playing checkers, and now he's starting to play chess as well."

By that, he means that Keefe learned from Cooper and adopted some of his strategies, not just for on-ice decisions, but also for using the media to highlight certain aspects and downplay others.

Should Bunting Be Reinserted in the Lineup After His Suspension?

Versteeg also weighed in on the Michael Bunting situation and whether he should be reinserted in the lineup when his suspension ends.

"It's not about making everyone happy. It's about going with who's hot. He should go back to Bunting, no doubt about it. Whether you take out Zach Aston-Reese or Sam Lafferty doesn't matter. That's a tough decision to make. These are the types of things Keefe will have to do to make up for past performances where Bunting wasn't good enough. I hope they go back to Bunting.

Look at Nazem Kadri. He went to Colorado and everyone realized they made a mistake. Kyle Clifford took a dumb penalty, but he didn't go back to Clifford. This is Keefe's chance to make a tough call and go with a guy they're going to need."

Many believe that Bunting shouldn't come back because the Leafs have been winning since he was suspended. However, Versteeg thinks that they should use him instead of Aston-Reese or Lafferty.

But why change something that's working?

The Leafs will probably announce their practice lines soon, and we'll keep you updated on what will happen with Bunting for game five.

As seen on Maple Leafs Insider - Former Leafs reveals what he thinks the Leafs should do with Bunting, praises Keefe's coaching in series

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POLL
April 26 \| 251 answers Former Leaf Gives his Take on Michael Bunting and Praises Sheldon Keefe Do you think Keefe should put Bunting on the lineup for game #5?
Yes	89	35.5 %
No	162	64.5 %
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