Michael Bunting is still unsigned as we head into the 2026-27 season, and with the Maple Leafs needing to cement their lineup, an old face would be the perfect fit.
There was a lot of talk over who the Maple Leafs were going to bring in as an offensive catalyst to help Auston Matthews and give themselves a bit more scoring potential. They added Jack Roslovic as a way to give Matthews a familiar face, but there are still several names they could look to add.
Vladimir Tarasenko is still without a contract, and so is Patrik Laine. Those are two proven scorers who can supplement the offence, but without a chance to gel with the team given their unsigned nature, it might not be a perfect fit despite their resumes.
A Maple Leafs and Michel Bunting reunion would be a perfect end to the offseason
However there is a familiar face still kicking about who would add the perfect amount of support and give the Maple Leafs someone who knows what it takes to handle the pressure in Toronto: Michael Bunting.
Bunting, 30, remains without a deal as we head into the 2026-27 season and it's frankly, quite puzzling as to why. He's a reliable scorer who can give you 15-20 goals per season, play the power-play, move up and down the lineup wherever needed, and is proven to succeed alongside Matthews.
The two together had absurd numbers including a 73.3 GF% rate and a 30.06 xGF with an above-average CF%. While a lot of credit has to be given to Mitch Marner on that line, Bunting was a player who was a puck hound who was able to find Matthews wide open as he drew in defenders.
His best seasons came in Toronto, and his two-season stretch where he had 112 points in 161 games including a blistering plus-48 shows that he's a perfect complement to Matthews' scoring touch - he gets the puck, and finds his teammates.
Toronto's ability to afford Bunting rests on their injury status
While Bunting won't cost much, and likely is looking towards the same type of deal that Logan Stanley recently received ($1.5M) which doesn't hurt Toronto too much but does cause issues. The team also is looking to add Nick Blankenburg off his PTO which would eat into that cap.
Plus the team would need to do a lot of roster swapping back and forth between the AHL in order to make the room necessary to have the pieces they need and be cap compliant. Max Domi is presumably going on LTIR and there's a chance that Dakota Joshua may end up there to start the year.
That would give them enough money to add Bunting and determine what to do with Joshua, as much like Steven Lorentz, the additions to the bottom-six have made him expendable.
Bunting would be a great addition to a team who is already familiar with his game and can benefit greatly, but when it comes to being able to fit him in, it's a lot easier said than done.
Do you think Michael Bunting is the right fit for the Maple Leafs?
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