Michael Bunting

Before the 2021-22 regular season began, Sheldon Keefe had to have an inkling about what the team had brought in with Michael Bunting. During a preseason game in Ottawa, Bunting had scored a hat trick and Kurtis Gabriel interrupted the post-game interview to call Bunting “a greasy rat.” Keefe didn’t disagree.

In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs’ News & Rumors, I’ll share news about three young players who signed one-year contracts with the Maple Leafs’ affiliate Toronto Marlies yesterday. Each of these youngsters is an undrafted forward who’s a bit older and who has risen slowly through the ranks.

Last summer, the Toronto Maple Leafs took a low-risk flier on a 25-year-old winger with minimal NHL experience but had produced a decent amount and had a history of scoring at the AHL level. Of course, that player was Michael Bunting, who scored 23 goals and 63 points in 79...

The Toronto Maple Leafs made the NHL’s best discount free agent signing last offseason by signing Michael Bunting to a two year deal worth an average of $950,000 per season as Bunting became the NHL’s best point-per-dollar player this season (excluding entry level contracts). Michael Bunting (who has...

Yesterday sportswriter Kevin McGran wrote a nice article about Michael Bunting to share the news that Bunting had been named one of the three finalists for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie. (from “Michael Bunting’s long journey to Calder Trophy nomination for Maple Leafs included plans to be a firefighter,” Kevin McGran, The Toronto Star, 11/05/2022).

Michael Bunting, Moritz Seider and Trevor Zegras were announced Wednesday as finalists for the NHL's 2021-22 Calder Trophy, awarded annually to "the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association vote on the Calder....

May 11 - Toronto Maple Leafs forward Michael Bunting is among the three finalists announced Wednesday for the Calder Trophy. Bunting is joined by Detroit defenseman Moritz Seider and forward Trevor Zegras of Anaheim for the NHL's rookie of the year trophy. Bunting, 26, has three points (one goal, two...

The NHL has continued to release the finalists for their major regular-season awards, this time giving us the top Calder Trophy candidates. This award is given to the top first-year player in the league and is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The finalists are Moritz Seider of...

Bunting finished with the most points as a rookie with 63 (23G, 40A) over the span of 79 games this season. Nominated with him are the Red Wings defenceman Moritz Seider and the Ducks’ Trevor Zegras. At 26-years-old, Bunting could be the 11th player in Maple Leafs history to...