Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Dishes pair of assists
Rotowire
Bunting notched two assists, two shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in Sunday's 5-1 win over the Kraken.
Bunting ended up with a team-low 12:23 of ice time, but that was because coach Sheldon Keefe was able to balance out the minutes in a dominant win. The 27-year-old Bunting had helpers on goals by Timothy Liljegren and Auston Matthews. Over nine games in February, Bunting has registered four goals and three assists in his usual top-line role. He's at 42 points, 122 shots on net, 57 hits, 68 PIM and a plus-26 rating through 60 contests overall.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Nets goal Tuesday
Rotowire
Bunting found the back of the net in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Sabres.
Bunting's marker came at 12:09 of the first period to extend the Leafs' lead to 4-0. It was his 19th goal and 40th point in 58 contests in 2022-23. The 27-year-old is going through a strong stretch offensively, providing five goals and seven points over his last eight games.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Two goals help lead way
Rotowire
Bunting scored twice, including once on the power play, in a 5-1 win over Montreal on Saturday.
Bunting tied it 1-1 at 5:32 of the first period on the power play when he one-timed a pass from Auston Matthews at the top of the goal crease. He pushed the score to 3-1 late in the second period with a one-timer from the right face-off dot. Bunting now has 18 goals and 39 points in 56 games.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Earns power-play assist
Rotowire
Bunting produced a power-play assist in Friday's 3-0 win over the Blue Jackets.
The Leafs continue to expand Bunting's power-play role, for which he's averaging a career-high 2:01 of ice time with four goals and three assists. On the downside, he's registered a point in just five of 16 games in the new year, and one would expect better consistency from a top-line winger sharing the ice with elite talents John Tavares and Mitch Marner.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Tallies goal and assist in win
Rotowire
Bunting recorded a goal and an assist in Sunday's 5-1 victory over the Capitals.
Bunting got Toronto on the board with a power-play goal early in the second period. He'd add an assist later in the frame on a Morgan Rielly tally. The two-point effort snapped a four-game scoreless skid for Bunting. The 27-year-old winger is up to 15 goals and 20 assists through 51 games this season.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Two-point effort Saturday
Rotowire
Bunting scored a power-play goal and added an even-strength assist in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Bruins.
With Auston Matthews back in the lineup and anchoring the top line, Bunting snapped a five-game point drought by banging home the game's opening goal early in the first period. He has three multi-point performances sandwiching his mini-slump, and as long as he's skating with Matthews, Bunting's always a threat for a big night. On the season, the 27-year-old has 14 goals and 31 points through 44 games.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Three points against St. Louis
Rotowire
Bunting scored two goals, one on the power play, and added an even-strength assist in Tuesday's 6-5 shootout loss to the Blues.
His second goal of the night was the one that forced OT, as Bunting scored the only tally of the third period on some tic-tac-toe passing by the Leafs with the man advantage. It's the 27-year-old's second three-point performance of the season, and over his last 17 games he's piled up an impressive nine goals and 19 points.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Scores twice vs. Avalanche
Rotowire
Bunting netted a pair of goals in a 6-2 win against Colorado on Saturday.
Bunting's first marker was scored on a Maple Leafs power play and proved to be the game-winner. The 27-year-old has contributed 11 goals and 26 points in 37 contests in 2022-23. He's been on quite the goal-scoring run lately, providing seven markers over his last nine games.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Collects 100th point
Rotowire
Bunting scored his eighth goal of the season in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Lightning.
He went top shelf on Andrei Vasilevskiy with a one-timer from the high slot to open the scoring late in the first period, giving Bunting the 100th point of his NHL career in his 138th game. He's also found the scoresheet in 11 of the last 12 contests, posting four goals and 13 points over that stretch.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Streak at 10 games, 12 points
Rotowire
Bunting scored a goal in a 3-1 loss to the Rangers on Thursday.
It extended his streak to double digits (10 games) and 12 points (three goals, nine assists). Bunting popped in a rebound at 14:06 of the first to make the score 1-1. The streak is a nice bounceback for Bunting, who started this season slowly with just 10 points in his first 21 games. But despite the streak, it's worthwhile to note that he was skating with David Kampf on Thursday when he scored the goal, and that's not exactly the best fantasy match for the winger.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Seven-game, nine-assist streak
Rotowire
Bunting had two assists in a 5-0 win over the Kings on Thursday.
He set up William Nylander in the second and Auston Matthews in the third. Bunting has gone 11 games without a goal, but that's no reflection of his value. He's in the midst of a seven-game, nine-assist streak and has increased his season total to 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 28 games. Bunting isn't quite back to the 63-point pace he set last season, but he's getting close.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Assist streak at six games
Rotowire
Bunting posted an assist, three shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in Tuesday's 4-0 win over the Stars.
Bunting set up a Rasmus Sandin goal in the second period. The 27-year-old Bunting has seven assists during a six-game streak, and he's gone plus-9 in that span. For the season, the Ontario native is up to 17 points, 43 shots, 31 hits, a plus-12 rating and 36 PIM through 27 appearances. He continues to see a top-six role as a supporting part of the Maple Leafs' offense.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Gets extra time in win
Rotowire
Bunting was credited with an assist during Wednesday's 3-1 win over the visiting Sharks.
Bunting, who has earned at least one assist in four consecutive games, received 18:51 of ice time Wednesday, his most during 15 November outings. The 27-year-old left winger earned a secondary helper on Auston Matthews' game-opening marker. Bunting added two shots and two hits against the Sharks.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Two apples in win
Rotowire
Bunting picked up two assists in Saturday's 4-1 win over Pittsburgh.
One of those apples set up Auston Matthews for his 200th even-strength goal. Bunting made the play from his side after falling to the ice. The winger has three assists in his last two games, but needs to pick up the pace if he wants to come close to his 63-point career mark from last season.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Three-point effort Tuesday
Rotowire
Bunting scored two goals, including the game-winner, and added an assist in Tuesday's 5-2 victory over the Penguins.
The 27-year-old almost completed the hat trick with an empty-netter, but Bunting's shot from the Toronto blue line sailed just wide and William Nylander wound up firing home the puck after it caromed off the end boards. Bunting had just one assist over the prior 10 games, but a line shuffle by the Leafs seemed to spark his offense to life. On the season, he has four goals and nine points through 17 contests.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: No points in four straight games
Rotowire
Bunting failed to pick up a point Sunday in a 4-3 overtime loss to Anaheim.
It's his fourth consecutive game without a point, but he did have four shots. Bunting was a surprise fit with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner last season, but that magic hasn't continued. He's being shuffled around the lineup and needs to prove last season was based on skill, not opportunity.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Secures empty-net goal
Rotowire
Bunting notched his second goal of the season Saturday as the Maple Leafs defeated the Jets 4-1.
Bunting's empty-netter was his first goal since the Oct. 12 season opener. The 27-year-old left winger did not take regular top-line shifts. Bunting recorded 14:48 of ice time, well below the ice time totals of Auston Matthews (19:27) and Mitch Marner (19:17). Bunting established himself with a 23-goal campaign last season and should continue to flash fantasy value even as a part-time member of the top line.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Two apples in win
Rotowire
Bunting delivered two assists in a 3-2 overtime win Thursday over the Stars.
One came on the power play and the other at even strength. Bunting has four points (one goal and three assists) in five games after a 63-point (23 goals, 40 assists) rookie season. He's entrenched on a scoring line and will likely deliver similar totals as he did in 2021-22.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Tough love from coach
Rotowire
Bunting played 15:11 and delivered two hits Thursday in a 3-2 win over Washington.
Lesson learned, or so it seems. Bunting's ice time was up substantially Thursday night from Wednesday's 12:58 when Leafs' coach Sheldon Keefe benched Bunting in the second period. He had thrown a blind bank pass that was intercepted and turned into a goal, and also ended up in the box. Bunting is a strong fantasy performer but needs to focus and keep things simple in order to deliver for you.
... See More... See Less
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting: Nets team's first goal
Rotowire
Bunting opened the scoring Wednesday, but the Maple Leafs dropped a 4-3 decision to the Canadiens.
Bunting, in his second season with the Maple Leafs, continues to supply top-tier scoring. The 2014 fourth-round draft pick collected 23 goals among 63 points last season, topping all rookies in scoring. Part of Bunting's role is to avoid a sophomore slump. He scored at 11:41 of the first period Wednesday off assists by Mitch Marner and T.J. Brodie. It was his only shot on goal.
