The Toronto Maple Leafs, much to their dismay, were unable to retain the services of Michael Bunting for the upcoming season. In response, Bunting shed some light on the reasons behind his departure from the Leafs' roster.
Bunting's Justification
During this off-season, Bunting committed to a 3-year contract worth $13.5 million.
Bunting voiced his desire to hoist the Stanley Cup, an achievement he believes the Hurricanes stand a stronger chance of realizing. And let's just say the fans were not happy at all with what he had to say:
"They've been so close for so long. Everyone's goal in this league is to win the Stanley Cup. Once Carolina came in and showed some interest, I was interested as well."
Ouch.
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Another persuasive factor was the outreach from Rod Brind'Amour, who connected with him on day one of free agency, making his decision to sign with the team a straightforward one.
Assessing Bunting's Performance
Michael Bunting's on-ice impact significantly diminished during the Leafs' playoff campaign, further marred by a 3-game suspension in the first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Unfortunately, his playoff run yielded a mere 2 points in 7 games.
Shedding some light on the regular season, Bunting boasted two exceptionally good seasons with the Leafs, notching a career-best 63 points last season. However, the past season saw him grapple with a slight dip in form, managing only 49 points and tallying 103 penalty minutes.
| POLL | ||
14 JUILLET | 348 ANSWERS Michael Bunting's Comments On His Departure Has Leafs Fans Annoyed And Angry Do you believe Michael Bunting will lift a Stanley Cup before the Toronto Maple Leafs? | ||
| Yes | 107 | 30.7 % |
| No | 241 | 69.3 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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