Article content
That rocketship Auston Matthews has been riding to higher goal orbits, with Mitch Marner as co-pilot, seems to have left Michael Bunting back on earth.
Article content
Though Bunting is still having a dream first season for his hometown Maple Leafs, at or near the NHL rookie points lead, he hasn’t scored in a month. While the assists are still there, the incredible pace that stars Matthews and Marner are on has at times been hard for the 26-year-old free agent to match.
Coach Sheldon Keefe agreed the goal drought stands out to the staff. On this past four-game road trip alone, Matthews and Marner had nine goals.
“He obviously hasn’t scored and that starts to pile up and weigh on you a bit,” Keefe said before Bunting had an assist and one shot Thursday in Dallas. “He had some terrific chances in Florida (the game before) that didn’t go in for him.
“But he’s not a passenger on that line. He’s making contributions.”
Article content
Unlike the inconsistency Nick Ritchie had in the left wing spot with the two younger stars at the beginning of the schedule, eventually leading to his demotion and trade, Bunting’s numbers are easier for Keefe to defend in the bigger picture.
“He’s picking up fat points, they’re not just gimmee second assists. He’s in on the forecheck, he’s tracking, he’s creating loose pucks, creating havoc around the net.”
With his chippy side and chirping, the Scarberian could be voted most likely to get rag-dolled by angry opponents, while that constant motor Keefe spoke of has led to many penalties called on him. That’s a balance the Leafs need with Matthews bursting by checkers with such ease that fouls on him don’t come easy from referees.
Article content
“All season, I don’t know how many Bunting has drawn (it’s 42 at all strengths according to Natural Stat Trick, second to Connor McDavid and Pierre-Luc Dubois),” Keefe said. “But that helps his linemates succeed on the power play.
“He does so many things that are important to our team and to me, he hasn’t missed a beat in those areas. So, that’s what I really like about him. He’s going to score again here really soon and that will help him relax a bit.”
Bunting wasn’t on the top six forwards’ radar at camp, but with Ritchie unable to stay on the top line and Alex Kerfoot working out better with John Tavares and William Nylander, he was able to ease the Leafs’ pain about letting UFA Zach Hyman leave town.
With 56 points — only his second junior season in the OHL with The Soo yielded more — he remains first among NHL freshmen in the last month of the schedule, though his older birth certificate will hurt his Calder Trophy chances with the main crop of young scorers in their early 20s.
Matthews said earlier this week that his scoring run, a league high 56 to date and the team record that fell Thursday, is that more enjoyable because of the bonds he, Marner and Bunting have forged. Marner needs 11 points in the remaining 11 games to reach 100, Matthews perhaps getting there as early as Saturday against Montreal.
“We have so much fun together, we’re extremely close outside of the rink,” Matthews said. “We try and mesh and that chemistry has grown throughout the season. We just try to stay hungry, motivated and try to compete on both sides of the puck.”
lhornby@postmedia.com
Maple Leafs' Michael Bunting challenged to match pace of Matthews, Marner - Toronto Sun
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment