Toronto Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs Hoping to Lock Michael Bunting Into Long-Term Deal
The Toronto Maples are interested in a long-term extension for pending UFA forward Michael Bunting but can they make it work?
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun noted during the latest segment of TSN Insider Trading said that, as of yet, there haven’t been any contract extension talks between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Michael Bunting. Still, he noted the team is hoping to begin conversations and when the two sides get down to business, the Maple Leafs are open to a long-term deal with the forward.
Bunting hasn’t played long with the Maple Leafs, but in his first full season with the team, he posted 23 goals and 63 points in 79 games. It was a breakout season and, while he’d scored more than 20 goals before, the 2021-22 campaign was one that put him on the map. As such, the pending UFA is going to be worth a pretty penny on the open market. It would serve the Maple Leafs well to get this deal done.

LeBrun explained that the Leafs would like to get him locked in and on the best possible deal. He notes:
“I think they’re open to talk about what an eight-year deal would look like to bring down the AAV and bring down the cap hit. What’s interesting is that I think that camp might be interested at looking at eight years because at age 27, this will be Bunting’s one big opportunity at free agency, and I think he wants to remain a Maple Leaf. I think that’s an interesting conversation once it happens.”
This is going to be an interesting crossroads the two sides will have to navigate. Bunting will be a hot commodity in a market that understands the salary cap is going to increase. He’s young enough to get the best years out of a long-term contract and there will be suitors the Leafs have to contend with. Bunting could price himself out of what the Maple Leafs can afford. At the same time, if he’s mostly interested in sticking with the Leafs, he may be willing to accept a bit of a discount.
The question will be, how much? Remembering that the Maple Leafs will have to save room for Auston Matthews’s next deal and there’s uncertainty surrounding the future of GM Kyle Dubas, this won’t be an easy negotiation and whatever comes of it has the potential of causing a ripple effect throughout the lineup. Bunting only makes $950K on his current deal. His next contract will be at least 5x that.
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