The Toronto Maple Leafs have had themselves an incredibly busy offseason. The Original Six club has many new players, including Sergei Bobrovsky, Darren Raddysh, Jack Roslovic, Nick Paul, Brandon Duhaime, Teddy Blueger, Emil Andrae, and Colton Sissons. With this, the Maple Leafs are certainly hoping to turn things around next season after their very disappointing 2025-26 season.
Yet, as busy as the Maple Leafs have been this offseason, it is fair to wonder if they might not be done. They could use another forward, and they are now being encouraged to bring back one of their former players on a professional tryout (PTO) agreement.
In a recent article for 6ix On Ice, James Reeve urged the Maple Leafs to sign free agent forward Michael Bunting to a PTO.
“Bunting hasn’t been quite the same player since leaving Toronto, so bringing him back to try out this summer and see if there’s a potential fit once again could be a shrewd piece of business,” Reeve wrote.
The idea of the Maple Leafs taking a chance on Bunting with a PTO is interesting. However, with the Original Six club needing another forward, it could make sense for them to do so if he is open to it.
There Would Be No Harm in the Maple Leafs Signing Michael Bunting to a PTO
With the Maple Leafs needing forward help, there would be zero risk in them taking a look at Bunting on a PTO. A PTO does not automatically mean that they would need to sign him to a contract for the season, so it would not hurt for them to see if he could be a fit on their roster again.
Furthermore, when looking at Bunting’s past success with the Maple Leafs, there is certainly an argument to be made to bring him back on a PTO. He had the best season of his NHL career with the Maple Leafs in 2021-22, as he scored 23 goals and set career highs with 40 assists and 63 points. He followed that campaign up by posting 23 goals and 49 points in 82 games with Toronto in 2022-23. With this, he certainly made an impact during his time with the Maple Leafs.
Furthermore, after having stops with the Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, and Dallas Stars since only the 2023-24 season, it is fair to wonder if Bunting would be open to trying out for the team he had his most NHL success with.
Maple Leafs & Bunting Could Be a Great Match Again
Given how well Bunting played during his time with the Maple Leafs, they would have the potential to be a good match again if he earned a contract for the season. He could work well in their top nine and would offer them another forward who can produce offensively and plays with an edge.
On a one-year, prove-it deal, Bunting could be a very valuable signing for the Maple Leafs if he bounced back. It will be interesting to see if they reunite with the seven-year NHL veteran from here.
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