Insider provides update on conversations between the Leafs and a pending UFA
With the list of tasks ahead of Brad Treliving in Toronto not getting any shorter as the days go by, the prevailing belief here is that the Leafs will be making a number of roster decisions over the next week and change here, which should give us a pretty clear picture of where the team sits going into free agency.
Multiple insiders commented this week on the futures of several free agents in Toronto, including Alexander Kerfoot, Justin Holl, Ryan O'Reilly and Michael Bunting, among others. While most of the reports recently have suggested that all of the above may be in new cities next season, one insider is not ready to rule out a return for Michael Bunting.
Per Elliotte Friedman on the most recent edition of 32 Thoughts, the Leafs have recently held talks with Michael Bunting's camp. Friedman cautioned that those talks were brief, but he also stated that the door wasn't closed on Bunting remaining a Leaf.
The talks mark the end of a lengthy stint of silence between the two sides. Bunting was eligible to sign an extension last summer, but the Leafs had never engaged in any discussions with Kyle Dubas at the helm. Now, with Brad Treliving in charge, he may value what Bunting brings to the table more than his predecessor did.
It's very early yet to ascertain, one way or another, if the talks between the Leafs and Bunting means that he'll be back, but any conversations at all at this point are a good sign that the two sides are at least discussing the options available to them ahead of July 1st.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 17 | 394 ANSWERS Insider provides update on conversations between the Leafs and a pending UFA Will the Leafs bring back Michael Bunting after all? | ||
| No | 272 | 69 % |
| Yes | 122 | 31 % |
| List of polls | ||
