Leafs winger reveals what it was like watching games during the suspension
With the Toronto Maple Leafs on the verge of advancing to the second round for the first time since 2003-04, forward Michael Bunting is officially available to return after serving his 3-game suspension but won't be in the lineup for Game 5.
Perhaps pure happenstance but the Leafs have strung 3 consecutive victories after his antics in Game 1, have looked a lot sharper, and haven't done anything overtly wild that has cost them in terms of PIMs and power plays against.
Nevertheless, Bunting is still a 20-goal scorer and someone that will eventually make his way back into the lineup. For the time being he'll remain in the press box, a place he is not a fan of for a few of reasons:
"Watching is stressful, very stressful up there, not being able to have control of the game. It's almost worse. I'm almost more nervous watching than playing."
He understands what he did, he understands that it could've proven costly in a playoffs series, and he will wait on Sheldon Keefe to give him the call. Until then he's going to have to watch his teammates on the ice, perhaps enjoying a type of success they have been chasing for decades. Something that has been extremely difficult to deal with.
Bunting mentioned that during this difficult time, Jake Muzzin has been in his ear and trying to lend a hand:
"He's been the voice in my head, just the way he's been talking to me through it. I can't thank him enough."
