from Nick Kypreos at the Toronto Star,

In some ways I feel bad for Michael Bunting.

What was once a source of pride in the Maple Leafs forward’s game — an uncanny ability to draw penalties and irritate the opposition — has turned into a distraction and it seems he and the Leafs are caught between a rock and a hard place on how to move forward with less than two weeks until the playoffs begin.

Is it solely on Bunting to figure out how to get past the predicament he finds himself in with NHL officials, or can Leafs president Brendan Shanahan or general manager Kyle Dubas lean hard on the NHL hockey operations department to cut Bunting some slack?

As someone who also loved to draw penalties during my playing days, I can tell you it gives players a great sense of accomplishment when you come back to the bench knowing you’ve given your team’s top guns two full minutes to alter the outcome of the hockey game.

First and foremost, let’s recognize that Bunting is among the league leaders in penalties drawn; it’s an accomplishment and it shouldn’t automatically label you a “diver.”

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