Bunting, Kerfoot, Holl not expected back with Maple Leafs: report

Michael Bunting, Alex Kerfoot and Justin Holl, three key members of the Toronto Maple Leafs, are not expected to return to the team in free agency, according to the Toronto Star’s Chris Johnston.

Bunting, Kerfoot and Holl are three of several players heading to the open market, including Ryan O’Reilly, David Kampf, Noel Acciari and Luke Schenn, to name a few. Goalie Ilya Samsonov is a restricted free agent in need of a new contract, too.

Bunting, 27, is the most noteworthy, given that he mostly played alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner this season. The Scarborough, Ont. native is coming off a two-year, $1.9 million contract ($950,000 per year) he signed in 2021. It’s largely been considered one of the biggest bargain deals in recent years, considering Bunting’s production.

He scored 23 goals and finished with 63 points in 79 games in his rookie season with the Leafs but struggled with inconsistency and costly penalties in his second season. His point total fell to 49, but he matched the 23 goals across 82 games played.

RELATED: Leafs’ Bunting suspended 3 games for check to the head of Tampa’s Cernak

Bunting was suspended for three playoff games in the first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning for a hit to the head of defenceman Erik Cernak. The left winger returned to the lineup in Game 6 and finished with a goal and an assist in seven postseason games.

Kerfoot, 28, was acquired in the often-criticized trade that sent centre Nazem Kadri to the Colorado Avalanche in the summer of 2019. Tyson Barrie was also part of that deal.

In four seasons with the Leafs, Kerfoot eclipsed the 50-point total once, in 2021-2022, but failed to generate much in terms of production. He has been relied on heavily as a penalty killer and two-way player during his time in Toronto and often played both centre and the wing.

Kerfoot is coming off a four-year, $14-million contract he signed with the Leafs in July of 2019, carrying an average annual value of $3.5 million.

Holl, 31, signed as an AHL free agent with the Toronto Marlies in 2015 before signing his first NHL contract with the Maple Leafs a year later. Holl played three seasons in the AHL, developing into a steady defenceman, making his NHL debut in 2017-2018.

Holl became a regular defenceman with the Leafs in 2019-2020, finishing a combined +58 since in five seasons. The 31-year-old was criticized for his lacklustre play in the playoffs against the Lightning and was eventually scratched from the lineup ahead of Game 6 after being a combined -7 in the games he did appear in.

Holl returned in Game 3 against the Florida Panthers and closed out the series.

The Leafs enter the offseason with much uncertainty. New general manager Brad Treliving will need to factor in how to approach Matthews and William Nylander, both eligible for contract extensions on July 1.

The star players have one year left on their current deals, $11.6 million for Matthews and $6.9 million for Nylander. Toronto is expected to open the offseason with $9.1 million in cap space.