Both player and coach diffused any notion that there was any lingering tension between the two after cameras caught Bunting looking away during a conversation on the bench.

Michael Bunting says his reaction to a conversation between himself and Sheldon Keefe is much ado about nothing. 

"I’ll leave that between Keefer and I, but what I will say is Keefe and I have a good relationship," Bunting said of the details of the conversation between he and the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach. "We’ve known each other for a very long time, there’s not much to see there. He’s one of the reasons I came to Toronto. We’ll leave it at that."

With the Leafs leading the Nashville Predators 2-1 late in the third period on Sunday, Sportsnet television cameras caught the head coach trying to engage with the Leafs forward, only to have the player looking away during the entire conversation.

"It’s a non-issue for me. I give players a lot of leeway and pass essentially, especially for those who come right off the ice. For me to expect a player coming right from the heat of the battle to sit on the bench and be a true gentleman right where I want to go talk to him, I’m putting myself at risk going into that situation."

Bunting and Keefe are arguably two of the most emotional staff members on the Maple Leafs, so it's not a surprise to see a reaction to an exchange like this. But it's Bunting's position on the team at this moment that appears to be in a bit of flux.

Keefe moved Bunting away from the team's top line on Mar. 4. At the time, the head coach said that he expected the player to find his way back to playing with stars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner at some point. However, in that time, Calle Jarnkrok fit in perfectly with the stars, particularly helping ignite Matthews' game back to All-Star form. While line juggling continued in the month, Keefe explained that Matthews had pitched for Jarnkrok to remain on his left flank, the spot Bunting had previously held.

The next logical spot for Bunting was on the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander and that's how it went for most of that time until Sunday in Nashville when Bunting moved to the third line with forwards Noel Acciari and Sam Lafferty. Alex Kerfoot moved up to skate with Tavares and Nylander with Keefe citing "stability" as the move.

"I think Bunts' game has really improved here in the last one-to-two weeks," Keefe said of Bunting. "To me, he looks like he’s playing with a clear mind and looks to be finding his game again. I’ve talked to him at length about some offensive things that I think are really important. But to me, his game has been trending in a good direction."

The Leafs will have a makeshift third line when they host the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. Noel Acciari was injured late in the game against the Predators and will not play. Keefe said Acciari is day-to-day and the injury type was not disclosed. Given Toronto's current roster constraints, the team will skate with 11 forwards and seven defensemen on Wednesday with Bunting and Lafferty expected to have different players rotating in. At practice, U of T forward Owen Robinson filled in as the 12th forward in place of Acciari.

For right now, Bunting's spot in the lineup isn't clear. With Ryan O'Reilly expected back at some point, perhaps that would make for a whole different look on the third line, one that doesn't have all three of Bunting, Acciari and Lafferty on it, players who all have a similar style of going hounding pucks and going to the net.

Until that time, it's up to Bunting to try and force the issue to try and factor in the top six. The Scarbrough native has just two goals and two assists in 13 games.

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