NHL officials continue to target Leafs winger, penalize him even when he's not committing any rule infractions

First it was against the Edmonton Oilers and Evander Kane, then it was against the Detroit Red Wings and a situation involving Jake Walman, then it happened against the Montreal Canadiens with Joel Edmundson, and now, once again against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. If the referees are trying to send a message, it's been received loud and clear. Michael Bunting is being targeted, even when he's not committing any infraction at all.

Bunting can't seem to escape the eyes or the wrath of the referees because it seems that anything he does - or sometimes doesn't do - he gets called for a coincidental minor, or in the case against Montreal and even Monday in Tampa, a penalty that sends the opposition to the power play.

It's been just over a week and Bunting has had 3 run-ins with the referees and Sheldon Keefe has let his feelings be known. Kyle Dubas has spoken to the league, but none of it seems to have made a difference. Monday's incident was no different than before, as he came in to protect John Tavares who had a mass of Lightning jerseys surrounding him. Bunting didn't do more than just wrap his arm around a player to pull him away from the scrum, and a penalty was called.

Victor Hedman, Erik Cernak, and Bellemare all went after the Leafs' captain after the whistle and Bunting came to his aid as he grabbed ahold of Bellemare, who was the prime agitator in the scrum. Out of the whole thing, it was just Bunting who received a penalty - a rough minor to boot. You be the judge; is this roughing??



The Maple Leafs hung on for a 4-3 victory in a tune-up for their upcoming playoff matchup against the very same Lightning. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Mark Giordano got the night off, which bodes well for their chances against the suddenly astray-Lightning.

If the referees keep targeting Bunting, especially in the playoffs and especially against a top-5 Lightning power play, then the Leafs could easily find themselves in a tough spot. Even if Bunting is going out of his way to be an agitator or a pest, he just keeps finding himself at the wrath of the ones wearing the striped sweaters. Quite frankly, it's embarrassing and the NHL should have done something about it by now. Hopefully the matter is handled before the playoffs begin, because having something like this cost the Leafs a goal in a tight series could be a backbreaker.