Michael Bunting sends a message to Mortiz Seider ahead of rookie showdown.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings are set to face off once again on Saturday night and the matchup will feature a clash between 2 of the National Hockey League's most exciting rookies this season, 2 rookies that could not be more different from one another.

On the side of the Maple Leafs 26 year old Michael Bunting is about as unconventional of a rookie as you're ever going to see with Bunting seemingly coming out of nowhere this season to claim a spot on the Maple Leafs top line. Drafted in the 4th round (117th overall) all the way back at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Bunting has to be considered a late bloomer in his hockey career. After several seasons in the American Hockey League and relatively little opportunities at the NHL level with the team that drafted him, the Arizona Coyotes, Bunting now has 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points in 51 games for the Leafs this season.

On the other side of the matchup will be Red Wings defenseman Mortiz Seider, much more of a prototypical rookie, who was selected in the first round (6th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and only spent a single season in the American Hockey League with the Red Wings' AHL affiliate team the Grand Rapids Griffins. Seider has been among the most impressive rookies in the NHL this season and will get serious consideration when it comes time to vote for the Calder, with 5 goals and 32 assists for 37 points over 52 games this season.

In spite of their differences however it would seem that there may be somewhat of a rivalry brewing between the 2 rookies, especially after Bunting recorded a hat trick the last time the Leafs played the Red Wings in Detroit. Recently Bunting spoke about his upcoming meeting with Seider and vowed to get in the face of the young Red Wings' defenseman.

"He's a rookie as well, but he plays like a veteran," said Bunting as per TSN's Mark Masters. "He's a big boy. He's offensive and he's able to shut it down. Going against him pretty much every shift is challenging, but you got to look forward to those challenge and get in his face and make it hard on him and make him turn for pucks and stuff like that."

Masters has described the meeting as a "Calder Clash" although I suspect that Bunting's age and experience as a professional hockey player may cause those voting on the award to swing their votes towards what you would consider more traditional rookies, like Seider for example.