The Carolina Hurricanes penned UFA left wing Michael Bunting to a contract today. The deal runs for three years, expiring after the 2025-26 season. Bunting earns $13.5 million over the contract’s term, good for a $4.5 AAV.
Michael Bunting Signs New Contract
In 187 career games, Bunting notched 57 goals and 69 assists, good for 126 career points to-date. Last year, he posted 23 goals and 26 assists (49 cumulative points) across 82 games. The winger, almost 28, first entered the league after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2014 entry draft by the Arizona Coyotes. However, it took a few years before he debuted in the 2018-19 season at 23 years of age.
Bunting held a 6.1% relative Corsi percentage last year, in line near his career average. Bunting nearly looked destined for an AHL career, until he posted 13 points in 21 games for Arizona back in 2020-21. That garnered attention from the Toronto Maple Leafs, who signed him on a two-year deal at just below $1 million annually.
In Toronto, Bunting proved that his strong showing with Arizona could be sustained over a full season. He broke the 20-goal plateau in both years with the Leafs, scoring over 100 points in that span too. Going into this summer, he stood as an obvious candidate for a major pay raise on the free agent market.
What this Means for the Future
Bunting joins a new team in a new city, ready to expand his role even further. In Toronto, he brought a tough, gritty style of play and drew tons of penalties. The fact he finds the back of the net on top of that makes him a standout middle six forward. Whether he reached his ceiling remains to be seen, and certainly his new team hopes he can build on his recent growth.
If he can at least maintain what he did for Toronto, though, that too helps a ton. Bunting’s contract reflects the player he became: a legitimate NHL’er. This offers his new team a strong scoring option who can slide up and down in the lineup. He’s a true utility player, a Swiss Army Knife.
Main Photo: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
