For Michael Bunting, it was a dream come true to come home to play with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. When he became a free agent in the summer of 2021, he moved away from the Arizona desert, took less money than he could have received elsewhere, and signed a two-year contract to play in Canada.
For two successful seasons, he had the chance to play mostly in the team’s top six – both seasons putting up 23 goals. In his first season with the Maple Leafs, he was strong enough to come in third in Calder Trophy voting as the NHL’s rookie of the year.
Bunting Played Himself Out of a Maple Leafs Contract
After the 2022-23 season, his production was too high but also, ironically, not high enough. Being in the middle ground, he somehow played his way out of a job with the Maple Leafs. The rumour was that the team didn’t try too hard to reach a contract agreement with the Scarborough native because they were unwilling to sign him close to his market value. His 2023 postseason suspension might also have played a part in the Maple Leafs’ reluctance to re-sign him.
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However, the Carolina Hurricanes were willing to ink him to a $4.5 million, three-year contract. Now, with the season just over halfway done, how is Bunting doing in his new home?
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The answer is that it’s been a good season for Bunting in his new home. He’s become a key offensive force for the Hurricanes with 10 goals and 20 assists (for 30 points) in 44 games. By contrast, the Maple Leafs (more or less) used the money they didn’t spend on Bunting to sign Tyler Bertuzzi to a $5.5 million, one-year contract. The new Maple Leafs’ second-line winger has scored six goals and 14 assists (for 20 points) in 45 games.
Michael Bunting’s Top Three Performances of the Season
This season, Bunting has played several impact games. Here are his top three games and his contributions in each. [Note, I have put these into chronological order rather than organizing them from best to third-best.]
Impact Game One: Hurricanes Lose to Tampa Bay Lightning, 8-2 (November 24)
Choosing such a lop-sided loss as an impact game might seem silly. However, even in the 8-2 drubbing, Bunting put up a strong individual performance. He scored a goal and an assist, and his power-play score showed his ability to make an impact, even in a loss.
Impact Game Two: Hurricanes Beat the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-1 (November 28, 2023)
In a solid 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, Bunting showed his well-rounded skills with a stellar performance on the team’s first line. He scored once and added an assist. Once again, he put up a power-play marker, and his offence played a key role in helping his Hurricanes win. He’s scored five power-play goals this season.
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Impact Game Three: Hurricanes Beat Vegas Golden Knights, 6-3 (December 19)
In a 6-3 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights, Bunting had a goal and two assists. Yet again, he delivered with the man advantage. He also added a power-play assist. He’s been both a contributor by scoring and playmaking.
Bunting Has Had an Impactful Debut Season with the Hurricanes
Starting his season with a power-play goal in early October against the Ottawa Senators, Bunting has regularly shown his playmaking skills this season with the Hurricanes.
As he did with the Maple Leafs, Bunting seems to have a knack for timely contributions. His versatility became even more apparent when he filled in for the injured Andrei Svechnikov in late November. Against the Flyers, as noted above, he skated on the team’s top line and added a goal and an assist. He’s been able to adapt to various roles within the lineup.
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Bunting’s importance to the Hurricanes became evident during a brief absence in early November for personal reasons. Since his return, he’s played a pivotal role in the team’s offensive system. Notably, he’s had a growing impact following a challenging start to the season.
Maple Leaf Fans Will Recall Bunting’s Year-End Visit to Scotiabank Arena
Bunting’s return to Toronto was a success for the Hurricanes. He scored a power-play goal against his former team in the Hurricanes’ 3-2 win. Recently, Bunting reached the 10-goal milestone, and while he’s not on a pace for 20 goals this season, Maple Leafs fans will recall that he picked up his game near the end of 2022-23 to reach 23 goals.
(Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
However, Bunting has a minus-15 rating this season. In his two seasons with the Maple Leafs, he averaged a rating of plus-24. That suggests that his defensive game could stand some improvement. The bottom line is that he’s landed well with the Hurricanes. For his fans, even if he’s no longer with the Blue & White, that’s good news.