One of the many players that are still looking for their next NHL homes in free agency is a name very familiar to fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Forward Michael Bunting, who was nominated for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie in 2001-02, has bounced around the NHL since departing Toronto in 2023 for the Carolina Hurricanes, having played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, and Dallas Stars since then.
And while he remains available on the free agent market, reports have surfaced that a particularly bitter divisional rival of the Maple Leafs is being linked to Bunting with Training Camp on the horizon.
Could Former Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Michael Bunting Sign With An Atlantic Division Rival?
According to Shawn Sinclair of NHL Trade Rumors, the Boston Bruins could come calling for Bunting, as they’d like to add another middle-six forward to their lineup.
“The Bruins would love to add another middle-six winger to their mix. Bunting’s in-your-face style of play would mesh well in Boston, and he’d likely quickly become a fan favorite based on his game. The Bruins have the needed cap space to make this deal work under the cap.”
Last season split between the Predators and Stars, Bunting scored 14 goals with 19 assists in 74 games played; he also added an assist in one Stanley Cup Playoff game with Dallas, who was upset by the Minnesota Wild in the opening round of the postseason.
Michael Bunting Played A Handful Of Seasons With The Maple Leafs
Bunting was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fourth round (117th overall pick) of the 2014 NHL Draft. He spent several seasons developing with the American Hockey League affiliate Tucson Roadrunners, and eventually made his NHL debut with the Coyotes in December 2018. Bunting scored in his debut against Boston and was later named an AHL All-Star, while also becoming the first Roadrunner to reach 100 points with the organization.
After spending most of the following seasons in the AHL, Bunting finally established himself in the NHL during the 2020-21 campaign. He scored 10 goals in just 21 games for Arizona, including his first career hat trick, and set an NHL record by opening his career with 14 consecutive road appearances.
After his breakout with Arizona, Bunting signed with the Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2021. He quickly became a productive contributor playing alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, earning an NHL All-Rookie Team selection and finishing as a Calder Trophy finalist. He later posted 23 goals and 49 points in 82 games during his second season with the Maple Leafs.
But he decided to move on in the summer of 2023, signing a three-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. He registered 36 in 60 games before being dealt to the Penguins in 2024 as part of the blockbuster deal that brought Jake Guentzel to Carolina.
He would later be traded to the Predators for Luke Schenn and Tommy Novak, and would once again be traded, this time to the Stars, at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline for a third-round pick.
So far in his NHL career, he’s scored 109 goals with 143 assists, and has added two goals and four assists in 14 postseason games.
Ex-Maple Leafs Forward Michael Bunting Linked To Divisional Rival