Michael Bunting signs a surprisingly affordable contract with new NHL team
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Michael Bunting is signing with the Philadelphia Flyers at a $1.2 million cap hit as the team looks for a spark after an 0-2-2 start to the season.
The Flyers wanted a jolt, and they went out and got one.
Philadelphia is bringing in Michael Bunting, and TSN's Darren Dreger was first to report the deal, which comes in at a $1.2 million cap hit.
Timing matters here. The Flyers are sitting at 0-2-2 to open the season, and a team that made the playoffs last year doesn't want a slow start to turn into a hole.
Bunting can't fix everything on his own, but he brings an edge this lineup could use.
Bunting is 31 and went unsigned all summer and into the season, which surprised a lot of people around the league.
That's a big reason the price is so low.
What Bunting brings to Philadelphia
He finished last season with the Dallas Stars after they picked him up from Nashville before the trade deadline.
Across both stops he put up 14 goals and 33 points in 74 games.
He also added an assist in one playoff game as Dallas went out in the first round.
The Scarborough, Ont. native was drafted 117th overall by Arizona in 2014 and now has 109 goals and 252 points in 418 career games.
He's coming off a three-year deal that carried a $4.5 million cap hit, so taking $1.2 million is a massive drop.
Why the Flyers made the move
Bunting plays a hard, physical game and isn't shy about going to the dirty areas.
A team searching for answers can always use that kind of player, especially one who costs this little.
Philadelphia has gone four games without a regulation win, so even small changes feel big right now.
Keep an eye on the lineup over the next few days, because the Flyers clearly aren't interested in waiting around.
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