Michael Bunting

Lore & Background

Bunting played midget hockey with the Don Mills Flyers in the Greater Toronto Hockey League. Despite not playing AAA hockey, he was selected 160th overall in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds after being passed over in the previous two drafts. As a rookie with the Greyhounds in 2013–14, he produced 42 points in 48 games, and the following season he led the team with 37 goals in 57 games and 14 points in 14 playoff games.

After being drafted by the Coyotes, Bunting signed a three-year entry-level contract on July 23, 2015. He spent time with the Springfield Falcons and the ECHL's Rapid City Rush, where he scored his first professional goal. When the Coyotes moved their AHL affiliate to the Tucson Roadrunners, Bunting became a key player, scoring 23 goals and 43 points in the 2017–18 season. He made his NHL debut on December 11, 2018, scoring his first NHL goal against Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins. Bunting was named to the 2019 AHL All-Star Classic and became the first Roadrunner to reach 100 points with the team.

Bunting left the Coyotes franchise as the Roadrunners' all-time leader in games played, goals, assists, points, and penalty minutes. He signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a group 6 free agent on July 28, 2021, and spent most of the season on the top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. He was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy and was voted to the NHL All-Rookie Team. Bunting later played for the Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, and Dallas Stars, and represented Canada at the 2021 and 2024 IIHF World Championships, winning gold in 2021.

Reader's Guide

Michael Bunting's career is notable for his unconventional path to the NHL, having been passed over in multiple OHL drafts before being selected late by the Greyhounds. His development within the Arizona Coyotes organization, particularly with the Tucson Roadrunners, established him as a reliable scorer and the franchise's all-time AHL leader in several categories. Bunting's NHL debut with the Coyotes included scoring his first goal against a top goaltender, and he later set an NHL record by playing the first fourteen games of his career away from home. His breakout season with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021–22 earned him Calder Memorial Trophy consideration and a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team. Bunting also developed a reputation as an effective penalty-drawing forward, though his relationship with officials became a subject of media attention, culminating in a meeting between Maple Leafs management and the NHL regarding officiating bias. His career includes multiple trades and a three-year, $13.5 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes, as well as international play for Canada, winning a gold medal at the 2021 IIHF World Championship. Bunting's journey from a midget hockey player bypassed in AAA to an NHL regular underscores his persistence and adaptability.

Did You Know?

• Bunting was selected 117th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2014 NHL entry draft.
• He scored his first NHL goal in his debut against Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask on December 11, 2018.