Although it's late in the process to add someone to an NHL roster, that's exactly what the Philadelphia Flyers did. After their season started with a blowout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, their struggles have continued to pile on. They are still searching for their first win of the year, and Penguins fans can't help but enjoy their plight.
Philadelphia just signed former Penguins winger Michael Bunting to hopefully provide a spark to their club.
For those who don't remember, Bunting played in Pittsburgh for 79 games and was part of the Hurricanes trade package in the Jake Guentzel deal. During his time with the Penguins, Bunting produced some strong numbers. Things just never seemed to work out long-term for Pittsburgh and Bunting, and that saw the forward get sent to the Predators in a trade centered around Tommy Novak.
No one should anticipate Bunting getting prepared for a massive season for the Flyers, but he fits their style. At the end of the day, he is a pest on the ice who will do the dirty work in front of the net to cause havoc. He fit in well during his stint with the Penguins, and he will now make their lives difficult. He's a tough skater who plays with edge, which will create headaches for Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Penguins will have tough time fending off agitating winger Michael Bunting
Joining the Flyers further points to Michael Bunting being a journeyman in the NHL.
Philadelphia will be the sixth team he's suited up for over the past seven seasons. He's always been on the move despite being a difficult player to play against. He's shown what he can do on the ice, and although it isn't anything special, his ability to agitate the opposition is something that keeps team interested in bringing him into the building.
Bunting might be 31 years old, but his numbers haven't deteriorated like you would imagine. His ability to be a physical player would normally point to Father Time catching up to him at a quicker pace, but that has yet to show on the stat sheet. He's coming off a solid season that ended in Dallas where he was a solid depth player in their lineup. He's still a contributing middle six forward in the NHL.
His time with the Penguins saw him produce 48 points during his 79 games in Pittsburgh. Those were some impressive numbers, and it led to Pittsburgh landing Tommy Novak in a trade, which has turned out to be a steal. Bunting will hope to get the last laugh as he joins the Flyers.
They are a team who plays with an edge like their newly signed winger does, and it should work out for both parties.
Although he is getting older, his numbers continue to be solid. Last season was split between the Predators and Stars, but he sunk in 14 goals and 19 assists, which totaled 33 points in 74 games. Again, you can expect the same level of output from Bunting in Philly. He's going to be tough for the Penguins to handle during their brutal battles against the Flyers for the remainder of the season.
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