Bunting Looking Forward To Continuing His Momentum In Raleigh

RALEIGH, NC. -Michael Bunting was a second-day draft pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2014.

But as of July 2021, after playing six pro seasons with the organization, he'd amassed just 26 NHL games over two brief stints.

Fast forward two years and he'd become one of the most coveted free agents on the market, attracting clubs after back-to-back seasons of 23 goals.

What changed?

"I just had the attitude that I belonged and I had something to prove," Bunting said of his success in his pair of seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs. "I kept building off of that momentum. The more comfortable I got, the more confident I got to play in this league."

Originally from Scarborough, Ontario, playing roughly 20 minutes away from where he was born and raised turned out to be the opportunity of a lifetime. The forward cashed in his efforts for a , tied for the fifth-largest signing by a forward in this summer's free agency class so far.

"I've always had the hunger to make the next step. I've always had the hunger and the determination to play in the NHL. The last two years I was able to show that I belong," Bunting continued of his career's growth. "I have to have that same mentality. It's taken me a long time to get here and I can't think that the work's done now. I have to keep pushing on the gas and prove that I belong. The second I take things for granted, I could lose it."

Beyond his 112 points in 161 games with Toronto, Bunting also brings an element of sandpaper to the Carolina lineup.

If you like feistiness, you've got it.

"Being in the other team's face and getting them distracted, I've been doing that my whole career," Bunting furthered of his abilities. "It's almost second nature. It's gotten me here today and I don't plan on ever changing."

Known league-wide as an agitator, the now 27-year-old thrives on doing what some players won't, and going where some players don't.

"I can bring the energy, bring my skill set, bring my ability to move the puck and get to the hard areas," the left-handed winger touted. "It's where I excel the most - in front of the net, in the corners, distributing the puck, and being able to put it in as well."

That entire ensemble is part of what attracted the Canes' brass to the player.

"He just has that extra knack," President & General Don Waddell said on Saturday

. "The way that he plays, that's something that we definitely wanted and Rod wanted."

How much did Rod Brind'Amour want Bunting, exactly?

Enough to personally call him on Saturday, which ultimately played a role in the player coming aboard.

"To be honest, that went a long way. Just to talk to him, hear what he thought about me as a player, and where he thought I'd fit in on this team," the former Soo Greyhound said. "He's a well-respected coach, was a well-respected player, as well as a Stanley Cup champion. I'm looking forward to learning from him every single day."

So, whether he finds himself playing to the left of Sebastian Aho, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Jordan Staal, or someone else when the puck drops in the fall, the new acquisition is more sure than ever that his talents, mixed with his newfound mental approach, make him a perfect fit for the "win-now" Canes.

"I'm very confident in my game going forward here. I have more experience in the NHL (than two years ago) and I'm looking forward to keeping that momentum going in Raleigh."

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