Rod Brind'Amour humiliates ex-Leaf Michael Bunting

One player who did not return to the Toronto Maple Leafs in what is Brad Treliving's first year on the job was 2022 Calder Trophy runner up Michael Bunting, who skipped town to sign a three-year contract with the contending Carolina Hurricanes. 

Bunting scored 23 goals with 26 assists last season with the Leafs, which was the final year of the two-year, $1.9 million deal he signed under ex-general manager Kyle Dubas. Bunting instead joined a Hurricanes team that has been a force in the Eastern Conference and came within four wins of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final for what would have been the first time since 2006. 

However, Bunting has found himself relegated to the 4th line and his ice time diminished to a mere 12:14 per game. 

For tonight's game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Bunting once again finds himself on the 4th line, playing alongside  Jack Drury and Stefan Noesen. 

So far this season, Bunting's stats aren't terrible, as he's amassed 12 points in the 19 games that he's played in so far in his first year with the Hurricanes. Right now, that's a pace of 49 points, which would equal his output last year with the Leafs.

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