Michael Bunting Could Be Exactly What the Senators Need

Michael Bunting is still a free agent, and the Ottawa Senators should take a serious look at bringing him in.

Bunting is a former 60-point scorer who has proven throughout his career that he can be an extremely effective complementary winger alongside skilled players. Ottawa already has plenty of offensive talent at the top of its lineup, but the offence could still use another addition. With the Senators having the cap space to make a move, why not take a gamble on a player who has already shown he can produce alongside some of the best offensive players in the NHL?

Bunting doesn’t need to be the player driving a line to be valuable. Some of his best work has come when he has been paired with elite offensive talent and allowed to focus on what he does particularly well: forechecking, retrieving pucks, creating space, getting to the interior and extending offensive-zone possessions.

Bunting Knows How to Play With Stars

Bunting’s success alongside talented players is not a new development. During his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was an extremely effective complement to Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.

That line controlled roughly 64 percent of expected goals share and 61 percent of Corsi, numbers that put them among the league’s best at the time. Bunting wasn’t expected to carry the offensive load alongside Matthews and Marner. Instead, he provided the type of complementary game that allowed two elite players to spend more time creating offence.

He could get in on the forecheck, win pucks back and create another possession for Matthews and Marner. He was comfortable battling along the wall and getting to the net, while still having enough offensive ability to make plays once the puck was recovered.

We saw something similar when Bunting played with Matthews and William Nylander. That combination controlled more than 63 percent of expected goals share, once again showing how effectively Bunting can complement high-end offensive talent.

For Ottawa, that is the most interesting part of his profile. Tim Stützle and Drake Batherson don’t necessarily need another player who wants to dominate the puck. They could benefit from a winger who helps them get it back.

His Effectiveness Hasn’t Disappeared

There has been a perception that Bunting’s career fell off after leaving Toronto, particularly after his move to Carolina. His actual production tells a different story.

In the 2023-24 season, Bunting recorded 55 points between the Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins, showing that his offensive game certainly hadn’t disappeared. More importantly, his underlying numbers in Pittsburgh were extremely impressive.

After being traded to the Penguins, Bunting spent time alongside Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell. That trio posted a 61.38 percent expected-goals share and actually drove play better than any other line combination Malkin played with that season. They also outscored opponents 14-8 during their time together.

Again, Bunting wasn’t the best player on that line. He didn’t need to be. Malkin was still Malkin, and Rakell provided plenty of offensive skill. Bunting’s job was to complement them, win pucks and help create the conditions where those players could spend more time attacking.

There was another example in Nashville. In a smaller sample, Bunting played alongside Erik Haula and Luke Evangelista, with that line posting a 65 percent expected-goals share.

Different teams and different linemates, but similar results. Bunting has repeatedly shown an ability to fit beside talented players and help his lines control play.

The Forecheck Could Help Stützle

The biggest reason I like the fit in Ottawa is Bunting’s forecheck. Stützle is at his best when he has the puck and can attack with speed, while Batherson is at his best when he can find space and make plays. Adding a winger who is constantly looking to retrieve pucks and extend offensive possessions could give both players more opportunities to do what they do best.

Bunting is effective at getting underneath opposing defencemen on the forecheck and turning dump-ins into continued offensive pressure. He is willing to battle for loose pucks, and once he gets possession, he can find the skilled players around him.

Instead of Stützle having to constantly carry the puck into the offensive zone and create the entire possession himself, Bunting can help create those possessions before Stützle even touches the puck. Get the puck in, apply pressure, win it back and give it to the star. That isn’t the flashiest part of hockey, but it can be incredibly effective.

Bunting Creates Other Advantages

Another part of Bunting’s game that has probably been unfairly overlooked is his ability to draw penalties. He has developed a reputation for going down easily, but there is another side to that conversation: he consistently puts defenders in uncomfortable positions and has been successful at drawing penalties. From Ottawa’s perspective, the reason doesn’t really matter. If Bunting can use his forecheck and puck pressure to force defenders into taking penalties, that creates additional offensive opportunities for a Senators team that already has plenty of skill on its power play.

At the same time, Bunting is more than a forechecking specialist. He is a former 60-point player for a reason. He can make plays with skilled linemates, particularly when he gets into the middle of the ice, and his ability to make passes into the slot is an underrated part of his offensive game. He is also capable of playing off the rush when required.

This isn’t a player who needs to simply dump the puck in and chase it. Bunting can play with skilled teammates, create plays and attack the interior when the opportunity is there.

Where Does He Fit in Ottawa?

The Senators are currently using Andre Burakovsky alongside Stützle and Batherson. There is plenty to like about that idea. Burakovsky brings size and speed, and ideally he can help retrieve pucks while giving Stützle another dangerous option off the rush. But Ottawa should have another option.

Bunting could provide exactly that. If the Senators want to change the look of their top line, his forechecking and puck-retrieval ability could complement Stützle and Batherson extremely well. At the same time, he doesn’t have to play there permanently. He could provide another strong middle-six option alongside Dylan Cozens or Shane Pinto.

That versatility matters over an 84-game season. Injuries happen, lines stop working, and coaches have to adjust. Having a player who can move throughout the top nine without fundamentally changing the identity of a line is valuable.

Why Not Take the Gamble?

This is ultimately what makes Bunting so interesting for Ottawa. The Senators have the cap space to add another offensive piece, and Bunting is still available. They don’t have to make him a franchise-altering commitment. They can take a relatively inexpensive gamble on a former 60-point scorer who put up 55 points as recently as 2023-24, while also bringing a track record of strong underlying results alongside elite players.

If Bunting clicks with Stützle and Batherson, Ottawa could suddenly have another dangerous offensive line. If he ends up in the middle six, he can still provide forechecking, puck retrieval, secondary offence and penalty drawing alongside players like Cozens or Pinto.

There is certainly risk with any free-agent signing, but Ottawa is in a position where it can afford to take this type of swing. The Senators have spent years building around their young offensive core. Stützle, Batherson, Cozens and Pinto give them plenty of talent. The next step is finding players who complement that talent.

Bunting has spent his career doing exactly that. His numbers with Matthews and Marner were excellent. His numbers with Matthews and Nylander were excellent. His numbers with Malkin and Rakell were excellent. Even in a smaller sample with Haula and Evangelista, the results were extremely strong. And despite the perception that his career declined after Toronto, he still produced 55 points in 2023-24.

Ottawa has the cap space. Bunting is still available. And the Senators’ offence could certainly look better with another legitimate NHL winger added to the mix.

Sometimes the best additions aren’t the players who need to drive the line. They’re the players who help the players who drive the line play even better. For Ottawa, Bunting could be exactly that player.