The Carolina Hurricanes signed gritty forward Michael Bunting to a three-year contract with an AAV of $4.5 million on Saturday.
Bunting was a nice fit on the cap-strapped Toronto Maple Leafs while playing on a two-year contract with an average annual value of $950,000.
The Toronto native was a Calder Trophy finalist in 2021-22, notching 23 goals and 63 points in 79 games.
Bunting added 23 goals and 26 assists for 49 points in 82 games this season.
But Bunting made headlines for the wrong reasons in the playoffs, receiving a three-game suspension for an illegal check to the head on Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Erik Cernak in the post-season opener.
Bunting had one goal and one assist in seven playoff games this year.
The Soo Greyhounds product played his first 21 NHL games with the Arizona Coyotes, who selected Bunting in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 2014 draft.
Bunting has 57 goals and 69 assists for 126 points in 187 career games for the Coyotes and Leafs.
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