The Bruins’ offseason has been light on drama, but it has also left a few questions hanging over the 2026-27 roster. Boston brought back Connor Clifton, promoted Michael DiPietro to the NHL, and is still waiting on Matthew Poitras to sign. Those moves helped the blue line and the crease, but they did not do much to solve the bigger issue: keeping the window of contention open.
At the same time, the Bruins have watched reliable offense leave the building, with Viktor Arvidsson heading to Detroit. That leaves Boston scanning the market for whatever value might still be out there, even if the options are thin.
One name worth a look is Michael Bunting.
Bunting is the kind of player who once looked like he had found a permanent NHL lane after a breakout run with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He turned that opportunity into multiple contracts, built around the hope that his 20-plus goal seasons were not a one-off.
Before Toronto, he had barely touched the league, playing 26 games across two seasons with the Arizona Coyotes and collecting 14 points. His path to relevance started after he slipped through the Coyotes’ system and found a boost from former Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas.
His best work came when he was riding shotgun with elite talent. In 2022-23, Bunting skated alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner for 28 games, and that trio produced 12 goals while posting a 55.47 Corsi for percentage and a 56.13 expected goals percentage. Those numbers tell the story: when he had top-end help, he looked like a top-six forward.
But once he left Toronto, the production dipped.
Bunting’s 2025-26 season was split between the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators, and it was a far cry from his Toronto peak. He played 74 games total, with 13 in Dallas and 61 in Nashville, and finished with 33 points on 14 goals and 19 assists. After 418 NHL games, he has settled into the profile of a bottom-six forward, which is exactly where the Bruins would have to evaluate him.
There is at least some appeal there. Sportsforecaster described him as: “Is a late bloomer whose ability to put the puck in the net in the minors finally earned him a chance to play in the NHL.
He has a history of being a point producer as well as a defensively responsible forward who can win loose pucks and battles along the boards. He has to show more consistency to maximize his usefulness.”
That makes him a reasonable candidate for a professional tryout. Boston’s fourth line already features Mark Kastelic and Tanner Jeannot, so the Bruins are not exactly searching for toughness. Still, there is a case for carrying an extra forward and keeping some flexibility with a 13th man over the course of an 84-game season.
The fit is not perfect. Bunting has never been a heavy hitter in the way a classic grinder usually is, and he has not topped his Toronto career-highs of 85 hits and 103 penalty minutes. He looks more like a reserve option than a lock for a permanent spot.
That is why the cleanest answer is simple: invite him to camp on a PTO, keep him around if he earns it, and leave the door open for a call-up from Providence if needed. He could still help the Bruins, but only in the right role and only if the rest of the lineup gives him enough support.
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Bruins Have 3 Contracts That Could Shape Next Season
David Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha and Jeremy Swayman give the Bruins three very different kinds of value as they look ahead to the 2026-27 season, and each contract helps explain why the roster remains built around a few carefully chosen core pieces. Pastrnaks $11.25 million annual hit still looks reasonable for a winger who can drive scoring and create for others, while Zachas $4.75 million average annual value stands out even more after a career season that boosted his standing within the lineup.
Swaymans $8.25 million deal also fits the same theme, especially for a goalie whose price compares favorably with the market around the league. The wrinkle for Boston is Zacha, whose future with the team remains uncertain even as his contract continues to look like one of the better bargains on the roster, leaving the Bruins with one more decision to sort through as they map out what next season will look like. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Face A Harsh Reality About How The League Sees Them
The Bruins are heading into the season with an uncomfortable message from the betting market: the rest of the league does not expect much. Boston is being treated as a long shot to win the Stanley Cup or even get back into the playoffs, a sharp reminder of how quickly the perception around the club has changed as other teams around the NHL keep making moves and reshaping their rosters.
FanDuels view is especially bleak, and it fits the broader picture of a team trying to prove it still belongs in the conversation. While Hockey Canada moves forward with suspension recommendations tied to the 2018 World Juniors scandal and clubs like Edmonton and Detroit continue to work the margins in free agency and trades, the Bruins are left staring at a market that has little faith in their bounce-back. It is the kind of early verdict that can linger until Boston starts giving people a reason to think otherwise. [Read more 🡒]