The Philadelphia Flyers are trying something late and a little noisy, and it starts with a familiar name for Penguins fans. After opening the season with a blowout loss to Pittsburgh and still chasing their first win, the Flyers signed former Penguins winger Michael Bunting in hopes of jolting their lineup.
Bunting’s Pittsburgh run was brief but productive. He appeared in 79 games for the Penguins and put up 48 points before being moved along in the Jake Guentzel deal that brought him over as part of the Hurricanes package. That stretch didn’t turn into a long-term fit for Pittsburgh, and he was later dealt to the Predators in a trade centered around Tommy Novak.
Now he lands in Philadelphia, where the fit looks pretty obvious. Bunting has built a career on being a nuisance to play against, working in the dirty areas around the net and making life uncomfortable for opponents. That style is exactly why the Flyers want him, and exactly why Penguins fans are likely to dislike seeing him in orange and black.
At 31, Bunting has become the kind of player who keeps finding work because he brings a specific edge. Philadelphia will be the sixth team he’s played for over the last seven seasons, but the reason teams keep bringing him in is clear: he agitated, he competes, and he still produces enough to matter.
His latest season, split between Nashville and Dallas, showed that his game still holds up. Bunting finished with 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points in 74 games, and the article describes him as a solid depth player in Dallas. That’s the kind of middle-six value the Flyers are banking on.
For Pittsburgh, the move adds one more layer to a rivalry already set to get plenty chippy. Bunting fit well enough in his time with the Penguins, and now he’ll be trying to make their lives harder the other way around.
In Other News...
Crosby And Ovechkin Get One More Penguins Chapter To Savor
Alex Ovechkins announcement that this will be his final NHL season gives every meeting with Sidney Crosby a little more weight, and the first of four remaining regular-season matchups between the longtime rivals now carries the feel of a farewell tour as much as a divisional game. For the Penguins, it also comes at a time when the roster is still in motion, with practice offering another look at how the forward group might be arranged around Crosby as the season wears on.
Bryan Rusts return is getting closer after he was a full participant in practice, a welcome sign for a Pittsburgh team that could use more stability and scoring touch as the schedule tightens. Even in a season that has already produced its share of odd side notes across the league, from the NHLs short-lived Hot for Hockey campaign to comeback stories elsewhere, the Crosby-Ovechkin chapter remains the one Penguins fans will circle first, because once Ovechkin is gone, these games will never quite feel the same again. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Suddenly Have A Roster Situation Fans Need To Watch
The Penguins forward group took on a different look this week after a trade with Edmonton brought in defenseman Spencer Stastney and sent Filip Hallander the other way. For a team still sorting out its lineup and trying to keep the back end stable, any move like that can ripple through the depth chart quickly, especially with the schedule moving fast and roles still being defined.
There is also a more immediate personnel wrinkle to monitor around Andrei Kuzmenko, who has returned from Russia and is with the club but will not play right away as he adjusts. Coach Dan Muse confirmed that part of the picture, and Bryan Rust is also a game-time decision for the upcoming game, leaving Pittsburgh with a little more uncertainty than usual as it tries to settle on who is available. [Read more 🡒]
Bryan Rusts Return Forces A Penguins Lineup Shakeup
Bryan Rust is back on the Penguins roster after being activated off injured reserve, bringing an end to the extended recovery from an upper-body injury he suffered in the preseason. His return gives Pittsburgh another veteran piece up front at a time when the lineup has already been shifting around, and it comes just as the schedule offers a familiar measuring-stick opponent in Washington.
The timing of the move also reflects a bit of roster reshuffling behind the scenes, with Pittsburgh making room by dealing Filip Hallander to Edmonton for Spencer Stastney. Rusts presence should immediately change the look of the forward group, and the next question is how the Penguins line combinations settle once hes back in game action. [Read more 🡒]