Struggling to find the net, the Philadelphia Flyers have signed veteran forward Michael Bunting to a one-year, $1.2 million contract.
The Philadelphia Flyers are searching for a spark after a winless start left their forward group reeling. prompting a move for veteran free agent Michael Bunting. The 31-year-old forward has signed a one-year. $1.2 million deal to join a team currently struggling to generate even the most basic offensive pressure.
Through four games. the Flyers have managed only three goals total—one each from Tyson Foerster. Owen Tippett. and Matvei Michkov. The team’s production has cratered to an average of just 19.3 shots on goal per game. placing them 31st in the NHL. This stagnation was highlighted again on Monday during a 4-1 loss to the Lightning. which pushed the Flyers’ record to 0-2-2.
Bunting brings 418 games of NHL experience to a locker room that needs immediate stability. Across those appearances, he has accumulated 109 career goals and 252 career points. He enters this new chapter following a 2025-26 season split between the Nashville Predators. where he tallied 13 goals and 31 points in 61 games. and the Dallas Stars. where he contributed one goal and two points in 13 games. He also notched an assist in one playoff game during the Stars’ first-round exit against the Minnesota Wild.
For GM Daniel Briere. the decision to sign Bunting serves as a signal that the status quo is no longer acceptable. While internal discussions had considered recalling prospect Cole Knuble following his impressive training camp. the front office opted for a veteran solution to avoid rushing a younger player. Bunting’s arrival likely signals the end of the line for Carl Grundstrom. who had already cleared waivers before the current season began.
There is an existing familiarity between the new arrival and the bench; Bunting played his first five NHL games under Flyers coach Rick Tocchet during the 2018-19 season with the Arizona Coyotes. later adding another 21 games under him in 2020-21. Bunting was originally selected by the Coyotes in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Draft. After playing out a three-year contract that paid $4.5 million annually. he remained unsigned through the summer and the opening weeks of the 2026-27 campaign.
Whether Bunting can help turn the tide depends on how quickly he can adapt to a lineup that is currently defined by its lack of chemistry. The path for the Flyers is clear: the current offensive output is unsustainable. and the addition of a seventh team for Bunting since his 2018-19 debut marks a desperate attempt to reset the trajectory of a season that is already slipping away.
Philadelphia Flyers Michael Bunting NHL news Daniel Briere Rick Tocchet NHL free agency