The Soo Greyhounds connections between the Leaf brass and Bunting made this a probable fit all along, and as MLHS reported last night, informal expressions of mutual interest between the sides were happening well in advance of the UFA window. Bunting became a Group-6 UFA at Noon EST due to his accumulation of professional service in the AHL (three-plus seasons) and limited NHL experience (under 80 games) by age 25.
Bunting is a late-bloomer story through and through dating back to his junior days. Passed over twice in the OHL Priority Draft, professional hockey wasn’t on Bunting’s radar until much later than the typical future NHL draft pick — not until three years into high school when OHL interest started to pick up in the Scarborough native.