Nashville, Tenn. (March 5, 2025) – Nashville Predators General Manager Barry Trotz announced today that the team has acquired forward Michael Bunting and Pittsburgh’s fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft from the Penguins in exchange for forward Tommy Novak and defenseman Luke Schenn.
Bunting, 29 (9/17/95), has played in 58 games this season and is fourth on Pittsburgh in goals (14) and seventh in points (29). The 6-foot, 186-pound forward has recorded four multi-point efforts in 2024-25 and posted 18 points (9g-9a) in an 18-game span from Nov. 30-Jan. 9. Additionally, nine of Bunting’s goals and 15 of his points have come on the power play and he’s contributed 59 hits and 13 blocked shots in 15:15 of average ice time.
Originally selected by Arizona in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Bunting debuted with the Coyotes during the 2018-19 campaign and posted a breakthrough rookie season with Toronto in 2021-22, where he notched a career-high 63 points (23g-40a) in 79 games en route to earning a spot on the NHL’s All-Rookie Team and a third-place finish in Calder Trophy voting. He is a veteran of 326 career games with Arizona, Toronto, Carolina and Pittsburgh, recording 210 points (90g-120a); he also owns five points (2g-3a) in 13 career postseason contests with the Maple Leafs. Internationally, the Scarborough, Ont., native has represented his native Canada twice at the World Championship, claiming gold in 2021 and finishing fourth in 2024.
The Predators now own eight selections in the 2026 NHL Draft – two in the second (NSH, MIN) and fourth (NSH, PIT) rounds and one in the first, third, fifth and seventh rounds.
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Source: Predators
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