Michael Bunting on signing in Carolina: "It was kind of a no-brainer"

The Carolina Hurricanes signed Michael Bunting to a three-year, $13.5 million contract Saturday afternoon at the onset of free agency.

The former Toronto Maple Leaf and Arizona Coyote is known for being a "tough-areas" player being able to work well along the boards and in front of the net. He is also known for being an agitator and a pest.

He spoke with the media Monday via Zoom. Here's what he had to say:

On choosing Carolina: Once free agency opened, obviously it was a new experience for me going through that. My agent reached out pretty early and said that Carolina was a team that was interested in getting something done. It was kind of a no-brainer from the get go. This team has been so close for quite some time here and it’s kind of like a win now mentality. So that excites me in coming to Carolina. Having an opportunity to chase the Stanley Cup once again and I can’t wait to get it started. I’m really excited to be joining.

On breaking out in Toronto: Going into Toronto was kind of my first taste of the NHL. I just kind of had the attitude that I belonged and that I had something to prove. I just kept building off that momentum and the more comfortable I got with my game, the more confidence I got to play in this league. I’m very confident in my game going forward here. I have more experience in the NHL and I’m looking forward to keeping that momentum going down in Raleigh.

On what he knows about the area: I came down to Carolina a few times the last couple of years and it’s a beautiful area. It’s a hockey town. I always found it was really hard to play in that rink as a visiting team. It was just so loud. The Hurricanes built momentum just from their fans. So I’m really excited in being on the opposite side of that.

On if he's already familiar with anybody on the team: I know [Antti Raanta]. I spent some time in Arizona with him. He’s a great guy. Looking forward to reconnecting there. I know [Frederik Andersen] a little bit through being friends with Auston [Matthews] as he and Auston are friends. I’m looking forward to getting down there. I also am an ex-teammate of Tony DeAngelo and so I talked to him a little bit about what it’s like and whatnot. He’s only said good things about Carolina.

On what he can bring to the table: I think I can bring that energy every single night no matter what line I’m on. I think I can bring my energy and bring my skill set and be able to move the puck and get to the hard areas. That’s where I excel the most. In front of the net and in the corners. Distributing the puck but also being able to put it in as well. Coming off of two years of having 20+ goals, I want to add to the offense and I want to bring that offense every single night starting this year. I’m looking forward to building chemistry with guys and building chemistry with my new linemates and keeping that thing going.

On being a bit of an agitator: I want to bring offense every single night and help the team win on that side of it, but I feel like I can bring a lot of energy on the other side too. Just being in the other team’s face and getting in the way, getting them distracted. I’ve been doing that kind of my whole career. It just come naturally. It's second nature. Once I step on the ice, I kind of get into that mode of basically just getting into the other team’s face and bringing that energy. I plan on continuing to do that. That’s been an asset of my game and it’s gotten me here today so I don’t plan on ever changing.

On building his career starting from the AHL: I spent almost six years in the minors before I even got a shot in the NHL. I’ve always had that hunger to make that next step. I’ve always had the determination and belief in myself and my ability to play in the NHL. I feel like the last two years, I was able to show that in Toronto. That I belong and that I can produce and I play with an edge. That being said, I stepped into this next contract and kind of set myself up for the future, but I also have to have that same mentality of not taking it for granted. It’s taken me a long time to get here and I can’t think that the work’s done now. I’ve gotta keep pushing on the gas and keep proving that I belong because the second I take things for granted, I could lose it. So that’s my mentality and I think I’m going to continue on gaining confidence in my game. I’m looking forward to this next chapter.

On his impressions of playing for Rod Brind'Amour: He gave me a call on free agency day and to be honest, that went a long way. Just to talk to him and to hear what he thought about me as a player and where he thought I would fit on this team. I think having that phone call made my decision even easier. Also, he’s a well respected coach and he was a well respected player as well. A Stanley Cup champion. So I’m looking forward to meeting him in person and learning from him every single day. A lot of people have only said good things about how he runs the team here. I’m looking forward to seeing how everything goes.