Drive to the Net: What to expect from Bunting? Top-line left winger?

The Penguins on Thursday traded Sidney Crosby's longtime (and preferred) left wing Jake Guentzel to the Hurricanes.

The bulk of the return is prospects and picks -- forward prospects Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev and Cruz Lucius, along with conditional 2024 first-round and fifth-round draft picks. If the Hurricanes do not reach the Stanley Cup Final, that first-round pick changes to the second-round pick originally belonging to the Flyers. The Penguins only get the fifth-round pick if the Hurricanes win the Cup.

The one piece of the return in the NHL now might also just be the Penguins' next player to step into Guentzel's usual spot on Crosby's wing: Michael Bunting.

Bunting is a 28-year-old left-shot left wing listed at 6 foot and 192 pounds. He has two more years left on his contract after this season and carries a $4.5 million cap hit.

What are the Penguins getting in Bunting? Let's break it down.

Bunting is a top-six winger. He was primarily the Hurricanes' second-line left wing this season, skating alongside Martin Necas and Jack Drury. Of his 36 points and 13 goals in 60 games this season, only seven of those goals and 20 of those points came at even strength. That's not too great -- he ranks 10th on the Hurricanes in even-strength goals, and ninth on the team in even-strength points.

Bunting has had more success on the power play this season, though. His six power-play goals are tied for third on the Hurricanes, and his 16 points rank second. He shoots the puck on the man advantage, averaging 25.99 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time. The only regular Penguins power-play forwards who attempt more shots are Evgeni Malkin (33.84) and Crosby (26.97). Guentzel had a slight edge, averaging 27.45.

This is that shot-first mentality on the power play this season:

Bunting told the News & Observer in Raleigh this season that the slot is his spot on the power play: "Just find that soft spot and try to get open and support the guys on the flanks."

The Hurricanes tend to let up a lot of chances with Bunting on the ice. Teams average 53.21 shot attempts per 60 minutes with Bunting on the ice, the second-most of any Hurricanes forward. The 11.51 high-danger shot attempts against per 60 minutes are the most allowed on any Hurricanes forward. That's all despite Bunting having a relatively sheltered deployment with the fourth-highest percent age of offensive zone starts of any Hurricanes forward, at 71.36%. His 41 giveaways leads Hurricanes forwards, and his 15 blocked shots are the third-fewest. His minus-15 is the worst on the team.

Now, Necas and Drury are no Crosby and ... Bryan Rust? If that's who his opposite winger will be? But Bunting has extensive experience with much higher-end talent in Toronto last season, when he skated as the first-line left wing with Auston Matthews and William Nylander. He recorded 23 goals and 49 assists in 82 games -- roughly the same pace for points as this season, but with more goals, and producing more at even strength. His 16 even-strength goals tied him for fifth on the Maple Leafs, and his 39 points ranked fifth.

When Bunting was on the power play, he was often in a net-front role:

The chances allowed defensively last season -- 59.55 shot attempts per 60 and 13.05 high-danger attempts per 60 -- were slightly worse than this year, albeit with a slightly lower percentage of offensive zone starts at 70.22%.

Like Guentzel, Bunting isn't a penalty-killer. Never has been in the NHL.

Bunting isn't fast. The average top speed for forwards in the NHL this season is 22.08 miles per hour, whereas Bunting's top speed is 21.45 miles per hour. It's not just a high-end speed issue either -- Bunting is in the bottom half of the league when you break at his frequency of hitting moderately high speeds as well. He's hit between 20-22 miles per hour 31 times this season, below the average of 56 for forwards. He's hit 18-20 miles per hour 204, when the average for forwards is 237. 

Bunting is capable of adding energy in at least one other way: He's drawn 28 penalties this season, the most on the Hurricanes by 11 and tied for the 12th-most in the league.

Bunting will also occasionally drop the gloves agains bigger opponents. He fought 6-foot-2, 220-pound Tanner Jeannot this season ...

... and 6-foot-3, 208-pound Corey Perry last season:

Not something that he'll be expected to do very often, but it's good to know that he's willing to step up if needed, especially while sharing the ice with the Penguins' stars.

Bunting is a step down from Guentzel -- that's why it took three of the Hurricanes' better prospects (more on them in future Drive to the Nets), a higher draft pick and the potential for another mid-round pick to make the trade happen. The Penguins will presumably try Bunting out in a few different spots during his time in the organization, but it might be worth it to see how he looks next to Crosby to start.