DK's Daily Shot of Penguins: Bunting's blessing

What a blessing Michael Bunting's been.

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[jerryyeager]

Happy New Year DK. Bunting has been really good. The team is playing much better. Thank you DK, Great show.

[bobross]

"You're welcome - MB" to Crosby 🤣🤣🤣

[fcktrouba]

I was quite content with the trade last year when it happened (considering Jake's UFA status).. Bunting is no Jake, but he also has the Patty Hornqvist vibe about him, too.. not much skill, but does the little things.

[bobross]

Bunting does stuff that doesn't show up on the stat sheet. They've been a different team since he got here and it speaks to how devoid the Penguins have been of any grit, balls, emotion, etc. for a long time. I didn't mind the trade when it happened; I love it now. The Pens may have given up the most talented player, but they unquestionably got better as a TEAM.

[dxzxax]

Bunting is exactly what our PP didn’t have. Grit. We don’t need our five best passers on the ice. We need people that disrupt and go to the front of the net. So glad Malkin and Karlsson are off PP1

[michaelbobrick]

Hope the Pens can earn 2 more points in Detroit to close out 2024, #LetsGoPens!

[johnbowman]

I like him, but how many points would Guentzel have put up by this time on Sid’s line? Rust or Raks could help Geno.

[sgw]

People need to accept that the Pens weren't going to pay $9 million per for Guentzel, he was gone if they traded him or not. Also the words "oe of their best forwards" and "no room in the lineup" should never go together about the same player.

[TheBearGuyCanada]

Bunting should replace Rust on line one. He brings energy and grit to line one and Rust and Malkin have chemistry. As it is now, line one 5 on 5 struggle in their own zone which makes the offense they have at times neutralized, Bunting would help this out. But Sully would never pull this switch, he loves Rust.

[charliehorner]

He will be claimed and go on to have a successful season and outscore and outplay everyone on the Penguins bottom six. I do not ever want to hear that the Penguins are a meritocracy and whoever performs plays because that is a joke when it comes to what happened to JP.

[ourlittleadventures]

So basically, the 3rd & 4th lines are the exact way Sully likes flippin great 🫣 Because that's sure worked the last few years, right!? Our 3rd line must contribute, period!!! And until our 3rd line does, we will be depending on Sid's back & shoulders to haul us close to or possibly in the playoffs with who for his wingers, Rust IF healthy & Raks IF he's scoring. So, while every other elite centerman in the NHL has a sniper and/or 2 top wingers....yup, we have Sid. God help him!!!🙏

[blutomindpretzel]

I hate the Winter Classic being moved to NYE. So dumb, that was THE event on January 1st. But that's Gary Bettman for ya.

[hockeyfreak]

Glad he's on the powerplay with crosby, malkin isn't doing anything...i mean nothing..

[pittsburghfan]

Putting Puljujarvi on waivers is nearly as dumb a move as protecting Carter over Tanev for the expansion draft

[maczed]

I think in time this trade will be deemed a failure...Guentzel trade. Bunting is at best a third liner with flashes of scoring....he doesn't have a 'mature' game. The prospects won't surmount to much. But Guentzel will continue to put up point per game, and 30-40 goals for the next 5 years...5 years, during the 'soft rebuild' in time for the next 'window'....