NHL Rumors: Predators Receiving Trade Calls On Michael Bunting

Tuesday, February 03, 2026 , , ,
Nashville Predators forward Michael Bunting battles with the puck during 2026 game.

The latest name to watch for the Nashville Predators in the trade market is Michael Bunting. 

Insider Elliotte Friedman said on 32 Thoughts that Nashville is assessing the market for Bunting ahead of the Olympic roster freeze on February 4 and the March 6 trade deadline.

Michael Bunting trade market is real

This is the kind of winger contenders always like to check in on when the calendar flips to deadline mode. Bunting has 12 goals and 30 points this season in 55 games, and he has been moved at the deadline in each of the last two years, so nobody is pretending this would be shocking. 

Friedman also noted the New York Islanders looked into Bunting before pivoting to Ondrej Palat, which is a pretty good indicator that teams see him as a plug-and-play depth scorer who can annoy opponents in a playoff series. 

Since leaving Toronto after the 2023-24 season, Bunting has amassed 50 goals, 123 points, 149 hits, and averaged 15:25 time on ice across 212 games played and three different teams.

Predators deadline plans get even murkier

Bunting is in the final year of his 3-year, $13.5M contract, carrying an AAV of $4.5M.

The complication is the uncertainty around Nashville’s front office, with Barry Trotz expected to step down as general manager, which could freeze bigger swings until a successor is in place. 

Even if the organization slows down on blockbuster ideas, a Bunting move is the type of simple, practical deal that can still happen fast because his profile is easy to sell to playoff teams and the return does not need to be massive to make it worth Nashville’s time. 

Bunting has played 13 total playoff games in his career (all with Toronto), and recorded two goals, five points, 24 hits, and 14:49 average time on ice per game.

Photo Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images 

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