With the Flyers off to their slowest start in more than 10 seasons, some player transactions were inevitable.
One day after signing forward Michael Bunting to a one-year, $1.2-million contract, the Flyers made room on their roster for him by loaning Alex Bump to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday morning.
Bunting is expected to be in uniform when the Flyers visit the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.
For the 22-year-old Bump, it’s been a slow start this season. He had no points in his first three games and was a healthy scratch for Monday night’s 4-1 loss at Tampa Bay.
Bump, a fifth-round pick (133rd overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, made his NHL debut last season and, in 17 regular-season games, produced five goals/nine points with a plus-2.
In six Stanley Cup playoff games, the 6-foot, 195-pound left wing registered two goals/two points.
The Burnsville, Minn. native had been moved around to different lines this season but was not having an impact on games, hence his absence from the Tampa game.
The decision might have come down to either Bump or veteran wing Carl Grundstrom. Grundstrom recently cleared waivers. Bump did not have to clear waivers to go to Allentown.
On Tuesday, coach Rick Tocchet said Bump just needs to get his confidence back.
“I think when he thinks so much, that’s when he gets in trouble,” Tocchet said. “We’ve got to build his game back. Get him in the lineup in the right situations where he can thrive but he also has to be able to do what we’re asking him to do in the right spots.”
Bunting, 31, has played for six NHL teams – Arizona, Toronto, Carolina, Pittsburgh, Nashville and Dallas. He was selected in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft by Arizona.
In the NHL, the Scarborough, Ont. native has 109 goals/252 points in 418 games.
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