Mike Sullivan compares Michael Bunting to beloved former Penguin.
Mike Sullivan had some high praise for the newest member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Pittsburgh Penguins newest forward may quickly be winning over his new head coach thanks to a playing style that, according to Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan, closely resembles that of one of Sullivan's long time former players.
Bunting already has a hard-working style that is likely to appeal to blue collar fans in the Steel City, a style that Sullivan compared to that of another former beloved Penguin after a big win on Sunday over the Detroit Red Wings.
"He has a semblance of Patric Hornqvist, just his ability to get to the blue paint, make the goalie’s life difficult," said Sullivan of Bunting. "He gets a lot of those goals that are blue paint goals, a foot from the net."
Bunting picked up a point in a losing effort against the New York Rangers on Saturday and followed that up by scoring one of the greasy type of goals that Sullivan described in that area in front of the net.
It is an aggressive net-front style of play that made Hornqvist a fan favorite in the city of Pittsburgh during his time with the Penguins, a style that Sullivan believes Bunting brings to the table. It's also worth noting that Sullivan is paying Bunting a fairly big compliment here by comparing him to a player that the Penguins bench boss has routinely relied upon in the past.
"Bunts is a guy that's a little bit like Horny was back in the day where those guys, they thrive and they go there an awful lot. So, certainly, that's going to help our team."
