A year ago, Brandon Bussi had no idea where he would play and if it would even be in the NHL. Last night, he stifled the Vegas Golden Knights and guided the Carolina Hurricanes to a much-anticipated Stanley Cup clinching victory, 3-0. What a difference a year makes!
All NHL teams overlooked Bussi. He was not drafted, despite coming off a stellar campaign with the Western Michigan University Broncos, helping lead them to their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory.
Undrafted players know they have a huge uphill climb to get teams’ attention. Facing stacked odds didn’t faze Bussi, coming from a close-knit family with a younger autistic brother. They helped give him the foundation to work through adversity.
The Boston Bruins signed Bussi in March 2022, and he played in their minor league system for three years. Toiling in Boston’s farm system, Bussi didn’t get a pro opportunity despite quality production.
During the summer of last year, Bussi moved to the Florida Panthers, inking a one-year deal. His work ethic and persistence are what set Bussi apart while aiming to catch a break with the defending Stanley Cup champs. Instead, he caught the eye of the Hurricanes, who claimed Bussi off waivers in October. Not realizing it, his long-awaited opportunity was at hand.
Bussi made Carolina’s Opening Day roster as an injury replacement for Pyotr Kochetkov. Bussi made his NHL debut on October 14, 2025, securing a 5-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. His determination, work ethic, and athleticism quickly made him a Hurricane staple.
Bussi’s performance earned him the starting nod as the season progressed. He impressed, finishing the regular season with a 31-6-2 record with a 2.47 goals against average and .894 save percentage. The excellence earned him a well-deserved three-year, $5.7 million contract to stay in Carolina.
Adversity still found Bussi, and his character and preparation ultimately helped lead the Hurricanes to their much-awaited Stanley Cup title. Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour decided to name Frederik Anderson the number one goalie to start the playoffs.
Carolina has been a beacon of consistency and excellence under Brind’Amour. Since he took over in 2018, the team has made the playoffs every year. This includes four Eastern Conference Finals appearances. The Hurricanes’ run included numerous heartbreaking losses, leading some to wonder whether they could win a championship under Brind’Amour.
Three times, Carolina lost the ECF. In 2019, the Boston Bruins swept the Hurricanes in a series in which they were thoroughly outclassed. In 2023 and 2025, Carolina lost to the Panthers. Both times, the Hurricanes held home ice advantage and seemed on paper to be the superior team.
Coming close numerous times, especially as a favorite, makes it challenging for many to appreciate consistent winning. Many wondered if Brind’Amour’s coaching style could win a Stanley Cup.
Anderson struggled in both series against Florida, especially in 2025. He finished with a lackluster 3.63 GAA and .874 save percentage as Carolina went down in five.
Anderson also had a so-so regular season, going 16-14-5 with a 3.05 GAA and .874 save percentage, outplayed by Bussi. Brind’Amour went with his 36-year-old vet with playoff experience, though over the novice in Bussi.
Anderson proved his coach right, playing lights-out throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs. He went 12-1 with an outstanding 1.41 GAA and .931 save percentage and three shutouts. He keyed the Hurricanes’ run through the Eastern Conference and was the clear team playoff MVP.
The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win due to the grinding physicality marathon. The goalie position is as difficult a one to play as any other, and that gets heightened in the playoffs. Add in a terrible personal loss, such as Anderson’s mentor and agent, Claude Lemieux, passing away last month, and a wall was hit.
Anderson could not be scored upon in the Eastern Conference playoffs. His magnificence ensured Carolina made the Stanley Cup after years of knocking on that door. Something was off with Anderson, though, in the first three contests of the Stanley Cup, and it culminated in a Golden Knights scoring frenzy in the second period of Game Three.
Vegas scored four goals and had two called back. The Stanley Cup, up to that point, featured dramatic comebacks and nonstop scoring in a series many wondered where goals would come from. Anderson’s save percentage fell precipitously to .815, and a move needed to be made in Game Three. The Hurricanes needed something to bring positive energy into a must-win Game Four.
The backup goaltender position is one of the most challenging in sports. One has to be ready to come in at any time, not knowing when that will be, and they may wait for what seems like forever. Add in the knowledge that in the case of Bussi, they likely outplayed the person they are not sitting behind, and it becomes even more so.
Bussi sat throughout the entire Carolina romp through the Eastern Conference for two months. Many would have gotten frustrated and not prepared at their best. Instead, Bussi displayed class and readiness, themes throughout the Hurricanes squad where high character reigns.
Brind’Amour called on Bussi to take over the third period of Game Three, and his shutdown goaltending opened the door for a dramatic Carolina comeback. A four-goal deficit became a tied game after Bussi didn’t allow a goal. A two-overtime thriller ensued, and it took a freak ricochet off his skate for Vegas to win, but Bussi’s excellence in defeat changed the tenor of the series.
Bussi’s fortitude reigned strong, bouncing back from the crushing Game Three loss. Numerous people would have struggled with the ending; instead. Bussi found another level to go to.
Bussi’s steadiness kept the Hurricanes in position to outlast the Golden Knights in a back-and-forth Game Four affair. Captain Jordan Staal’s scoring brilliance put Carolina ahead for good and evened the series.
Bussi’s exceptional play only got stronger as the series progressed. Back home in Raleigh, he held Vegas to two goals and a stellar .920 save percentage. The Hurricanes played their best overall game of the series, and the goalie’s excellence keyed the magnificence.
Last night on the road in Vegas, Bussi saved his best for last, stifling the Golden Knights throughout. Taylor Hall’s first-period game initially seemed like a nice early momentum grabber, but Bussi’s brilliance, teamed with fantastic team defense, made it feel like the game-winner.
Vegas, through the first three games, felt like it could come back from any deficit as it did in Game One. They played with flair and confidence, believing anyone could score whenever needed.
Last night, early into the second period, the Golden Knights maintained an aura of “how do we get goals?” The belief and the energy were gone. Granted, it was a hard-fought series, and Vegas had a few of those early in the playoffs. No doubt the Golden Knights were gassed, but Bussi had much to do with it, too.
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Bussi finished the 3-0 shutout, capping a terrific 1.60 GAA and .931 save percentage in four games. He shifted a series that the Hurricanes were losing and helped them grab firm control of it.
Bussi’s shutout provided an appropriate close to a story that Disney should consider for a movie. An undrafted player gets an unexpected break and rises up to help secure his team’s long-awaited Stanley Cup victory. Bussi’s life has been filled with doubters and tribulations, yet his fortitude helped create a well-deserved, wonderful chapter that forever crowns him as champion.
Carolina’s greatest strength lies in its chemistry, character, and depth. Its coaches and players have been through many challenges and have often been questioned. They have bonded tremendously and enjoy each other. Strength in numbers makes the Hurricanes tough to defeat.
Anderson’s magnificence for Carolina got it all the way to the Stanley Cup. Bussi helped get the Hurricanes over the finish line. Many teams struggle to get one good goaltender; Carolina has two, and they needed both.
Anderson can be a free agent, so it will be interesting to see what happens this offseason. He will forever be a Hurricane legend, whatever occurs.
Bussi’s outstanding Stanley Cup play, coupled with his regular-season excellence, has earned him a vital role next season. Carolina is well-positioned to add more Stanley Cups. It has a well-balanced team filled with terrific veteran leadership and exciting young talent. Canes fans, this is only the beginning!
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