Should the Hurricanes sign Bussi long-term?

"Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi has been the talk of the NHL, not because of his performance alone, but how he is performing in his first NHL season. Bussi has come out of nowhere and put up elite numbers for Carolina and could be worthy of some Vezina Trophy votes for the league's best goaltender. Does Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky sign him long-term now or wait until he sees more?"

"Talk about a roller coaster to start your NHL career. Bussi was originally signed as a free agent by the Boston Bruins on March 30, 2022. Shortly after signing, he found himself in need of NHL employment once again. The Florida Panthers signed him to a one-year, two-way contract on July, 1, 2025, and he would play with either the Panthers or their American Hockey League affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. Three short months later he was on his third NHL organization."

"Early in his career, Bussi showed signs that he could have success in the NHL with his solid performance with the Providence Bruins, an affiliate of Boston, of the American Hockey League. In three seasons with Providence, he posted a record of 60-29-9 with a 2.61 goals against average, a .914 save percentage, and was named to the AHL All-Rookie team in 2023."

"Bussi has been tremendous this season. He has stepped in when Carolina needed him most and he is making the most of his opportunity. This season, he is 18-3-1 with a .904 save percentage, a 2.20 goals against average and one shutout. Over his last five games, he is 4-1 and has allowed 10 goals. He ranks second in high danger save percentage (.870) and has a high percentage of quality starts with a 63.6%."

Brandon Bussi rose from undrafted free-agent signings and multiple team changes to emerge as Carolina's starting goaltender. He moved from Boston's organization to the Florida Panthers and was claimed off waivers by the Hurricanes in October 2025. He posted strong AHL numbers with Providence, going 60-29-9 with a 2.61 GAA, .914 save percentage and AHL All-Rookie honors in 2023. In his first NHL season he is 18-3-1 with a .904 save percentage, 2.20 GAA and a shutout. He ranks second in high-danger save percentage (.870) and has a 63.6% quality start rate. The Hurricanes face a decision whether to sign him long-term now or wait for a larger sample.

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