Over a year ago, if you said you knew who Brandon Bussi was, I would assume you were either a fan of the Boston Bruins and knew everything about their farm system, or you were a liar. Truthfully, when the Carolina Hurricanes claimed him off waivers in the days before finalizing their roster last summer, I knew very little about him. One year later, he has become a household name.
Bussi was stuck behind some impressive goalies in Boston's system, leading him to sign with the Florida Panthers. He didn't make the team out of camp, and he was on his way to North Carolina to join the Charlotte Checkers. Little did he know, his life was about to change forever. He'd be playing in North Carolina, just not where he'd initially expected.
While a rookie in status, Bussi played like a veteran in his first NHL season
Making the roster after Pyotr Kochetkov's injury, Bussi made his NHL debut in the team's third game, stopping 16 shots in a 5-1 victory over the Sharks. With the team's injuries in the net early in the year, Bussi was in and out of the press box as the third goalie for the first 20 games. He played just five times, but he picked up four wins. It wasn't until around Thanksgiving that Bussi really earned his shot.
Bussi couldn't stop winning. It seemed like every game he won broke an NHL record in some way. He set a few team records, too. A shootout win in D.C. in December helped him tie a franchise record with his ninth straight win. I'm still in awe of his performance against Buffalo on MLK Day. By the Olympic break, Bussi sat at 23-3-1 with a 2.16 GAA.
The break brought him back to Earth. He was still winning games, but Bussi's performances were considerably less dominant. Over his final 12 starts, Bussi went 8-3-1 with an .865 save percentage and a 3.16 GAA. He still finished the season with 31 wins, tied for fourth in the league and tied for eighth in franchise history. However, Bussi entered the playoffs as the backup.
Frederik Andersen got the Canes to the Stanley Cup Final, but Bussi's time finally came in Game 3. He jumped off the bench with his team down 4-0 and oversaw a comeback that ultimately fell short in double overtime. Motivated by a brutal loss, Bussi turned the series in Carolina's favor. After wins in Games 4 and 5, Bussi finished the season with a 22-save shutout in Game 6, bringing home the Cup.
Can Bussi prove that he isn't a one-year wonder?
On a team that almost didn't change at all after winning the Stanley Cup, their goaltending remains the only area that raises any concerns. Bussi and Kochetkov represent the least experienced goalie tandem of Rod Brind'Amour's tenure, and while they'll try to keep things as even as possible, Bussi appears to be in line to be the Opening Night starter, making him the 1A.
Last season, Bussi's performance was vaguely reminiscent of Andrew Hammond. Of course, Bussi's team had much more postseason success. It was an incredible story. When the puck drops this season, the page must be turned, and a new story must be written. That's why I think there's so much pressure on him to perform again. The goalie is the most important position on the ice, after all.
Ideally, Bussi ends the season somewhere between 45 and 48 starts. Of course, this is under the assumption that everyone is healthy. Since 2018-19, only two goalies have started more than 45 games, and Kochetkov is one of them. The eyes will be on him to perform. If his play from the second half of last season creeps back in, you can bet that the fans will have something to say about it.
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