Much has been said about the state of the Carolina Hurricanes' goalie situation over the years, especially since Frederik Andersen joined the team in 2021. Those voices have only gotten louder over the last few years, and they're practically screaming at their televisions every time Andersen takes the crease for the Canes this season.
Let's call a spade a spade. Andersen's numbers this season aren't good. His record is under .500. His GAA and save percentage are each career worsts. He has never finished a season with a GAA above 3.00, sitting at 3.18 as of Wednesday. Andersen has only stopped 90 percent of his shots in six of his 26 starts. These aren't the numbers of a goalie we should be confident rolling into the playoffs with.
I threw out the idea of getting another goalie around the trade deadline, which didn't happen, though I admit that the odds weren't really in favor of that coming to fruition. This means that the Hurricanes are going down the stretch with Andersen and Brandon Bussi vying to take the first start in the playoffs. With Andersen's recent play, that question might not be easy to answer.
There was hope that Andersen going on a point streak around the Olympic break would be a positive sign. After going nearly two months without a win, he broke the streak against the Ducks in January and went 2-0-3 before heading to Milan. Andersen brought his good performance for Denmark home with him, winning three of his last four.
Now, I wouldn't call a few of them the prettiest wins in the world. He stood on his head in victories over New Jersey and Detroit. He was a bad-luck loser against the Capitals in D.C., stopping 38 shots in an overtime loss. However, most of his appearances feature Andersen allowing three or four goals on fewer than 20 shots.
I'd rather that the Hurricanes win games than the wins be pretty. Their win on Tuesday over Pittsburgh is a good example. They should've won in regulation, but they blew the lead and had to recover to win in a shootout. So long as it's two points in the bank, that's all that matters to me. In the playoffs, it's the team with the most goals that wins the game, no matter how long it takes.
If the season ended today, and it were up to me to decide who starts Game 1, it's a much tougher question than one might think. Based on recent play, Andersen would have the edge. Bussi hasn't looked great since the break. Going back to when Andersen ended his losing streak, Bussi's numbers are only marginally better, albeit in a slightly larger sample size.
Going on their postseason track records, it's an unfair fight. Bussi has never played in the NHL playoffs, while Andersen has been the starter for the last three runs. He was excellent during the team's run to the 2023 conference finals, and his numbers last year weren't bad either. The biggest issue is that he hasn't helped get the team into the Stanley Cup Finals.
If this is Andersen's final season with the Hurricanes, and signing Bussi to an extension makes that a strong possibility, I still think Andersen goes down as one of the best goalies in franchise history. Along with winning the Jennings Trophy in 2022, Andersen is the closest goalie to ever winning a Vezina, and he probably would've been a finalist if not for a late-season injury.
There remains plenty of time in this season to determine who the Game 1 starter will be. I think there are arguments to be made for both netminders right now. It will take a strong finish to the season by either Bussi or Andersen to set themselves apart from the other. In a perfect world, both skate into the playoffs looking like a legitimate #1 goalie. Right now, I think Andersen has the edge.