How Carolina Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi’s life changed with one phone call
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Carolina claims Brandon Bussi off waivers; he abandons Charlotte trip for Raleigh.
- Bussi moves from AHL backup to NHL roster, serving as Andersen’s early-season backup.
- Bussi credits brother and junior career for maturity and readiness for NHL debut.
Brandon Bussi was driving from Florida recently, headed toward Charlotte to join the Checkers of the American Hockey League when he received a career-changing phone call.
The goaltender learned he would not be reporting to the Checkers, the Florida Panthers’ AHL affiliate, after all. Claimed off NHL waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes, he was needed in Raleigh — pronto.
“I was about two hours from Charlotte,” Bussi said in an interview this week. “I had to pull into a gas station to get my bearings on what just happened and how my life is changing.”
Bussi, 27, had been in the Boston Bruins organization, playing three full seasons for the AHL’s Providence Bruins before signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Panthers on July 1, when NHL free agency began.
What was not to like about that? The Panthers have won the past two Stanley Cups and general manager Bill Zito has been making some sage personnel decisions.
But things changed with the NHL season about to begin and final rosters being set. The Panthers put Bussi on waivers Oct. 4 with the purpose of sending him to Charlotte. The next day, the Canes placed goalie Cayden Primeau on waivers while claiming Bussi, aware other NHL teams were likely interested in Primeau.
The next day, the Toronto Maple Leafs claimed Primeau. Bussi’s addition also proved even more necessary when Canes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov was sidelined with what has been called an undisclosed injury.
“Those 48 to 72 hours were crazy,” Bussi said.
Bussi makes NHL debut
Crazier still? Bussi made his first career NHL start Tuesday night against the San Jose Sharks, getting the call to spell the injured Kochetkov.
Bussi was on the Hurricanes’ opening night roster last week, backing up starter Frederik Andersen against New Jersey. He was again the backup in the Canes’ second game against Philadelphia, with Kochetkov still unable to go.
When the Canes left Monday for their six-game road trip, the team had placed Kochetkov on NHL injured reserve, retroactive to Oct. 5, and Bussi was on the plane.
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Monday he hoped Kochetkov could eventually join the team on the trip, but also said Bussi might get a game to help ease the early season strain on Andersen.
“I’m pretty sure we’ll put Brandon in there,” Brind’Amour said Monday. “I don’t know when but we don’t want to over-do Freddie to start the season.”
Bussi was prepared.
“I need to be ready when my name and number is called. My head is in a good place and my game is in a really good place,” he said.
Tuesday morning, he was the first goalie off the ice at morning skate.
Tuesday night, his dream became a reality — and it was a beauty.
Bussi was tested early in the game, three times turning aside grade-A chances from the San Jose attack — the first a tough glove save through traffic, the second a sliding toe save on a partial breakaway to his left, and the third a smothering chest save on a bang-bang cross-ice feed from his left to right.
In all, Bussi made 16 saves on 17 shots as the Canes improved to 3-0 on the season with a 5-1 victory over the young Sharks.
Five different Hurricanes skaters — Sean Walker, William Carrier, Eric Robinson, Shayne Gostisbehere and Jackson Blake — scored goals, and eight more had at least one assist as Carolina blitzed San Jose 43-17 shots on goal.
Who is Brandon Bussi?
By way of introduction, Bussi grew up in Sound Beach, New York, on Long Island. He played hockey and was a catcher in baseball, although also a rarity: he used his right hand to catch, in both sports.
Bussi said a source of inspiration always has been his younger brother, Dylan, who is autistic.
“He’s 24 and he’s awesome,” Bussi said. “He’s nonverbal, he’s on the spectrum with autism. I think I became more mature at a younger age because of him, taking on a little more responsibility to take care of him.
“We have a very unique relationship. He has meant a lot to me in my life.”
Bussi left home to play junior hockey at 18, first for the Amarillo Bulls and then the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL in 2018-19. He drew the recruiting interest of then-Western Michigan coach Andy Murray and spent the next three seasons in Kalamazoo, although the COVID-19 pandemic abbreviated WMU’s 2020-21 season.
“The best three years of my life,” Bussi said.
From there, although undrafted, it was on to the Bruins, where the 6-foot-4, 218-pound goalie got in some preseason action with the big team and was used as a backup, but never got in an NHL game. Playing with Providence, he posted a 60-29-13 record the past three seasons.
“You learn that in the hockey world things are so unpredictable. You never know what’s going to happen or when an opportunity might happen,” Bussi said. “Obviously, when you’re growing up your dream is to play in the NHL and Carolina giving me an opportunity is super exciting. Organization wise, management, coaches, players, everyone is first class. It has been awesome.”
Of note: Legault called up
With uncertainty about the availability of defenseman Jaccob Slavin for the road trip, the Canes recalled defenseman Charles Alexis Legault from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.
Brind’Amour said Monday that Slavin did not feel well after the Canes’ win Saturday over the Flyers and was being slowed by a lower-body injury. Brind’Amour said Slavin did not have any kind of preseason surgery or procedure.
This story was originally published October 14, 2025 at 4:09 PM.
