Brandon Bussi’s First Game as Hurricanes’ 1A Starter Is a Good Sign

While opening night didn’t go the way the Carolina Hurricanes wanted, netminder Brandon Bussi gave some positives after the first game of the 2026-27 season. Heading into the season, questions emerged about goaltending in Raleigh, especially with Frederik Andersen leaving for the Edmonton Oilers. Even with general manager Eric Tulsky stating the team felt “comfortable” with Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov as their tandem, some questioned the decision. However, Bussi proved that he is the perfect fit as the Hurricanes’ 1A.

Picking Right Up From Last Season’s Form

After finishing the 2025-26 season with a 31-6-2 record, a 2.47 goals-against average (GAA), a .895 save percentage (SV%), and two shutouts, some wondered if he could replicate it. It’s hard to question a netminder who went on to have a 3-1-0 record with a 1.60 GAA, a .931 SV%, and one shutout in four playoff games, ending in a Stanley Cup title.

Bussi went on to save 19 of 20 shots, posting a .950 SV% and a 0.92 GAA to begin the season, both of which are already top five in the NHL. He did not disappoint in his first start of the season as the 1A netminder for head coach Rod Brind’Amour. Through 64 minutes in game one, Bussi showed no signs of rust and helped the Hurricanes stay in the game well into overtime. Despite the loss, they did earn a point to begin their Stanley Cup title defense.

After the game, Bussi gave his perspective on his night: “I felt pretty good tonight. It just stings right now a little bit. I think we deserved a little better. It probably should’ve got to a shootout, but it didn’t. We’ll take the point, and we’ll move forward… I felt pretty good, and I gave up a pretty bad goal. It might’ve hit our d-man or whatever, it took a pretty weird bounce. But it was far enough out that I should’ve had it. For some reason I didn’t get a good visual on it. There’s four seconds left. I’m just trying to get to a shootout. By my standards, it’s a bad goal.”

The Hurricanes will host the Washington Capitals on Friday, Oct. 2, to kick off their October slate. It’s an early Metropolitan Division showdown, as some in the hockey world believe that the Capitals could win the division this season. During morning skate ahead of the Friday night showdown, it seems that Bussi will get the nod for his second start of the season.

It’s the first half of a back-to-back, with the Hurricanes traveling to Philadelphia to take on the Flyers on Saturday night (Oct. 3). If the Hurricanes believe Bussi is their 1A netminder, it makes sense to have him face what is considered the biggest division competitor.

The hope heading into the game is Bussi getting goal support from the team in front of him. While the penalty kill went 7-for-7 against the Florida Panthers, the power play went 0-for-6. While it is only one game into the season, a team never wants to start two games into a new campaign 0-for-9 or 10 with no man-advantage goals. All eyes will be on the skaters to break the ice and help the Hurricanes secure their first win of the 2026-27 season.

The good thing is that with Bussi in the net, the Hurricanes will have a solid chance. However it plays out, Bussi has shown he is capable of being the Hurricanes’ 1A netminder moving forward. With how he showed out on banner-raising night against the Panthers, last season was no fluke, and he was dialed in right from puck drop. That said, can he help the Hurricanes secure their first win on Friday night?