Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour on Brandon Bussi & Eric Robinson

Following the Carolina Hurricanes’ 9 a.m. practice featuring the NHL group, head coach Rod Brind’Amour spoke with the media on a range of topics. During the media availability, The Hockey Writers asked him some questions about Brandon Bussi and Eric Robinson. What did the franchise legend and head coach have to say?

Brandon Bussi Heading Into Season 2

Last season, the Carolina Hurricanes did have Bussi during training camp as he was claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers just days before the start of the 2025-26 season. What transpired after that was a magical run: Bussi finished with a 31-6-2 record, a 2.47 goals-against average (GAA), an .895 save percentage (SV%), and two shutouts. He begins the first season of his three-year, $5.7 million extension he signed back in February.

When asked about what the team hopes for in the netminder heading into his second with the team, Brind’Amour stated, “No different than any player, we just talked about [Jackson] Blake or any younger guy that’s new to the league. You’re constantly looking for them, probably with the most upside, to get better because there’s a lot to learn still. You’re looking for all of the little things for him as a goalie. Whatever the things he needs to get better at, Paulie [Schonfelder] is working with them. Just keep sharpening, and hopefully it shows in the way he plays.”

Schonfelder, the Hurricanes’ goaltending coach, had a busy 2025-26 balancing three goalies; between Bussi, Pyotr Kochetkov, and Frederik Andersen, he had to manage different personalities and play styles. As of now, he will only have to worry about Bussi and Kochetkov, as they seem to be the Hurricanes’ tandem heading into the season.

Regardless of how the deployment goes when it comes to starts, Bussi will take it day by day and be ready when called upon. He looks to prove last season was not a fluke and put himself into some hardware conversations this upcoming season.

Eric Robinson on Top Line Early

At the end of June, the Hurricanes announced that Robinson was going to be out six-to-eight weeks following a lower-body surgery, but that he could be ready by the start of training camp. Fast forward to Thursday morning (Sept. 17), and Robinson was on the ice. Seth Jarvis also had surgery, but was given a four-to-six-month timeline for a return.

That said, one of the question marks entering camp was who will replacing Jarvis in the interim. So far through two days, Robinson has seen some time with Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. While it’s only day two of camp, it’s good to see guys who can move up and down the lineup have the opportunity to play on the top line.

When asked about giving Robinson the opportunity and how his skill set could add something to that line, Brind’Amour stated, “I wouldn’t read into the line, and we know Jarvis can’t take the brunt of the practice. We’re just filling spots. But if Robbie happens to be there, we know what he can do; he can move up and down the lineup. He’s got great speed; he scored a lot of big goals. If that’s what ends up happening, maybe. I’m sure we’ll try a lot of different things if that’s how it shakes out. He has earned the right to kind of get that first look.”

“We’re not even at that point to even be considering kind of game one, of what we’re going to look like,” he concluded.

However it shakes out, it’s good to see Robinson fully healthy and ready to go. In terms of replacing Jarvis, there is a ton of time left for that to be figured out. For now, as the Hurricanes prepare for the upcoming season and their training camp continues, there are a ton of storylines to keep up with.