Brandon Bussi

Growing up in Sound Beach, New York, Brandon Bussi moved through the junior ladder before college: a 2016-2017 season with the New Jersey Junior Titans (NAHL) followed by a year in the USHL with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in 2018-2019. Those stops led him to Western Michigan University, where he spent three seasons with the Broncos while continuing his studies and honing his goaltending.

At Western Michigan, Bussi played a central role across his collegiate tenure. His most notable collegiate moment came in 2022 when he backstopped the Broncos to their first NCAA tournament victory, making 30 saves in a 2-1 overtime win over Northeastern before Western Michigan was eliminated in the subsequent round by Minnesota. After that season he opted to forgo his senior year and turn professional.

Boston signed him on 30 March 2022 and assigned him to the Providence Bruins in the AHL. Bussi quickly made an impression: as a rookie in 2022-23 he posted a 2.40 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage, earned a spot in the AHL All-Star Classic and was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team. Boston extended him on successive one-year, two-way deals beginning in 2023 and he served as Providence’s primary netminder into the following seasons.

His AHL tenure mixed highs and lows. In 2023-24 he started 41 games and went 23-10-5. The 2024-25 campaign featured a career-high five shutouts but also five outings in which he allowed five or more goals; he lost the regular starting role to Michael DiPietro late in the year. In the playoffs he entered in relief against the Charlotte Checkers, making 31 saves on 33 shots to force a decisive game 5, which Providence ultimately lost.

On 1 July 2025 he signed with Florida but was claimed off waivers by Carolina on 5 October. Named to the Hurricanes’ opening roster, Bussi made his NHL debut on 14 October 2025, a 5-1 win, and recorded his first NHL shutout on 30 November. He broke the record for most wins through a goaltender’s first 25 NHL games by reaching 21 victories on 1 February 2026 and signed a three-year, $5.7 million deal on 16 February. He finished the regular season 31-6-2 (2.47 GAA, .894 SV%) and, after entering the Stanley Cup Final when the starter was injured, delivered key saves, won a start in Game 4 and posted a shutout in Game 6 as Carolina claimed the 2026 Stanley Cup.

Bussi’s profile is built on adaptability and mental growth: from a perfectionist early approach he developed a steadier mindset that allowed him to shoulder heavy workloads and respond when called upon.