The Carolina Hurricanes have secured the continuity of goaltender Brandon Bussi with a three-year contract extension for $5.7 million, which will keep him on the team until the 2028-29 season. The announcement was made on Monday, marking a new chapter in Bussi’s rise, who has become a key piece for one of the strongest contenders in the Eastern Conference. Bussi is tied for third place in the NHL with 23 wins and second with a goals-against average of 2.16. Before this extension, the player was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
The Hurricanes acquired Bussi in October, coming from the Florida, two-time Stanley Cup champions. At that time, the team had Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov as their main goalies. However, the situation changed drastically. Bussi has established himself as Carolina’s starting goalie, with Andersen showing less effectiveness and Kochetkov out of action due to injury. Bussi made his NHL debut on October 14, achieving his first shutout on November 30 against Calgary. In addition, he tied a franchise record with nine consecutive wins and currently has a record of 23-3-1 with two shutouts. Before this season, Bussi, 27, had played 111 games in the American Hockey League, after his time at Western Michigan University.I believe we have the potential to do very exciting things here in the coming years. When this option came up, it was an easy decision to make.
Brandon Bussi
Bussi’s current contract for this season is $775,000. Andersen has a salary of $2.75 million and will become an unrestricted free agent after the season, while Kochetkov is under contract for another season with a salary of $2 million. The Hurricanes’ charitable foundation also announced a $10,000 donation to the Autism Society of North Carolina in honor of the extension. Bussi’s younger brother, Dylan, has autism, and his goalie mask is a tribute to his brother to raise awareness about autism. Carolina has won at least one playoff series for seven consecutive seasons, including appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019, 2023, and last year. The Hurricanes entered the Olympic break with 78 points and ranked third in points percentage (.684). The Hurricanes had earned points in their last 10 games before the break, winning eight.Before we brought him to Raleigh, Brandon had been successful at every level, from the USHL to college and the AHL. Given the opportunity in the NHL this season, he has proven to be a winner here as well. We are delighted that he will continue to be a consistent presence in goal for this team in the future.
Eric Tulsky, General Manager
It’s hard to get into the league. Sometimes, different opportunities arise in different ways. Mine happened in a way that doesn’t happen to many people. But there are many good hockey players out there and things happen for a reason. That has been my motto, and I am very fortunate that it can happen here for longer.
Brandon Bussi
