“I didn’t let anybody tell me no”: Hurricanes’ Bussi on unlikely road to Stanley Cup
When NHL training camp opened up in September, Brandon Bussi was a member of the Florida Panthers.
And if anyone told him at the time that he’d be a Stanley Cup champion this year, it wouldn’t have been the craziest thing, given the Panthers won the past two Cups. But Florida missed the – while Bussi, claimed on waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 5, 2025, would go on to pull off a storybook Stanley Cup championship.
Bussi only played three games during the Stanley Cup playoffs. But with a 3-0 shutout on Sunday to win the championship, Bussi managed to pull off the unthinkable.
“It’s been a special year,” Bussi told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan just minutes after hoisting the Stanley Cup. “It’s been an honor to do it with this group. Everybody deserves it so much. Everybody who works in the organization behind the scenes deserves it so much. It’s a special day to celebrate all of us as a group, family, and loved ones in town also.”
Bussi was an undrafted free agent signing by the in 2021 after three years at Western Michigan University. Bussi was a standout AHLer for three years, but never once suited up for the Bruins. The club elected to let him go via free agency last summer, which opened the door for Bussi to chase his dream in Carolina – eventually.
“I love what I do for a living,” Bussi said. “Obviously now, there’s a little more headlines and stories, But I do it for moments like this. It’s special. You never know if it’s going to happen. You just work hard and put your head down, and good things will happen once in a while.”
Bussi was part of a three-headed goaltending group that included Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov. Bussi was named as the team’s Most Valuable Player prior to the end of the regular season, but ultimately lost the starter gig to Andersen heading into the playoffs. Bussi came into Game and finished out the series, with the 27-year-old making the most of his opportunity.
“Never give up. Always have fun. Keep your head down,” Bussi said about the story he wants told about his run. “They’re all kind of clichés, but it’s true, right? I didn’t let anybody tell me no. If there was some adversity, I took it head-on and tried to figure it out and get better from it.”
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