A red-hot rookie is getting a nice payday.
On Monday, Carolina Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky announced that the team has signed goaltender Brandon Bussi to a three-year contract extension. The deal, set to kick in next season, carries an AAV of $1.9 million through the 2028-29 season.
ALL ABOARD 🚌
The #Canes have signed goaltender Brandon Bussi to a three-year contract extension.
Details » n.carhur.com/4cDha2e
Along with signing the young netminder, the Hurricanes Foundation is making a $10,000 to the Autism Society of North Carolina. Bussi’s younger brother, Dylan, has autism. Part of Brandon’s mask features a tribute to Dylan to raise awareness.
Tulsky noted that Bussi’s resume was one of the reasons the Hurricanes claimed him off waivers from the Florida Panthers prior to the regular season.
“Before we brought him to Raleigh, Brandon had been successful at every level from the USHL to college to the AHL,” Tulsky said in a release. “Given the opportunity at the NHL level this season, he’s proven to be a winner here too. We are thrilled that he will continue to provide a steady presence in the crease for this team into the future.”
Bussi has had a meteoric rise to stardom with Carolina. With injuries to Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochektov, Bussi received a hefty amount of playing time in late November and early December. He became the first goaltender in NHL history to win 10 of his first 11 games. The Western Michigan University product only followed that up by becoming the fastest goaltender to 20 career wins, achieving the feat in just 24 games.
In 27 games, the 27-year-old has a record of 23-3-1, with a 2.16 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage and two shutouts.
With Bussi’s incredible play, the Hurricanes (36-15-6) have a sizeable lead atop the Metropolitan Division heading into the Olympic break. Carolina sits eight points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins for first in the Metro, tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the most points in the Eastern Conference.
