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Rukkr Original NHL · CAR By The Beat Guy Sep 9, 2026

Bussi Is the Only Goalie on Carolina's Depth Chart. That's a Problem.

Frederik Andersen signed with Edmonton in early July, and the Hurricanes haven't added a goaltender since. Brandon Bussi is the only netminder on the active roster with meaningful playing time logged, and with training camp approaching, there is no established backup behind him — no rank-two option, no one who has played his way into the conversation.

This isn't a new observation. I flagged the succession question when Andersen left, and it hasn't gotten less urgent with time. The front office has been active this offseason — Pierre-Olivier Joseph on the blue line, Stiven Sardarian up front, extensions for several depth pieces — but the crease has been left alone. That's a notable gap on a team already managing two injured forwards and a top six that won't be whole until at least late fall.

My read is that Carolina is betting on either a late signing or an internal option to fill the backup role before the season opens. That's a reasonable gamble for a team with championship infrastructure and a coaching staff that knows how to manage workloads. But it is a gamble. A single injury to Bussi, and the Hurricanes are in genuine trouble with no obvious answer behind him.

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