What a story Brandon Bussi has become, and what a great thing for the Carolina Hurricanes to be the paper on which that story is written. After an incredible start to his NHL career, the 27-year-old has struck a deal to stay in Carolina for years to come. …But how does it stack up to other goaltender contracts across the NHL?
Monday, the Hurricanes signed Bussi to a three-year extension worth $5.7M, with an average annual value of $1.9M, including a 10-team no-trade stipulation for the final year.
Alongside the contract, the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation also donated $10K to the Autism Society of North Carolina. Bussi, an advocate for autism in sports since before his professional career began, has notably worn goalie masks painted as an homage to his younger brother, Dylan, who has non-verbal autism. This season’s mask features puzzle pieces and rainbow butterflies, as well as Dylan’s initials.
Brandon Bussi vs. the World
Considering Bussi’s play, ranking second in high-danger save percentage (.869) and notching a 23-3-1 record this season, $1.9M per year is notably low.
To compare with Ilya Sorokin, the league’s top dog in high-danger save percentage this season – who had similar numbers to Bussi in his early years – signed a three-year contract in September 2021. The annual price tag came at $2M, a slightly higher cost. However, that was before the salary cap increases, which began in the 2022-23 season and took a steep climb in 2024-25. In 2023, the New York Islanders’ star goalie signed an eight-year extension worth $8.25M.
Meanwhile, the current price tags for both of Bussi’s Hurricanes teammates – Pyotr Kochetkov and Frederik Andersen – are $2M and $2.75M annually, respectively.
Other notable comparisons are the San Jose Sharks’ tandem, whom Bussi faced in his NHL debut. Yaroslav Askarov, who signed his first extension in 2024 (before the cap increase), is on a two-year contract that nets an annual value of $2M. Additionally, Alex Nedeljkovic, who also signed a two-year deal in 2024, earns $2.5M per year.
While Bussi’s sample size remains rather small, having only played 27 games in his career, if he continues to manage similar results, it could go down as one of the greatest signings of the decade.
