Bussi will defend the home goal in Tuesday's Opening Night matchup against the Panthers, per Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site.
Bussi was exceptional for the Hurricanes in the 2025-26 season, which has paved the way for him to earn his first career Opening Night start. The 28-year-old netminder posted a 31-6-2 record, a 2.47 GAA and an .894 save percentage across 39 regular-season outings before he closed the door on Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final, where he had a 3-1-0 record, a 1.60 GAA and a .931 save percentage in four appearances. He'll face off against the Florida Panthers, who added Brady Tkachuk in the offseason, adding to their offensive potential. Bussi is a strong No. 2 goalie option in fantasy hockey to open the 2026-27 season.