Since we have another day to wait for the next game I thought I would share some of what I have been thinking about for the past couple of days. (deep thoughts)
This Bussi experience reminds me somewhat
of a similar situation with Michael Leighton back in 2010, except back then it was the Hurricanes who put the goalie on waivers.
The Canes had traded for Leighton in 2007 providing a 7th round draft pick to Montreal to get him.
Leighton spent most of his career in the AHL and posted good numbers. In 2007-08 he spent most of the season with the Albany River Rats and posted a .931 save percentage. The next season, he worked in Carolina as the backup for Cam Ward. He went 6-7-1, with a .901 SV%.
To start the 2009-10 season, there was a drop off. He started the season 1-4-0 and posted an .848 SV%. The Canes put him on waivers with the hope he would return to the AHL for more work. The Flyers said, “not so fast” and they grabbed him.
Interestingly enough, the Flyers had also fired John Stevens early that season and hired former Carolina coach, Peter Laviolette.
Anyway, Leighton turned his season around and finished with a record of 16-5-2. He had a SV% of .918 and a GAA of 2.48.
Laviolette always seemed to have a knack of when to switch in and out goalies. He successfully moved Leighton in and out of the lineup but after the Flyers fell behind in round two of the playoffs to the Bruins, 3-0, he ended up riding the waiver wire pickup to the Stanley Cup Finals the rest of the postseason, where they eventually lost to the Blackhawks.
This is not a perfect situational match of course, since Bussi has never played in the NHL before, but it is a tale of how waiver wire pickups can be successful, even in goal.
The very next season, Leighton found himself back in the AHL where he spent most of the rest of his career. He was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2025.
Trade activity has picked up in the league and of course the Hurricanes have had their name mentioned.
Supposedly, they made an offer for Quinn Hughes. It would be interesting to know what that offer was. The players are probably interested as well.
Finally, it is sad to see Kevyn Adams get relieved of his duties as GM for Buffalo. Obviously, it was time for a change but Kekalainen would not be my first choice to replace him.
Back in 2005, there was a lockout while the union and the NHL tried to come to an agreement. For those of you who have never had to endure a season with no hockey because of this, it is absolute murder.
On what was supposed to be opening night, a group of fans tailgated in the parking lot to commiserate together. During the “festivities”, Adams drove up, joined in, and had a couple of beers with the fans.
Adams is “good people”.
