There will be one common question around the City of Boston on Monday when it comes to some of the impactful Carolina Hurricanes players after they won their first Stanley Cup in 20 years witha 3-0 shutout of the Vegas Golden Knights, "Why can't we get players like that?"
Well, truth be told, they had players like that.
Carolina captured the Staney Cup on Sunday night behind two former Bruins players, forward Taylor Hall and goalie Brandon Bussi. Hall, who had a tremendous postseason, scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal, whil Bussi was outstanding stopping all 22 shots that went his way, along with some help from the crossbar.
However, a deeper look into Carolina's run shows that Hall and Bussi both turned performances that some players dream of.
Former Bruins players Taylor Hall & Brandon Bussi power Hurricanes to Stanley Cup
This was a playoff run sparked by Hall. His first-period goal was his 11th point on the road in the postseason, which set a few franchise records for the most in one playoff season. What was even more impressive was that he did it in just nine games away from Raleigh, while Cory Stillman needed 11 games in 2006 to record 10 points.
The former first overall pick by the Edmonton Oilers was traded by Boston general manager Don Sweeney to the Chicago Blackhawks in the summer of 2023, along with Nick Foligno. That came after the bruisn historic regular season that ended with a historic playoff elimination.
As for Bussi, this is the one that is going to hurt more. He was just let go by Sweeney last summer in free agency, signing with the Florida Panthers. He was placed on waivers and claimed by the Hurricanes, and the rest, they say, is history. He won 31 games in the regular season before replacing veteran Frederik Andersen in Game 3, and despite losing in overtime, he backboned three straight wins over Vegas to clinch the Cup.
There is no GM better at moving players along or letting them walk, only to have them lift the Stanley Cup somewhere else. The gift that keeps on giving.
