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Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi comes out onto the ice after their victory against the New York Islanders (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

Carolina Hurricanes’ 3 Stars of October 2025

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Zach Martin | Last updated Nov 1, 2025 8:55 AM ET

After a few months, the Carolina Hurricanes’ “3 Stars of the Month” series at The Hockey Writers is officially back. Seth Jarvis took the crown for the most appearances and number one spots during the 2024-25 season. Can he have a repeat performance, or will someone take over the top spot come season’s end? Will there be new faces to make the 3 Stars list as we progress throughout the season? To find out, let’s begin with the October edition.

Third Star: Brandon Bussi

Right out of the gates, there is a new player on the board for the Hurricanes, and he was someone who wasn’t on the team throughout training camp. After being claimed off waivers on Oct. 5, nobody knew where goaltender Brandon Bussi would be with the Hurricanes. He initially signed with the Florida Panthers during the offseason, after spending over four seasons within the Boston Bruins organization. After playing 111 American Hockey League (AHL) games for the Providence Bruins, it seemed that Bussi wanted a change of scenery. He was on his way to Charlotte, NC, to play for the Charlotte Checkers. However, he took a detour to Raleigh.

After news came out that Pyotr Kochetkov would start the season on injured reserve, Bussi was slotted as the backup behind Frederik Andersen. The question was how good he would be at the NHL level after not being given a chance with the Bruins. The result? Bussi claimed his first NHL win in his debut against the San Jose Sharks (Oct. 14), in the team’s first stop on their State Fair road trip. He would follow that up with two more wins, along with his first NHL point on Oct. 30 against the New York Islanders.

After four games, Bussi has a 3-1-0 record with a 2.25 goals-against average (GAA) and a .916 save percentage (SV%). Following the win over the Islanders, defenseman Mike Reilly praised the 27-year-old rookie, “He works his * off. In practice, he competes for every single puck. He’s a great kid, too. It’s good to see him rewarded, and obviously, it’s a great opportunity for him right now. I know we’re all excited for him that he’s doing great.”

Bussi has more than exceeded expectations after being picked up from waivers a few days before the start of the season. He has kept the Hurricanes competitive and held down the crease, giving Andersen rest when needed. Furthermore, he has made it tough for the Hurricanes to decide on what to do with him since they recently activated Kochetkov off injured reserve on Oct. 31. Bussi is waiver eligible, so there is a fear he could be claimed. In this instance, the Hurricanes might have to keep three goalies on the roster. After the start of the season, which Bussi has been on, he’s more than earned his spot to stay in the NHL, and being named the Third Star of October for the Hurricanes.

Second Star: Sebastian Aho

A regular during the first season of the series is back once again, and it’s no surprise that it’s Sebastian Aho. He is on one of the fastest starts to a season in a little while, and the Hurricanes are benefiting from it. He carried a nine-game point streak into the Islanders game, before it was snapped. However, that does not take away from the four goals and 11 points that Aho has tallied to start 2025-26. He leads the team in assists (seven) and is tied for the points lead with linemate Seth Jarvis.

While Aho does not have any game-winning or overtime goals yet, his contribution has been felt by the Hurricanes. He has averaged over 20 minutes of time on ice (TOI) per game and carries a 17.3% shooting percentage (S%). That’s the most he’s had since the 2019-20 season, where he had 18.4%. Aho does have two power-play points, despite not scoring on the man-advantage yet, which will come soon with how hot he’s been as of late. He also carries a plus-1 rating after 10 games.

The chemistry that he has with Jarvis is no surprise to anyone, whether it’s 5-on-5 or on special teams between the power play and penalty kill. Those two combined will be a formidable duo for seasons to come. Furthermore, the chemistry between them and Nikolaj Ehlers continues to grow as each game goes by. While Ehlers hasn’t scored a goal yet, there have been glimpses of him being close.

What has helped is Aho becoming less selfish in not shooting the puck compared to seasons past. He had a 14 S% last season, and is already over 17% in 10 games. If he can at least keep the shooting up, while still being the facilitator, there’s a solid chance Aho could see an 85-90 point season for the Hurricanes. After 10 games, Aho has put himself in a good spot as the Second Star of October.

First Star: Seth Jarvis

Just like for most of the 2024-25 season, Jarvis finds himself at the First Star spot for the Hurricanes. Like his running mate in Aho, he has 11 points on the season; however, he leads the team in most categories to wrap up October. Jarvis is tied in power-play and shorthanded goals (one), while leading in goals (seven), game-winning goals (four), and overtime goals (two). While averaging 19:42 of TOI, he has been scoring at a 20% clip to start the season. It’s already a career high for Jarvis, who is only 10 games into his fifth NHL season.

While Aho had a nine-game point streak, Jarvis had a seven-game streak heading into the Dallas Stars game (Oct. 25). Despite seeing it snapped, he has been the personification of clutch for the Hurricanes this season. He was the first player in NHL history to have four game-winning goals in a team’s first five games of a season. That is some 1-of-1 stuff that even Wayne Gretzky did not manage to accomplish. If the Hurricanes want to reach another level, getting to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006, it’ll be Jarvis as one of the main cogs in the machine. If he and Aho can be the superstars that they are, there’s a good chance the Hurricanes will make it back to the Final in the 20th anniversary season of them winning their first Stanley Cup.

After a 7-3-0 start (14 points) to the 2025-26 season, the Hurricanes have two games in hand over the Metropolitan Division-leading Pittsburgh Penguins, who are four points ahead. If the Hurricanes continue winning games, or at least stay competitive, following the many injuries, they will still be in striking distance of the division lead, with 72 games left in the season. There is a long way to go, but once the Hurricanes become fully healthy, there could be no stopping this team in Rod Brind’Amour’s eighth season as coach. As for the first edition of the 3 Stars of the Month, what a start for Bussi, Aho, and Jarvis, who are already leading the way with their contributions. Who will be part of the November edition?