NHL EDGE stats behind Hurricanes’ adjustments in 2026 Stanley Cup Final

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we break down key advanced stats behind the Carolina Hurricanes’ key adjustments during the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.

Watch Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Hurricanes and Golden Knights on Thursday, June 11 (8 p.m. ET; ABC, SN, TVAS, CBC). The best-of-7 series is tied 2-2.

1. Bussi’s high-danger save percentage

The goalie switch from Frederik Andersen to Brandon Bussi has provided the Hurricanes with a mid-series spark. Bussi stopped 18 of 19 shots faced during Carolina’s Game 3 loss in double overtime. Then, Bussi won his first career playoff start in Game 4, stopping 18 of 21 shots faced (including six of seven from high-danger zones). Coach Rod Brind’Amour’s decision to make Andersen, who is 13-2 in 16 games this postseason, a healthy scratch (Bussi’s backup for Game 4 was Pyotr Kochetkov) was a major adjustment for a high-pressure game that ultimately led to a positive result.

Bussi became the third goalie in the expansion era (since 1968) to make his first career playoff start in the Stanley Cup Final. The others are Andrei Vasilevskiy (2015) and Jussi Markkanen (2006). Bussi became the third goalie in NHL history to make his first career playoff start in a Stanley Cup Final and win. The others are Hank Bassen (1961 with Detroit Red Wings) and Alfie Moore (1938 with Chicago Black Hawks).

Although it’s a small sample size, Bussi (two games played) is tied with Arturs Silovs (three games played) of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the NHL postseason lead in high-danger save percentage (.909 each). Bussi has also excelled in 5-on-5 close save percentage (.952; when game is tied in first or second period or within one goal in third period), ranking third in that category) behind Silovs (.977) and Scott Wedgewood of the Colorado Avalanche (.961).

2. Staal’s versatility

Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal, who’s a past Stanley Cup champion (with Penguins in 2009), has scored at least one goal in each of the four games of the Stanley Cup Final (five total) while taking on an expanded role in different situations. Staal’s versatility has allowed him to fit in seamlessly on a new line with Seth Jarvis and Nikolaj Ehlers and also be a difference-maker on the first man-advantage unit; he leads the Cup Final with two power-play goals and is tied with Vegas forward Mitch Marner for the most shots on goal (14) in the series.

Staal, who’s 37 years old and has been a versatile third-liner for much of his 14 seasons with Carolina, is dominating face-offs in this series (67.9 percent; leads Cup Final) and has been an advanced stats standout all postseason. Both of his goals in Game 4 were high-danger goals, six of his seven goals this postseason have come from high-danger zones (including four of his five Cup Final goals) and he leads the series in high-danger shots on goal (10; five more than any other player). Staal is also matched up against elite Vegas center Jack Eichel and has helped hold him without a goal through four Cup Final games.

Staal (37 years, 272 days) became the third-oldest player to record a multigoal game in the Stanley Cup Final, following Mark Recchi (43 years, 125 days in 2011) and Igor Larionov (41 years, 187 days in 2002). He is also the first player since Mario Lemieux (with Pittsburgh in 1992) to score five goals in the first four games of a Stanley Cup Final and the first captain in NHL history to score a goal in each of the first four games of a Stanley Cup Final series. Staal ranks in the 80th percentile among forwards in nearly every major EDGE category:

• Hardest shot: 88.57 mph (85th percentile)
• Max skating speed: 22.84 mph (88th percentile)
• 20-plus mph speed bursts: 23 (80th percentile)
• Total skating distance: 49.03 miles (94th percentile)
• Most miles skated in single game: 4.66 (95th percentile)
• High-danger goals: 6 (97th percentile; tied for second behind Brett Howden's eight)
• High-danger shots on goal: 16 (94th percentile)
• Midrange shots on goal: 11 (89th percentile)
• Offensive zone time percentage: 46.9 (88th percentile)
• Even-strength offensive zone time: 47.5 (98th percentile)

3. Goals on offensive zone plays

Carolina has scored power-play goals in three of its four games during the Cup Final (including three straight) and is 4-for-11 with the man-advantage in the series. Three of the Hurricanes’ four power-play goals this series have either given them the lead or tied the game. The Hurricanes’ special teams has helped them contain the Golden Knights’ star players, holding them to 1-for-12 on the power play through the first four games.

Per NHL EDGE IQ, each of Carolina’s four goals against a goalie in Game 4 came after the puck crossed the meridian (middle of ice in offensive zone). Shot attempts that cross the meridian will most likely have a higher “Projected Goal Rate” (PGR) and Actual Goal Rate (AGR) than a shot from a similar location that did not come after a cross-ice pass. The Hurricanes lead the NHL in offensive zone time percentage this postseason (46.0) and have six of the top 10 players in that category, led by defenseman Alexander Nikishin (52.1; first).

Eight of Carolina’s top 11 shot attempts during Game 4 in terms of PGR came on offensive zone plays. The Hurricanes’ average PGR on offensive zone plays was 9.36 percent in Game 4 (compared to 4.61 in Games 1-3), indicating they had an uptick in high-quality shot attempts, helping them even the series. Carolina forward Logan Stankoven, who leads the Hurricanes with 11 playoff goals (second in NHL behind Howden’s 14), is tied with Vegas forward Pavel Dorofeyev in goals scored on offensive zone plays this postseason (nine each), while Staal (seven) ranks third in that category.