Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi takes Stanley Cup to LI arena where it all began for him

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Lord Stanley’s hardware is headed to the island.

Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi has incredibly sentimental plans for his day with the Stanley Cup on Wednesday, as the first Suffolk County native ever to win the prestigious trophy is bringing it to where it all began for him as a little boy — The Rinx ice arena in Hauppauge.

“The Rinx is the first place I ever put my goalie gear on,” Bussi told The Post.

“I was on the ice for a clinic. I wish I could tell you what day of the week it was.”

The 27-year-old who first made the NHL in October — and wowed the hockey world with a title-clinching, 3-0 shutout against the Golden Knights in Game 6 of the final — will have the Cup on public display from 10:15-11:45 a.m.

He’s also being recognized as the inaugural Suffolk sports person of the year by the county’s sports hall of fame at the rink.

“It’ll be cool for me to see the next generation of hockey players because winning the Stanley Cup is their dream too,” Bussi said.

Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi is bringing the Stanley Cup to where it all began for him as a little boy —The Rinx ice arena in Hauppauge, LI.Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi is bringing the Stanley Cup to where it all began for him as a little boy — The Rinx ice arena in Hauppauge, LI. Robert Sabo for New York Post

“Hopefully there will be a few people there who have the opportunity that I have now.”

Bussi, a Sound Beach native, also has special plans for the Cup in the evening.

He will honor the first-ever Long Islander to hoist it, defenseman Rob Scuderi of Syosset in Nassau County, by bringing the Stanley Cup to Bracco’s on the Nautical Mile in Freeport — where Scuderi celebrated after winning with the Penguins in 2009 and the Kings in 2014.

“I thought that was a cool little way of tying the whole day together,” Bussi said, “having the opportunity to bring it back there.”

The retired stay-at-home defenseman was overwhelmed by the gesture of tribute.

“He asked me what I did, and I kind of threw it out there,” said Scuderi, who played at St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington in the mid-1990s.

Mark Jankowski #77 and Brandon Bussi #32 of the Carolina Hurricanes hug after winning in Game Six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 at T-Mobile Arena on June 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.Mark Jankowski and Brandon Bussi of the Carolina Hurricanes hug after winning in Game 6 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 at T-Mobile Arena on June 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images

“It was incredibly generous to him to think of me at a time when really it’s easy to be a little bit selfish … that shows a lot from him,” Scuderi said.

Scuderi, now an assistant with the Predators, originally chose the waterside watering hole in 2009 because the stretch of restaurants and bars along the mile held a special place in his heart as he was raised on the island.

“I think it’s very important to share that cup with the community that you grew up in,” added Scuderi.

Bussi and the Cup will be at the seafood lover’s paradise from 6-9 p.m. — and the champ is ready to party before the preseason.

“I can’t let it all out, right? There’s got to be a little bit of excitement for the day,” he said. “But I’m sure there’ll be certain foods or drinks that end up in the cup.”

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