Welcome fantasy managers to another edition of the Eastern Edge. This week we'll take a closer look at Frederik Andersen vs Brandon Bussi and who should start Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final for the Carolina Hurricanes. We'll also touch on Dylan Larkin's trade request out of Detroit as well as a couple breakout candidates heading into the 2026-2027 NHL campaign.

Let's get to it!

Since Shea Theodore's bank shot in double overtime of Game 3, the underlying question when it comes to the Carolina Hurricanes has been who will start Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals between veteran Andersen and rookie netminder Bussi.

Andersen has been phenomenal for the 'Canes throughout their playoff run as the big Dane had amassed a 12-1 record accompanied by a 1.41 goals against and .931 save percentage including 3 shutouts and a 69.2% quality start rate leading up to the Stanley Cup Finals. However, since the Cup Final began, Andersen is sporting a 1-2 record along with a bloated 4.44 goals against and dismal .815 save percentage with no quality starts to speak of.

Bussi on the other hand looked rather sharp after taking over for Andersen at the start of the third period of Game 3 as the late-blooming rookie goaltender stopped 18 of 19 shots he faced while posting a 1.32 goals against and .947 save percentage albeit in limited action.

Let's not forget that Bussi enjoyed a very successful campaign in 2025-2026 as the soon-to-be 28-year-old rookie fashioned a 31-6 record accompanied by a 2.44 goals against and .894 save percentage including two shutouts and a 56.4 quality start rate through 39 games played. He's carried the mail for this group on more than one occasion and looks primed to do so again if called upon.

Now, I'd still be inclined to lean on Andersen here (provided he is 100% healthy) going into Game 4 as the 6'4" 229lbs goaltender has earned the right to battle alongside his teammates after his rough outing in Game 3. However, at first sight of Andersen struggling I would not hesitate to turn to the not-so-young rookie in order to change things up a bit and give the Vegas Golden Knights a different look.

Some big news coming out of Detroit late last weekend as franchise leader and team captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade out of the Motor City. He spent 11 seasons with the Red Wings organization yet only one playoff appearance to speak of during that timeframe. Larkin is clearly frustrated with the team’s direction and things seem to be quite frosty between him and general manager Steve Yzerman to say the least.

It was reported by Helene St. James on Monday that Larkin and his representative have submitted a three-team list to Yzerman in order to facilitate a trade. The three teams are believed to be the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights (surprise, surprise) as the U.S. Olympian is clearly looking to get back to some postseason hockey with the aforementioned destinations all in win-now mode.

As it pertains to fantasy, managers are already licking their chops with anticipation as each landing spot could increase Larkin value substantially. Can you imagine the nightmare of having to match up with Aleksander Barkov on one line and Larkin on another with the potential to have either Sam Reinhart or even Carter Verhaeghe on the flanks? What about Larkin feeding Kirill Kaprizov like a baby for 82 games a year? As a Kaprizov owner myself, I would more than welcome a topflight center into the fold, potentially unlocking the talented Russian's ceiling. Lastly, what would it look like if Larkin was to join a group of talented misfits in Vegas? The thought of the soon-to-be 30-year-old lining up alongside such names as Mitch Marner, Mark Stone, Pavel Dorofeyev, and Tomas Hertl should excite most any fantasy manager.

The best part for any one of these potential landing spots is that they are getting a solid 65- to 70-point player when fully healthy who is at a reasonable rate of 8.7M AAV over the next five seasons with an insatiable appetite for playoff hockey. No matter which way you slice it or dice it, Larkin should increase his point totals next season regardless of the destination.

Zach Benson

The diminutive forward is sure to garner interest from fantasy managers come the fall after a solid 2025-2026 campaign that saw the British Columbia native post 13G, 30A, 43PTS and a +27 in only 65 games played. However, with rumblings of Alex Tuch potentially heading to free agency, Benson could find himself with a sizable opportunity provided coach Lindy Ruff continues to deploy the agitating forward on the Sabers top line.

Benson showed quite well during the 2025-2026 postseason to the tune of 5G, 4A, 9PTS in 13GP for Buffalo, further demonstrating that he is ready to hit the next level. It remains to be seen what the Sabers will attempt to do with their roster this off-season, that being said, Benson has all the makings of a potential 65- to 70-point player with the talent that already surrounds him and will come at a very reasonable cost come draft season.

Emmitt Finnie

The Detroit Red Wings seem to have a keeper in 20-year-old forward Emmitt Finnie as the youngster played in all 82 games for the Winged Wheel this past season to some rather impressive results. Finnie completed his rookie year posting totals of 13G, 17A 30PTS while seeing time on the team’s top line before settling into the organization’s top six for most of the 2025-2026 campaign.

Finnie could be in line for a bigger opportunity with Dylan Larkin asking out of Detroit this past week leaving a sizable hole as it relates to scoring / production amidst the team’s top forward.

There is always the fear of the dreaded sophomore jinx when it comes to a player’s second season, however, if he remains amongst the teams top six, I see a real possibility of Finnie hitting the 50-point plateau as early as next season. It will certainly be a situation to monitor if Larkin gets moved as well as who may be coming to Detroit in return for the Red Wings captain.      

Thanks for reading and feel free to follow me on X @mikeouellet9 or BlueSky @mikeouellet9.bsky.social

(All stats courtesy of: Dobber's Frozen Tools)

See you all again next Tuesday!