The Carolina Hurricanes have extended goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov after Frederik Andersen parted ways in free agency earlier in the off-season.
The Carolina Hurricanes have signed goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov to a two-year contract extension carrying a $3.95 million average annual value.
Kochetkov's new deal will kick in at the start of the 2027-28 season, as he skates in the final year of his four-year, $8-million contract ($2 million AAV) signed in 2022.
"Pyotr is an incredibly talented goalie whose aggressive style fits our team very well," said Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky in a press release. "We believe in his ability to win games for this organization and are thrilled he wants to continue helping us pursue championships in Carolina."
Kochetkov was a member of the Hurricanes' 2025-26 Stanley Cup-winning squad, but he did not play due to injuries. Throughout his NHL career, his biggest deterrent has been his health.
When healthy, Kochetkov has posted decent results, with a career save percentage of .905. But last season, the 27-year-old dressed in just nine games and posted a .899 save percentage.
The two seasons prior, Kochetkov dressed in 47 and 42 games, showing he can handle a tandem workload.
Goaltender Frederik Andersen left for the Edmonton Oilers through free agency earlier in the off-season, leaving the Hurricanes with Kochetkov and Brandon Bussi as their goaltending duo for the upcoming season.
The Hurricanes' tandem has shown, at different points in their careers, that they are capable NHL goaltenders, but expectations continue to grow, and the pressure on their netminders will only mount.
Kochetkov will be tasked with proving he can stay healthy and play 40-50 games while also posting strong numbers.
The 6-foot-3 Russian netminder was a second-round pick (36th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft. The Hurricanes had high expectations when they drafted him, and now he needs to prove he was worth the pick.
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