Securing a two-year extension, the Russian netminder shifts his focus to the ice as he battles to elevate his game with his new tandem partner.
The Carolina Hurricanes announced on Friday that they had signed goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov to a two-year contract extensions, tying him to the organization through the 2028-29 season.
"I very happy," Kochetkov told The Hockey News. "It was long talks about contract and I'm very happy to be done. Now I can focus just only on hockey. I very happy."
According to Kochetkov, contract negotiations began soon after the end of the season and so it was a long process in terms of finding the right term and dollar amount.
"Lots of options," Kochetkov said.
However, he and the team found that sweet spot last week and after shaking hands on the deal, Kochetkov's representation ironed out the remainder of the details, eventually finalizing it all on Thursday.
"Agent call me after game against Nashville and say 'We good,'" Kochetkov recalled.
The Russian netminder is heading into his fifth season as a full-time NHLer, but the first one where he could potentially be the team's number one option.
With the departure of Frederik Andersen in the offseason, Carolina no longer has a proven veteran and so the crease is completely up for grabs between Kochetkov and second-year NHLer Brandon Bussi.
And given what we've seen from him throughout his career, allowing Kochetkov to not stress over playing for a contract may be the best thing for a goaltender that has routinely struggled with the mental side of the game.
However, Kochetkov has been vocal about how he's approaching this season with a different mindset than previous ones.
"After last season, I never think about 'I want this many games,' or stuff like that," Kochetkov said. "I just try and think about practice, recovery and next day. Nothing more because all my career, I looked too far every time. At first, I want to go to the NHL. After that it's I want to be first goalie, I want to play more, blah, blah. When you're older and you see a little bit of a different angle of your life and your game, now I just want to be excited for what I do and play games. That's what I think about."
Kochetkov has been away from NHL hockey for quite a while after undergoing hip surgery back in December, but now with two preseason games under his belt, he feels he's getting closer to his level.
In those two games, Kochetkov saw 61 shots, allowing 10 past him, five in each game.
In talking about his play, the Russian goalie was honest about where he feels his game is at.
"Tough to say," Kochetkov said when asked about how he felt about his game. "I don't want to talk about excuses or anything like that. First game, I feel like it was good. Second game, a little bit feels tough the first half of the game. Just need to find my game. Need a little bit of time to find what I do. I no want talking about [the fact that it's been a] long time no play. It's true. Just now, preseason done and I want play real game and see how is it. I think need a couple games and then all good."
To be fair to him, he hadn't played in an NHL game in over nine months before those showings and the most decorated defender in front of him in those games too had been Mike Reilly.
I thought he showed well the athleticism and anticipation that makes him such a high-ceiling netminder and he had really strong periods of play.
But for him, it's about finding more consistency and not having those lapses in play.
"With PK, I do feel he has the ability to be an elite goalie in this league," said Canes goalie coach Paul Schonfelder to team reporter Walt Ruff. "I see the talent. But with that being said, it is his third or fourth full year here, and now it’s time to take the bull by the horns. He’s going to get his chance to come in, and we have an idea of what he can do, but he’s got to take advantage of the opportunity that he has with it being just him and Bus here and really grab hold of it.”
Kochetkov knows this too.
"I have motivation this season to show who I am."
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