The Carolina Hurricanes have to make a decision. Pyotr Kochetkov was activated from injured reserve at the end of October, but the two goaltenders who started the season on the roster have performed spectacularly. Kochetkov’s inconsistencies have been a talking point for a couple of years, but Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi might have created a goaltending controversy in Carolina.
Kochetkov has been the heir to the Canes’ crease for a couple of seasons but failed to earn it. He posted a .897 save percentage and a 2.60 goals-against average last season. That followed a season when he flashed his talent and upside with a .911 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average.
He’s been knocking on the starter’s door, but has also performed poorly, which has kept Frederik Andersen in the starting role. Now, with the emergence of Brandon Bussi, what happens with Kochetkov?
Steady Frederik Andersen
First, Andersen’s position is not in danger. Despite starting the season with a .894 save percentage, he’s still the one to beat in the crease, because we know what Andersen can do. Since joining the Hurricanes, he has had only one season with a save percentage below .900 – a .899 in 2024-25. He followed that up with a .907 in the playoffs, as one of the team’s top performers. Was he outstanding? No, but it was the best the Hurricanes have seen in the last few seasons.
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His experience and longevity mean the Hurricanes are still likely to turn to him before giving the nod to either of their younger options. Andersen has had only one bad playoff series with the Hurricanes, which was in 2023 against the New York Rangers. Otherwise, he’s been one of the reasons the team has been successful.
In the playoffs, he has a 2.16 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage in 32 games. That’s workable with the team’s defense, and the team will want to save him for the bigger moments later in the season.
Bussi’s Success
When Bussi was claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers on Oct. 5, many thought the move was a safety net in case Cayden Primeau, the goaltender the Hurricanes acquired from the Montreal Canadiens and extended to be the number three this season, was claimed off waivers. As it turned out, the Toronto Maple Leafs snagged him on Oct. 6, so Bussi was brought in to be number three and fill in while Kochetkov was out.
That was until Bussi gave the Hurricanes the best kind of headache. In four games this season, Bussi has a 3-1 record with a .916 save percentage and a 2.25 goals-against average. It’s a small sample size, but the southpaw from Sound Beach, Long Island, has done his job so far.
Spoke with goaltending coach Paul Schonfelder yesterday about Bussi, who looks to be in line to get his first NHL start tonight.
“He was somebody I identified in the summertime. He obviously ended up signing in Florida, but he was somebody who was on my list of people to go…
— Ryan Henkel (@RyanHenkel_) October 14, 2025
Hurricanes goaltending coach Paul Schonfelder wanted to sign the 27-year-old, right-handed netminder and was vocal about it during the preseason, but Bussi opted to join the Florida Panthers after his contract with the Boston Bruins expired. Carolina then took the opportunity to claim him off the waiver wire, and now Bussi is sparking a goaltending debate.
Kochetkov’s Answer
How did Kochetkov respond after starting his first game on Tuesday night? He shut out the New York Rangers in a 3-0 victory, becoming the first Hurricane this season to blank the opposition. He cannot do any better, and he needed it because questions were beginning to swirl about his future. Andersen remained in Carolina for this contest, presumably to rest up.
Pyotr Kochetkov, Carolina Hurricanes (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
It’s unlikely Andersen will be the starter for the next two contests; the Hurricanes host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday and the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. However, he has put his hat in the ring after a dazzling debut against a struggling but still deadly opponent.
Hurricanes’ Will Benefit from Three-Goalie Rotation
Kochetkov’s strong performance has given the Hurricanes three options in net this season. While Andersen has missed significant chunks of time due to knee surgery, a deep-vein thrombosis, which he has thankfully recovered from, and an MCL issue, when he was in the lineup, he yielded fantastic results.
Having both Kochetkov and Bussi can only benefit Carolina. While it could mean long stretches without playing time, Kochetkov is fresh off an injury, Andersen needs rest given his age, and with a goaltender fighting for his place in the NHL in Bussi, they don’t need three nets. Andersen will need days of rest, recovery, and protecting him for the playoffs should be the Hurricanes’ priority. There is a benefit to the debate here.
While Andersen earns his rest, who will the Hurricanes lean on? I think we will see a rotation of both until one begins to falter. A position that some have considered a weakness in Carolina has quickly become one of the team’s strengths, and the Hurricanes cannot go wrong with who they choose to fill in for Andersen. Based on what we’ve seen so far, whether the Hurricanes lean on Kochetkov or Bussi, the crease will be in good hands.
