After missing the first 11 games of the 2025-26 season, Carolina Hurricanes’ netminder Pyotr Kochetkov has been lights out since returning from injury. Upon his return, he had a 3-0 shutout win in his first game back against the New York Rangers on Nov. 4, and hasn’t slowed down since. That said, is he making the case to be the Hurricanes’ 1A not only for this season, but for seasons after?
Kochetkov Makes Case for 1A
Since returning to the lineup for the Hurricanes, Kochetkov has a 4-0-0 record with a 1.70 goals-against average (GAA) and a .926 save percentage (SV%), along with one shutout (was 9.6 seconds away from a second). While he has only played in five games, starting four of them, he’s been a pleasant addition to the crease once again for Rod Brind’Amour and his staff. After finishing last season with a record of 27-16-3, a 2.60 GAA, and a .898 SV%, this is another case for Kochetkov to become the Hurricanes’ 1A.
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Entering 2025-26, Kochetkov, since 2023-24, has a 51-29-7 record, a .903 SV%, a 2.48 GAA, six shutouts, and three points in 89 games. He did all of that with Frederik Andersen missing over 70 games due to injury over the last two seasons. He set a new career high last season in wins (27) after setting a high the previous season (24).
Following Kochetkov’s shutout win against the Rangers, Brind’Amour stated, “That was the difference. Right off the bat, first period, he had a lot of testy ones. It allowed us to just settle in. After that, I thought we played great. I don’t know how many shots we gave up, maybe nine the rest of the game, and one in the third – that’s really good. But the game goes totally different if they capitalize.”
Pyotr Kochetkov, Carolina Hurricanes (Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images)
Even Jordan Staal gave Kochetkov some praise for his stellar play as of late. Following their 3-1 win over the Bruins on Nov. 17, the captain stated, “Koochie was great. He’s been great for us since he got back. He made some key saves and gave us a great chance to win…”
There were times Kochetkov needed to make saves, but every goalie right now is seeing a rise in scoring across the league. Kochetkov, over the last two seasons and four games this season, has once again shown why he could be the 1A for the Hurricanes in the present and the future. The 26-year-old has been one of the most consistent goalies for the team. Despite the occasional injury, he’s been the most available season in and season out.
Furthermore, Kochetkov is signed with the Hurricanes past this season. He is currently in the third season of his four-year, $8 million contract, paying him $2 million annually. When glancing at free agent goalies next summer, unrestricted (UFA) or restricted (RFA), it makes sense to have Kochetkov be the 1A and find a suitable 1B to be his tandem partner. Daniil Tarasov ($1.050 million, UFA) could be an option if they look towards free agency. Could a trade happen? Maybe. The best possible course of action could be extending Brandon Bussi and Cayden Primeau for next season to have a one through three in the depth chart.
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Either way, Kochetkov has proven he could be the Hurricanes’ 1A after a great start to the season, especially after missing the first 11 games and the preseason due to injury. He’s been a big boost to the crease and has earned more playing time. It’ll be interesting to see how the Hurricanes will manage their starts, with them carrying Kochetkov, Andersen, and Bussi (waiver-eligible) on the roster.
The Hurricanes will face the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night (Nov. 19) in their second game of the four-game road trip. While he played against the Bruins, there’s a chance Kochetkov could play against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday, Nov. 21, or the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 23. It all comes down to whether the Hurricanes will play Bussi in one of the other games to keep him fresh and not let him get rusty. Other than that, expect “The Nyetminder” to be back in the crease again during the road trip.
