The Carolina Hurricanes, who won the Stanley Cup earlier this spring, did not retain the services of veteran goaltender Frederik Andersen, who signed a one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
The Hurricanes will be rolling forward with the tandem of Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov, the latter of whom was signed to a two-year contract extension on Friday afternoon.
The news was announced by Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky, who explained the Russian-born goaltender was thrilled to continue his career in Raleigh.
“Pyotr is an incredibly talented goalie whose aggressive style fits our team very well,” said Tulsky via NHL.com. “We believe in his ability to win games for this organization and are thrilled he wants to continue helping us pursue championships in Carolina.”
Article Continues BelowThe new deal will see him get paid $2.4 million with a $1.5 million signing bonus in the 2027-28 season, followed by $3 million with a $1 million signing bonus for 2028-29.
Kochetkov made his NHL debut with Carolina in 2022 and quickly established himself as a capable goaltending option, recording his first NHL shutout later that year. He also won a Calder Cup with the AHL's Chicago Wolves in 2022 and signed a four-year extension with the Hurricanes.
After serving as Carolina's primary backup in 2024-25, Kochetkov missed much of the following season after undergoing surgery. He returned late in the year and served as Carolina's No. 3 goaltender during its 2026 playoff run, winning the Stanley Cup without appearing in a game.
So far in his NHL career, Kochetkov has amassed a 71-38-12 record with a 2.45 goals-against average, a .904 save percentage, and 11 shutouts.