When a team struggles, it’s often easiest to blame the goaltending. However, if a goalie is giving up fewer than three goals a game while putting up solid performances, they cannot be solely to blame. While the Carolina Hurricanes have been an up-and-down team since Nov. 13 when they lost to the Utah HC, the one consistent part of their game has been goaltending, especially Pyotr Kochetkov.
After defeating the New York Rangers on Sunday, Dec. 22, at Madison Square Garden, Kochetkov earned his 14th win of the season and scored two assists. If Carolina had 99 problems, and thankfully, they don’t, Kochetkov is not one.
Pyotr the Great
The 25-year-old Russian netminder has had success in Carolina since stepping on the ice in 2021-22. He’s had success in Raleigh since day one, securing 52 wins in 90 games. For the second season in a row, he has gone from being a tandem goalie to taking the mantle as the starter, after Frederik Andersen had surgery on his knee in October. Andersen is expected to be back by late February or early March.
Related: Hurricanes’ Pyotr Kochetkov Shuts Out Islanders 4-0
In 21 games, Kochetkov has a 14-6-0 record with a 2.43 goals-against average (GAA), a .903 save percentage (SV%), one shutout and three assists. This is roughly the same stat line he’s had the last couple of seasons, with a 2.33 GAA (2023-24) and 2.44 (2022-23). Furthermore, his SV% over the last two seasons has been .909 (2022-23) and .911 (2023-24). He has also finished with four shutouts in each of the last two seasons – he got his first of the season on Dec. 17 versus the New York Islanders. Kochetkov has once again proven that given the bulk of starts, he is the guy for the Hurricanes. While he can be overly aggressive at times, he is not afraid to go to the next level in clutch situations.
Kochetkov is in the second year of a four-year, $8 million deal before he becomes an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after the 2026-27 season. Compared to other NHL netminders, he has proven that in a pinch, the team can rely on him to take the bulk of the load at a very reasonable cost.
Among active goaltenders who have played 10 or more games, Kochetkov is tied for sixth in wins (14) with Adin Hill, Filip Gustavsson, and Kevin Lankinen, all goalies whose teams rank first (Vegas Golden Knights), second (Minnesota Wild), and fourth (Vancouver Canucks) in their respective divisions. The Hurricanes are third in the Metropolitan Divison and are fifth points-wise in the Eastern Conference and ninth in the NHL.
Kochetkov’s GAA is ranked 13th and he ranks 20th in ice time (TOI) among goalies while missing four games this season due to being out in concussion protocol. He’s also tied for 27th in SV% with Ilya Sorokin of the Islanders.
Related: Hurricanes’ Kochetkov Looking to Seize the Starting Role
In the last five games, Kochetkov has faced 23, 21, 32, 22, and 23 shots. The most goals he’s given up in that span is three in a 3-1 loss against the Washington Capitals on Dec. 20. In those five games, he has an SV% of .913, .905, 1.000, .864, and .957.
A Goalie Trade Unlikely
The Hurricanes are ranked 7th in the NHL averaging 2.73 goals allowed per game, while averaging 3.52 goals for, which is 5th. The main problem with the team since the Utah game in November is not goaltending but the inconsistent scoring that has seen them be shut out or only score two goals or less in games they should have won. While it can be easy to blame the goalie, in most instances, especially for the Hurricanes, that’s not the issue.
However, even if the team decided they needed an upgrade in net in Andersen’s absence, trying to acquire a starting goalie midseason is a tough task for any general manager. No team is willing to give up their starter, and even if they did, the Hurricanes only have $1.574 million in cap space as of Dec. 23. Finally, trading for a goalie on a struggling team carries its own risks.
There is also the caveat that Andersen will be back this season. The Hurricanes are better off sticking with Kochetkov and Dustin Tokarski until Andersen is back, and even then Kochetkov will be the 1A of the tandem.
Kochetkov has been solid this season. The issue that needs to be addressed is the inconsistent play in front of the crease. While Kochetkov has given up a few goals he would surely like back, he is not the root of the Hurricanes’ problems.
One More Before the Winter Break
The Hurricanes take on the Nashville Predators (10-17-7) on Monday in their last game before the winter break. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET over on FanDuel Sports South and 99.9 The Fan for the radio portion. Carolina will be looking for win number 22 against the Predators. This is the last game before their winter break and they have abig test when they return with their eventual home-and-home back-to-back against the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 27 and 28. According to Walt Ruff on X, expect Tokarski to get the start against the Predators since Kocherkov started the afternoon before versus the Rangers.
