Hurricanes Extend Pyotr Kochetkov Through the 2028-29 Season

After an electric night in Greensboro, seeing the Carolina Hurricanes storm back from a four-goal deficit to win, they keep making news as we head into the last weekend without regular-season hockey. On Friday morning (Sept. 25), the Hurricanes announced they signed Pyotr Kochetkov to a two-year extension, keeping him in Raleigh through the 2028-29 season.

2 More Years of Pyotr

The annual average value (AAV) of the deal comes out to $3.95 million per season. In total, it’s $7.9 million. Kochetkov is in the final season of his four-year, $8 million deal. His AAV will jump from $2 million a season to almost double. After playing in only nine games last season, he finished with a 6-2-0 record, a 2.33 goals-against average (GAA), and an .899 save percentage (SV%).

The extension breakdown shows that Kochetkov will be paid $2.4 million with a $1.5 million signing bonus in 2027-28 and $3 million with a $1 million signing bonus in 2028-29. Overall, it’s some tidy work for the Hurricanes to lock up another part of their tandem for less than $4 million per season.

Following the announcement of the deal, Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky stated, “Pyotr is an incredibly talented goalie whose aggressive style fits our team very well. We believe in his ability to win games for this organization and are thrilled he wants to continue helping us pursue championships in Carolina.”

In 125 NHL games, all with the Hurricanes, Kochetkov has a record of 71-38-12 with a 2.46 GAA and .905 SV%. During the 2024-25 season, he had a record of 27-16-3 with a 2.60 GAA and .898 SV% in 47 games. He was one of the reasons the Hurricanes kept their playoff streak alive.

A few days before the extension, Hurricanes goaltending coach Paul Schonfelder expressed his belief in Kochetkov. “I do feel he has the ability to be an elite goalie in this league. 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.”

Now that Kochetkov has been extended, the Hurricanes will have him and tandem partner Brandon Bussi signed through the 2028-29 season. Bussi enters the first season of his new three-year deal, paying him $1.9 million annually. This season will see the tandem be paid a combined $3.9 million. For the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons, the combined AAV for the goalie duo will be $5.85 million.

Tulsky, back in June, said that the Hurricanes were “comfortable” with Bussi and Kochetkov as their tandem if that’s how they will enter the 2026-27 season. Bussi finished with a 31-6-2 record with a 2.47 GAA, a .895 SV%, and two shutouts and followed it with a playoff performance of a 3-1-0 record with a 1.60 GAA, a .931 SV%, and one shutout.

Combining Bussi’s 2025-26 season with what Kochetkov has done over the last few seasons in Raleigh, there is a sense of belief that the duo can make a good 1A/1B combo. It also helps that Kochetkov won 50 games in 89 over the last two seasons before the 2025-26 season.

When it comes down to it, the Hurricanes are locked into their tandem of Kochetkov and Bussi for the next three seasons. Could something change between now and the end of the 2028-29 season? Yes, because the NHL is a business. That said, the Hurricanes seem to believe in both goalies to progress their development, skills, etc., and help lead them to another Stanley Cup title. It’ll be interesting to see how both goalies will fare this upcoming season with no more Frederik Andersen in the locker room. Nonetheless, it’s the Bussi and Kochetkov show in the crease in Raleigh for the upcoming 2026-27 season and beyond.