RALEIGH, N.C. — Pyotr Kochetkov has turned a difficult year on the injury list into a spotless start for the Stanley Cup champions. The Carolina Hurricanes goaltender is 7-0-0 heading into Tuesday’s home date with the Boston Bruins at Lenovo Center, where puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
After appearing in only nine games last season because of a lower-body issue, Kochetkov said simply being available has changed his outlook. A rough outing no longer carries the same weight when he remembers how frustrating it was to watch from outside the lineup.
Quick facts
- Kochetkov is 7-0-0 with a 1.70 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.
- He posted a 24-save shutout in Carolina’s 4-0 win at St. Louis on Saturday.
- The shutout was his first this season and the 12th of his NHL career.
- Carolina hosts Boston on Tuesday at Lenovo Center, 8 p.m. ET, with ESPN and SN360 carrying the game.
- Kochetkov and Brandon Bussi form the Hurricanes’ current goaltending tandem.
The 27-year-old has started all seven of his games this season and has given Carolina exactly what it needed after last year’s health issues. He said he has altered his preparation, routine and, most importantly, his mental approach.
“I changed a lot this season,” Kochetkov said, describing the adjustment as more internal than physical. His focus is now on hockey and on being ready to play rather than dwelling on factors beyond the next save.
Defenseman Jalen Chatfield has seen that commitment for years, dating to their time together with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. Chatfield called Kochetkov a tireless worker and pointed to the work he has put into conditioning and recovery after the injury.
“It’s hard to come back after missing that many games,” Chatfield said. “The way he has responded so far, he deserves credit for the work he put in.”
Kochetkov was Carolina’s second-round pick, No. 36 overall, in the 2019 NHL Draft. Before the injury interrupted his momentum, he went 27-16-3 in 47 starts during 2024-25, posting a 2.60 goals-against average, a .898 save percentage and two shutouts.
He also appeared in four playoff games that spring, making two starts and going 1-1 with a 3.60 goals-against average and .855 save percentage. Last season, he finished 6-2-0 in nine games, including eight starts, with a 2.33 goals-against average, a .899 save percentage and one shutout.
The trouble began when a hip problem that had lingered flared up before last season. Kochetkov missed the opening month, then made his debut Nov. 4 by stopping all 26 shots in a 3-0 victory against the New York Rangers.
The injury did not fully settle, and surgery eventually became necessary. Carolina ruled him out for the rest of the season on Dec. 29, creating the opening for Bussi to take on a larger role in net.
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said a player who is not fully healthy can begin compensating and lose the freedom needed to play naturally. With Kochetkov feeling right again, Brind’Amour sees the results in his game.
Kochetkov returned to practice before the 2026 playoffs and dressed as Bussi’s backup for the final three games of the Stanley Cup Final after Frederik Andersen suffered a knee injury in Game 3. Carolina beat the Vegas Golden Knights in six games, claiming its first Cup since 2006.
Andersen then signed a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers on July 1, leaving Kochetkov and Bussi to handle Carolina’s crease. Forward Nikolaj Ehlers said the club has complete faith in both netminders after Bussi’s strong championship season and Kochetkov’s rebound.
Kochetkov is completing the fourth year of the four-year, $8 million contract he signed Nov. 23, 2022. A two-year extension worth $7.9 million, carrying a $3.95 million average annual value, begins next season.
He also credits Andersen, his teammate for the previous three seasons, with helping him develop a steadier mindset. Kochetkov said Andersen’s ability to return from injuries without losing his level offered an important example.
That perspective has changed how Kochetkov handles a heavy schedule. Rather than putting all his energy into one start, he is thinking about staying physically and mentally ready across a full month of games — beginning with a chance to move to 8-0-0 against Boston on Tuesday.
