The Carolina Hurricanes have locked up Pyotr Kochetkov on a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $3.95 million, the team announced Friday.
The deal is structured with a $2.4 million salary and a $1.5 million signing bonus in 2027-28, followed by a $3 million salary and a $1 million bonus in 2028-29, according to a news release from the club.
“Pyotr is an incredibly talented goalie whose aggressive style fits our team very well,” Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky said. “We believe in his ability to win games for this organization and are thrilled he wants to continue helping us pursue championships in Carolina.”
Kochetkov, 27, was limited by injury for most of the 2025-26 season, but still went 6-2-0 with a .899 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average in nine appearances for Carolina.
The 2019 second-round pick has now built a five-season pro resume in North America that includes a 71-38-12 record, a .905 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average in 125 NHL regular-season games. He has also appeared in 15 Stanley Cup Playoff games, going 2-5 with an .860 save percentage and a 3.83 goals-against average.
Kochetkov’s North American career also includes 47 AHL regular-season games over four seasons, where he has gone 34-7-5 with a .912 save percentage and a 2.34 goals-against average. He was part of the Chicago Wolves’ Calder Cup championship team in 2022, posting a 5-1 record with a .950 save percentage and a 1.65 goals-against average in six appearances that spring.
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What makes this especially delicate for Carolina is the level of interest it appears to be drawing and the price attached to it. The Hurricanes are not treating Nikishin like a movable depth piece, which helps explain why the talks have been so slow to move anywhere meaningful. With a pending trade request still in place and no resolution yet on the contract side, this has turned into the kind of standoff that can linger until one side finally gets close enough to its number to blink. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Trade Twist Could Still Open The Door To A Bigger Upgrade
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Montreal is among the teams being linked to pre-opener trade possibilities, with Columbus forward Kirill Marchenko mentioned as a target, while Edmonton is also canvassing the market for a right-shot center and has been connected to Kirby Dach and Shane Wright. For Carolina, the bigger question is whether the Nikishin talks were a one-off detour or a sign the Hurricanes are still circling a larger swing that could reshape their blue line if the right opportunity surfaces. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Just Reopened A Frustrating Bradly Nadeau Debate
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What makes the decision harder to ignore is the timing. Carolina had an opening on the NHL side because of Seth Jarvis offseason shoulder surgery, yet the team still chose to start Nadeau in the minors. For a prospect who has already flashed scoring ability at both levels, the assignment raises the same issue all over again: whether the Hurricanes are maximizing his growth by keeping him in Chicago, or leaving a ready-looking winger waiting for another chance. [Read more 🡒]