The Carolina Hurricanes are heading into the final stretch of preseason with some major business getting done and a few big questions still hanging over the roster.
The headline move came Friday morning, when the team announced a two-year extension for Pyotr Kochetkov. The goalie was scheduled to reach unrestricted free agency after this season, but the new deal keeps him in Raleigh through the 2028-29 campaign. It kicks in for the 2027-28 season and carries a $3.95 million annual salary.
Kochetkov’s 2025-26 season was short on volume but solid when he was in the net. He went 6-2-0 with a 2.33 goals-against average, an .899 save percentage and one shutout. Hip surgery ended his year in the second half, though he was back on the bench for Games 4 through 6 of the Stanley Cup Final as Brandon Bussi’s backup.
After the deal was announced, general manager Eric Tulsky said, “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.”
With Kochetkov locked in, Carolina now has its goalie tandem signed through 2028-29. Kochetkov and Bussi will make a combined $3.9 million this coming season, then $5.85 million in both 2027-28 and 2028-29.
Friday also brought a wave of camp cuts. Tulsky announced the roster has been trimmed to 28 players, with Charlie Cerrato, Viktor Neuchev, Dominik Badinka, Joel Nystrom, Ronan Seeley, Ruslan Khazheyev and Zach Sawchenko all assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.
In addition, Skyler Brind’Amour, Juha Jaaska, Justin Robidas, Aleksi Heimosalmi and Pierre-Olivier Joseph were placed on waivers for the purpose of being reassigned to the Wolves. That leaves the blue line worth watching over the next few days, with two spots still open and Charles Alexis Legault, Mike Reilly and Juuso Valimaki in the mix for opening night.
The Hurricanes also sent Filip Ekberg and Zachary Lansard back to their junior teams. Ekberg is headed to the Ottawa 67s, while Lansard returns to the Regina Pats.
That leaves 25 skaters and three goalies still in camp as Carolina gets ready for its final preseason game on Saturday, Sept. 26.
The team has until Sept. 29 to get from 28 players down to 23 before hosting the Florida Panthers at the Lenovo Center.
One storyline that remains unresolved is Alexander Nikishin. The latest update came on the Friday edition of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, where Elliotte Friedman said Nikishin has been permitted to speak with other teams, though he did not identify which ones. That follows a Sept. 15 report that the Russian defenseman had submitted a “change of scenery” request after the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup win in June.
There had also been possible sign-and-trade talks that didn’t materialize, along with interest from multiple teams. For now, though, Carolina still holds Nikishin’s NHL rights for three more seasons, and he won’t become a UFA until after the 2028-29 season.
The Hurricanes are preparing to open the year without him, and they’re still looking internally to fill the sixth and seventh defense spots. Legault, Reilly and Valimaki are among the names in that competition.
Head coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday night, after the team’s 6-5 comeback win, that there are “big discussions” ahead about the opening night roster. That much is clear. Carolina has real decisions to make, and not much time to make them.
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