Five Carolina Hurricanes Prospects You Should Watch Closely
By Alex Ohari
Pyotr Kochetkov
If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve probably noticed that I’m a big fan of Kochetkov – I feel like I mention him in almost every article. His upside is just very exciting, especially as he’s holding down his place in the KHL now.
It’s been a rather unorthodox year, per se, for a prospect in his first year of development in a pro organization. Factoring in the fact that he was traded mid-season, Kochetkov has appeared in just 17 total games this year, but has done it with 4 different clubs.
He’s made appearances in 3 separate leagues as well – the KHL, the VHL (which is Russia’s AHL) and the MHL (Russian juniors). He’s been relatively successful everywhere he’s played and, now with Vityaz Podolsk of the KHL, has put up a very respectable .922 save percentage in his 7 games for the team.
As history serves, the developmental path for goaltenders is far from an exact science, so exactly how long it’ll take Kochetkov to progress to a point where he’s NHL ready is anyone’s guess. He’s got a very desirable skill set however, which the Canes were obviously intrigued enough with to use their 36th overall pick in the 2019 draft on him.
Fortunately for the Canes, Kochetkov, who went undrafted twice before being selected this year, is 20 years old and therefore 2 years further along in his development. He was originally a 2017 draft prospect, but the Canes opted to pick Eetu Makiniemi that year instead.
The tape on Kochetkov is promising. He’s got ideal size for an NHL netminder, and his quickness and lateral ability are very evident when you watch him. He’s extremely flexible, and with his quick reaction time he’s got a rare ability of making desperation saves look routine. He’s also very aggressive, which can be detrimental at times, but that’s where his quickness comes in handy as he can recover quickly.
Moving forward, Kochetkov will likely remain in Russia next year, hopefully seeing more and more time in the KHL. The KHL is the top league in the world besides the NHL, so his progression is in good hands over there. His contract in Russia will expire in the summer of 2021, and I’d like to imagine he’d sign his entry-level deal with the Hurricanes that summer and come over to play in NC.
In terms of his career outlook, Kochetkov is right among the top-tier of goaltending prospects league wide. He has legitimate starting potential with elite upside, and has a real chance to be the franchise goaltender the team has been coveting for an eternity. Regardless, he’s on track to be a big part of Carolina’s crease one day, and that day might not be so far down the road.