After getting an extension with Taylor Hall done last week, rumors started to swirl that Frederik Andersen was next in line to stick around. Kevin Weekes reported on Saturday afternoon that a one-year deal was in the works, keeping Andersen in Raleigh for at least another 12 months. When the announcement came from the team, the final price was $2.75 million for next season.
Since joining the Carolina Hurricanes ahead of the 2021-22 season, Frederik Andersen has been great when healthy. Andersen is third in Hurricanes history in starts (123), wins (82), and save percentage (.915), while sitting second in GAA (2.27) and points (7). He has also been a prolific postseason goalie, passing Arturs Irbe for the second-most wins with his Game 1 win on Tuesday.
The problem, as many are quick to mention, is that Andersen has faced issues staying healthy pre-dating his signing with the Canes. Since joining, he's dealt with a season-ending injury in 2022, a blood-clotting issue in 2023, and knee surgery in 2024, all of which have kept him out for months. He also missed the end of the New Jersey series before returning for Tuesday's series opener.
It's a smart business move for the Hurricanes
With Andersen set to hit the market on July 1st, this move makes plenty of sense when looking at the upcoming goalies who were set to join him. Andersen would've been one of the headliners of the class, along with Jake Allen, Anton Forsberg, and Alexandar Georgiev. It's not exactly the most star-studded class.
It ensures the team starts next season with the same reliable goalie duo of Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov that started this season. Some might roll their eyes at "reliable," but you know what you're getting from them. They're also getting him for less than what he's making this season. Andersen and Kochetkov will cost the team $650k less against the cap in 2025-26 than they did in 2024-25.
As for their third goalie, the Canes have some options. Both Dustin Tokarski and Spencer Martin are pending free agents. The team is in the process of signing Russian goalie Amir Miftakhov, so he could be a viable option as a #3. There are also Ruslan Khazheyev and Yaniv Perets in the system, and Nikita Quapp still awaits in Germany.
What does this mean for Kochetkov?
Andersen's departure would've pushed Pyotr Kochetkov as THE guy in the net. Re-signing Andersen could equal a deviation from that plan. Kochetkov carried the load this season after Andersen went down following knee surgery, playing a career-high 47 games and winning 27 of them. However, his numbers weren't great, and his Game 5 start against New Jersey didn't inspire confidence.
I think decision has less to do with the organization's lack of confidence and more with the way the team has deployed its goalies. Andersen and Kochetkov alternated starts for the final two months of the regular season, preventing one goalie from being overworked. When you have a formula that is proven to work, there's no need to change it. Having two goalies you can count on is the way to go.