Carolina Hurricanes netminder Pyotr Kochetkov opened up about his roller coaster ride during the 2024-25 season.
In an exclusive interview with Daria Tuboltseva of RG.org, the Russian goalie talked about the wild ride that was this past season.
Kochetkov played a key role in the Hurricanes’ season, appearing in 47 regular-season contests. However, his numbers were largely disappointing compared to previous seasons. He posted a 2.60 GAA and a .898 SV%, all well below his usual career totals.
The reasoning behind the slip in numbers, as Kochetkov noted, was mainly due to a bumpy final month of the season. He expressed:
"Overall, I played okay, except for the last 8–10 games. In the final month, I started letting in three or more goals a game, and that dragged down my numbers. I know what external factors played a role, but I also made mistakes. I’ll take time to reflect, learn, and move forward."
Kochetkov knows that numbers matter in the NHL. He acknowledged that fact by stating:
"Stats matter — in the NHL, they pay you based on numbers. But honestly, I haven’t fully processed the season yet. It was up and down."
The 26-year-old enters the third year of a four-year $8 million contract. His performance this upcoming season will likely determine if the Hurricanes extend him beyond next season. Given that starter Frederik Andersen is 35 and re-signed for one year during the postseason, this season will be especially pivotal for Kochetkov.
While he’s not overly concerned about future contract negotiations, Kochetkov does have his next contract at the forefront of his mind.
"I have a contract, so there’s no point looking back or overthinking. Of course, I’m thinking about my next deal — I have my own expectations. But I don’t obsess. The most important thing is to enjoy hockey, stay healthy, and build your life. Money matters — especially these days with inflation and everything going on — but there are other things that are just as important."
There’s no doubt that Kochetkov is part of the Hurricanes’ plans moving forward. That’s why a good season will be crucial for him and the team.
Pyotr Kochetkov doesn’t mince words about losing to Florida Panthers
The most disappointing aspect of this past season was losing to the Florida Panthers yet again in the postseason. The two teams met in the Eastern Conference Final, where the Panthers steamrolled the Hurricanes in five games after sweeping them in 2023.
While Kochetkov doesn’t feel the Panthers were necessarily a better team, they were better prepared. He declared:
"I don’t want to say they were better or stronger, but they were definitely more prepared for playoff hockey. They had skill, toughness, just strong players overall. Great forecheck. Bobrovsky — everything was working for them. It was hard to respond. Theoretically, we could’ve grabbed a win or two, but everything would’ve had to go our way."
The Hurricanes made big offseason acquisitions, such as landing prized free agent Nikolaj Ehlers. Additionally, the team’s talented core and solid goaltending tandem will be back in the fold. Considering how close the Hurricanes got to the Stanley Cup Final, it’s safe to assume that Rod Brind’Amour’s club will be better prepared.
After all, the likelihood of another Hurricanes-Panthers Conference Final series is as high as it’s ever been.
There are no guarantees, of course. But with Kochetkov’s commitment to being better prepared next season, the Canes could get one or two of those bounces to head their way.