The Carolina Hurricanes and Pyotr Kochetkov have been a perfect match since the team drafted him in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft. Before coming to North America, Kochetkov played many seasons in the NHL and HK Vityaz had the rights to Kochetkov until recently when they traded those rights to Avangard Omsk for 25-year-old forward, Matvei Zaseda. It is odd timing and something that must be unsettling for General Manager, Eric Tulsky. Does Avangard Omsk know something that the Canes front office does not?
The 25-year-old Russian is currently under contract with the Canes with a $2 million salary cap hit. The final year of this contract is the 2026-27 season at which expectations would have Kochetkov due to earn far more than $2 million. As it stands, Kochetkov could earn far more money in the KHL than his current contract which again is unsettling.
Kochetkov seems to be thriving in North America has flown up the Canes system and is arguably the number one goaltender, even when Frederik Andersen returns from injury. It is important to mention that Andersen does not have a contract past this season. Kochetkov has 14 wins in 21 games and a 2.34 GAA with a .903 save percentage. These are not world-breaking numbers but solid for a player who has just 90 games in the NHL. His career 2.38 GAA and .908 save percentage are right on track for what the Canes expected.
It would be surprising to see Kochetkov leave the NHL and this organization after his recent success but crazier things have happened. Many Russian players have gone back to the KHL, including former Carolina forward, Evgeny Kuznetsov this past summer.
Whether this is just a random move in the KHL remains to be seen, but it may be a wake-up call to the Canes to begin contract extension talks with Kochetkov or he could consider some options that will make him richer more quickly.