Hurricanes’ Pyotr Kochetkov expected to make return against Kraken on Tuesday

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday versus the Seattle Kraken, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour told team reporter Walt Ruff.

Kochetkov has been sidelined for the past four games with a concussion. On the season, the 25-year-old Russian-born netminder has made 10 appearances, coming away with a 10-2-0 record alongside a .904 save percentage and 2.42 goals-against average.

Kochetkov debuted with the Hurricanes in 2021-22 before shifting into the starter’s role a year ago when veteran goaltender Frederik Andersen was sidelined for much of the season with a blood clot concern. In all, Kochetkov saw 42 games in 2023-24 in which he posted a 23-13-4 record with a .911 save percentage and 2.33 goals-against average.

This season, Kochetkov has once again assumed the top job duties in Carolina with Andersen sidelined after undergoing knee surgery and not expected to return to the lineup until late January. Kochetkov’s last appearance came November 23 versus the Columbus Blue Jackets that saw him stop 27 shots before being forced to leave the game in overtime due to a suspected concussion.

In Kochetkov’s absence, the Hurricanes turned to journeyman netminder Spencer Martin, who twice found the win column in four-straight starts, coming away with victories over the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers. Earlier this season, the 29-year-old Martin also recorded his first career shutout, coming in a 24-save effort versus the Ottawa Senators.

On Monday, the Hurricanes added to their goaltending depth, signing veteran netminder Dustin Tokarski to a two-way agreement for the balance of the 2024-25 campaign. Prior to signing with the Hurricanes, Tokarski had made five appearances with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves this season in which he went 4-1-0 with a .933 save percentage and 1.61 goals-against average.

Coming off back-to-back losses, the Hurricanes will look to return to the win column when the club faces off against the Kraken on Tuesday. Carolina sits third place in the Metropolitan Division with a 16-7-1 record and 33 points.