Carolina Keeps Its Goalie Tandem Together With a Kochetkov Extension

Pyotr Kochetkov was a year from free agency. He isn't anymore. The Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes signed their 27-year-old goalie to a two-year extension on Friday, worth an average of $3.95 million and running through 2028-29.

The money is split between salary and bonuses: $2.4 million plus a $1.5 million signing bonus in the first year, then $3 million plus a $1 million bonus in the second. He makes $2 million this season.

Last year was mostly lost to a lower-body injury. He played nine games and went 6-2 with a 2.33 GAA and .899 save percentage. GM Eric Tulsky said the team believes in him and likes how his aggressive style fits the way Carolina plays.

He'll split the crease with Brandon Bussi, whose story last season was hard to top. Bussi came off waivers, won 31 games, and then shut out Vegas in Game 6 of the Final to give Carolina its second championship.