Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is expected to miss the rest of the season after opting for surgery on a lower-body injury, coach Rod Brind’Amour announced Monday.
The 26-year-old suffered the injury in the preseason and began the year on injured reserve. He was set to share goaltending duties with Frederik Andersen but has appeared in only nine games this season, posting a 6-2-0 record with an .899 save percentage and 2.33 goals-against average.
Kochetkov was originally scheduled to start against the New York Rangers, but Brind’Amour confirmed he likely won’t play again this season. “He’s decided to have surgery, so he’s probably going to be out for the year,” Brind’Amour said. “He’s been fighting through it all year, but he wants to get it fixed.”
In his fifth NHL season, Kochetkov has shared the crease with Andersen over the past two seasons and has played in 10 career playoff games. Despite the team’s strong record, Carolina ranks 24th in the league in save percentage (.884). Andersen has struggled this season with a 5-8-2 record and .869 save percentage, while Brandon Bussi, 27, has stepped up with a 12-1-1 record and .912 save percentage in 14 games after being claimed off waivers from Florida.
The Hurricanes currently lead the Metro Division and Eastern Conference with a 23-11-3 record (.662 points percentage).
