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Cayden Primeau, Montreal Canadiens (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Carolina Hurricanes’ Goalie Depth Entering 2025-26 Season

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Zach Martin | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 2:20 PM ET

The Carolina Hurricanes have six goalies signed to contracts heading into the season. While it is clear who will play in Raleigh in 2025-26, what does the Hurricanes’ depth chart in goal look like overall?

Carolina Hurricanes: Pyotr Kochetkov & Frederik Andersen

Carolina’s tandem will be Pyotr Kochetkov and Frederik Andersen. Kochetkov is entering the third season of his four-year deal and will look to build off last season’s 27-16-3 record, his 2.60 goals-against average (GAA) and .898 save percentage (SV%) in 47 starts. Andersen signed a one-year, $2.75 million deal following the Hurricanes’ second-round win over the Washington Capitals. Andersen finished the 2024-25 season with a 13-8-1 record, a 2.50 GAA, and a .899 SV% in 22 starts.

Andersen also had an 8-5 record with a 2.02 GAA and a .907 SV% in the playoffs, while Kochetkov only played four postseason games, finishing with a 1-1 record, a 3.60 GAA, and a .855 SV%. The biggest question is whether Andersen can stay healthy. He’s missed over 70 games in the last two seasons, while Kochetkov has won 50 games in 89 appearances. If Andersen can remain in the lineup, the Hurricanes could have a tandem that ranks in the NHL’s top 10 and is good enough to guide the Hurricanes to their eighth consecutive playoff berth.

Chicago Wolves: Cayden Primeau & Amir Miftakov (Possibly Ruslan Khazheyev)

This is where it gets interesting. The Hurricanes’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, could carry three netminders this season. With Ruslan Khazheyev returning, the Wolves will also have newcomers Cayden Primeau and Amir Miftakov.

The Hurricanes traded a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens for Primeau, who had a stellar season with the Laval Rocket, and signed him to a one-year, two-way deal following the trade. Primeau finished the 2024-25 season with a 21-2-3 record with a 1.96 GAA and a .927 SV% in 26 games. He will likely be the third goalie on the organization’s depth chart, with 55 NHL games to his credit.

With the departures of Spencer Martin and Dustin Tokarski, it made sense to trade for the son of former Hurricanes captain Keith Primeau, and Cayden can slide right onto the main roster in case of an injury. In the meantime, he will provide stability in net as the Wolves look to make the Calder Cup Playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

The Hurricanes signed Miftakov on July 1 after rumors started circulating that he would join the team on April 30. He signed a one-year, two-way deal after finishing with a 13-11-3 record, a 2.18 GAA, and a .927 SV% in 30 games for Ak Bars Kazan of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

The last time he played in North America was during the 2021-22 season with the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) and the Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL). While he has mostly played in the KHL since 2022-23, Miftakov is a solid fourth goalie who could push for the third spot if he can replicate last season’s stats. While it might take time for him to get reacclimated to the AHL, the work he put in since returning to Russia cannot be overlooked. The Wolves are in good hands with Primeau and Miftakov as their 1A/1B tandem to start the season.

Khazheyev is returning to the Wolves after finishing with a 5-13-0 record, 3.49 GAA, and a .876 SV% in 20 games last season. He also played in one game for the Bloomington Bison of the ECHL, finishing with a 0-1-0 record, 6.65 GAA, and a .800 SV%. He will likely be the third netminder for the Wolves if they carry three goalies to start the season.

However, if the Hurricanes want to give him some ice time, it would not hurt to start him in the ECHL with the newly formed Greensboro Gargoyles. They have no netminders signed, and it would give him a chance to play, along with not being rotated in and out of the AHL lineup. Khazheyev will likely be the fifth goalie on Carolina’s depth chart and third on the Wolves this season.

Elsewhere: Nikita Quapp (Germany – DEL2)

German netminder Nikita Quapp is entering the last season of his two-year deal signed with the Hurricanes. Last season, he played only nine games for Düsseldorfer EG of the DEL, finishing with a 0-5-0 record, a 4.08 GAA, and a .870 SV%. In 2023-24, Quapp split time between Eisbären Berlin of the DEL (1-1-0, 3.62 GAA, and a .818 SV% in two games) and Lausitzer Füchse of DEL2 (11-14-0, 2.63 GAA, and a .920 SV% in 26 games). While his numbers have been up and down, he has reportedly signed a deal with Eispiraten Crimmitschau to remain in DEL2 this season. It is unclear if he will be the starter or share the workload in tandem.

Like Khazheyev, Quapp could benefit from playing in North America after playing most of his career in Germany or Austria. His numbers have fluctuated, and he has not shown a consistent result from season to season. As of now, there are no indications that the Hurricanes are looking to re-sign him when he becomes a restricted free agent this summer, which leaves his arrival in North America up in the air.

Overall, the Hurricanes have replenished their depth in net ahead of the 2025-26 season. By signing Miftakov along with the sign-and-trade for Primeau, they have set themselves up nicely with solid options in the AHL if they need help. Plus, the Wolves have a solid tandem to help them make a playoff push. All in all, Carolina is better off between the pipes this season than last.