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Frederik Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes tends goal against Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals during the first period in Game Three of the Second Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Hurricanes’ Goaltending Tandem All Set for 2025-26

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Zach Martin | Last updated Jun 15, 2025 10:05 AM ET

As of Sunday, June 15, we’re officially 15 days from Day 1 of the 2025 Free Agency/Re-Sign Phase for the NHL as teams look to bolster their lineups for the 2025-26 season. The cap is increasing to $95.5 million, up from $88 million in 2024-25, meaning teams will have more room to load up, whether through free-agent signings, offer sheets, or trades. Regarding the Carolina Hurricanes, they will have $28.4 million in cap space to make some significant moves, taking an Eastern Conference Final team, and making them even better in what will be viewed as an aggressive offseason.

While there are some question marks surrounding them, looking at a top-six forward or even another top-end defenseman, there is one position they will not have to worry about: goaltending.

Locked in on Pyotr the Great and The Great Dane

The Hurricanes, going into the 2025-26 season, already have their goaltender tandem set with Pyotr Kochetkov and Frederik Andersen. Back on May 3, the Hurricanes announced their extension to keep Andersen in Raleigh for 2025-26, all but solidifying that they will run it back with the duo for another season. It’s a one-year, $2.75 million average annual value (AAV) deal, making Andersen an unrestricted free agent (UFA) in July 2026. The deal includes some performance bonuses, which state he will receive $250,000 if he plays 35-plus games, $250,000 for 40-plus games, and $250,000 if the Hurricanes reach the Eastern Conference Final with him playing at least half of the club’s playoff games.

After the 2025 NHL Playoffs, Andersen had an 8-5 record with a 2.02 goals-against average (GAA) and a .907 save percentage (SV%). Following his Round 2 performance, it made sense why they extended Andersen because of what he can bring to the Hurricanes when he is healthy. He missed 30-plus games due to knee surgery; however, when he is in the crease, he is one of the top 15 goalies in the NHL. During the 2024-25 season, Andersen had a 13-8-1 record with a 2.50 GAA and a .899 SV% in 22 starts. Andersen has an 82-35-5 record, 2.27 GAA, .915 SV%, and nine shutouts in 124 games over four seasons in Carolina.

The reason to sign Andersen to an extension? Outside of knowing what the Hurricanes already have with him, there are not many UFA goalies on the market this upcoming season. As of now, there are only 12 netminders who will be available, and the Hurricanes believe that none of them are better than Andersen. They feel like it’ll be easier to keep Andersen, run it back for another season with him, and Kochetkov, and then see what comes of the goalie market in July 2026. Better to have the tandem locked up now instead of scrambling around for a couple of months before the start of next season.

That said, after the season Kochetkov had, it feels good for the Hurricanes to know that they can rely on the Danish and Russian netminder to take care of the crease in 2025-26. In 47 starts, Kochetkov had a record of 27-16-3 with a 2.60 GAA and a .898 SV%. He set a new career high in wins after setting his previous record the season before with 24. While the GAA and SV% aren’t eye-popping, Kochetkov for the second consecutive season did the yeoman’s work for the Hurricanes, having most of the starts out of five other netminders. In playing in 89 games over the last two seasons, he has a 50-29-7 record, six shutouts, and three points. While Andersen has been out for over 70 games, Kochetkov has helped the Hurricanes make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Kochetkov still has two years left in his four-year, $8 million deal.

If Andersen can stay healthy and Kochetkov can regain his form from most of the 2024-25 season, this could be one of the best tandems in the NHL. Kochetkov only played in four games in the postseason, putting up a 1-1 record with a 3.60 GAA and a .855 SV%, but his Game 4 heroics in Round 1 against the New Jersey Devils helped the team take a 3-1 series lead at the time before winning Game 5 to advance to Round 2. Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final was going well for him, only giving up one goal through two periods, before the game got away from the team in the loss. However, for the most part, Kochetkov has what it takes to become the number-one netminder for the Hurricanes with more work with goalie coach Paul Schonfelder.

Could there be a change during the regular season or even this upcoming offseason? Maybe, but not likely. The Hurricanes know what they have with Kochetkov and Andersen. They know that they are going to ask Kochetkov to find that next level to see if he can fully take the keys as the number-one netminder. Regarding Andersen, they hope he stays healthy for the first time in a bit and brings stability to the tandem in the net. There will more than likely be a UFA signing of a third netminder to have him stashed in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Chicago Wolves in case of injury. Two possible goalies to look at are Michael DiPietro, who split time for the Providence Bruins in the AHL and the Boston Bruins, and Alex Lyon, who split time between the Detroit Red Wings and the Grand Rapids Griffins. Either would be a solid third option for depth when it comes to a netminder with NHL experience, in case Andersen or Kochetkov have an injury.

Outside of that, don’t expect the Hurricanes to change their 1A/1B tandem of Andersen and Kochetkov.

Huge Offseason Incoming for Hurricanes

While the Hurricanes know that their goaltending is locked up for 2025-26, there are still lots of ways to load up this upcoming offseason. They will look to add two more guys to the top six, possibly a top-end defenseman, and depth with a 13th forward and a seventh defenseman. General manager Eric Tulsky has a ton of ways to let this offseason play out, but it will be an exciting one with $28.4 million in cap and 21 draft picks to use in trades from the next three drafts. Expect an aggressive offseason for the Hurricanes as they look to load up for 2025-26.