Pyotr Kochetkov back with Canes on emergency recall

The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that netminder Pyotr Kochetkov was recalled to the team on an emergency basis.

This more than likely means that the injury concerns surrounding goaltender Antti Raanta are more serious than possibly thought after he was held out of the last two periods on Tuesday night against the Montreal Canadiens for what Rod Brind’Amour called “precautionary reasons.”

Kochetkov has an 11-3-1 record since being reassigned to Chicago in January with a 0.918 save percentage and 2.39 goals against average.

The Russian will also add some grit and goal scoring to the lineup.

The press release from the team follows:

‘CANES RECALL KOCHETKOV ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS

Goaltender is 10-4-5 with three shutouts in 19 NHL appearances this season

RALEIGH, N.C. – Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has recalled goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov from the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) on an emergency basis.

Kochetkov, 23, has earned a 10-4-5 record, 2.33 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in 19 NHL games with Carolina in 2022-23 and has posted a 13-4-5 record in 22 appearances with the Hurricanes since making his NHL debut last season. Among rookie goaltenders with at least 15 appearances this season, he ranks first in goals-against average and tied for second in save percentage. The 6’3”, 193-pound netminder also ranks tied for fifth in the league with three shutouts, tied for the second-most in a single season by any Whalers/Hurricanes rookie. He was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for December after posting a 7-0-1 record, 1.63 goals-against average, .939 save percentage and two shutouts in eight games, and he registered the longest shutout sequence by any rookie in franchise history from Dec. 10-15 (151:26). Kochetkov has also earned a 13-5-2 record, 2.39 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and one shutout in 20 AHL games with Chicago in 2022-23, and he is one of only two AHL netminders with a goal this season, as he scored his first AHL goal while shorthanded against Milwaukee on March 3. He has now registered a 26-6-3 record in his regular-season AHL career and went 5-1 with two shutouts in the 2022 playoffs to help lead the Wolves to a Calder Cup championship. The Penza, Russia, native was named Best Goaltender at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship after earning a 4-1 record, 1.45 goals-against average and .953 save percentage to lead his home country to a bronze medal. Kochetkov was selected by the Hurricanes in the second round, 36th overall, of the 2019 NHL Draft.