Pyotr Kochetkov is taking a new milestone into Finland before the Carolina Hurricanes battle with the Seattle Kraken.
There are many reasons why the Hurricanes have been so hot in the early stages of a season in which they are defending the Stanley Cup. Some can point to Carolina’s depth scoring and rebound seasons, like Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s.
Others may point to Kochetkov’s dynamic first 12 games manning Carolina’s net. On Saturday night, Peter Dewar and Walt Ruff of Hurricanes.com acknowledged that Kochetkov made history:
“Pyotr Kochetkov became the 11th goaltender in NHL history to win 11 of his first 12 appearances in a season, joining a list that includes teammate Brandon Bussi, who achieved the feat last season.”
It has been a turnaround season for Kochetkov, who appeared in nine games in 2025-26 and saw his save percentage dip below .900 in each of the last two seasons. Still, few probably thought Kochetkov would take 11 of his first 12 games.
Pyotr Kochetkov Is The 11th Goaltender To Achieve Historic Start
Through the early stages of 2026-27, Kochetkov is a likely Vezina candidate, assuming he stays healthy and keeps up his consistent play. Currently, he has posted a .920 save percentage, a 1.67 GAA, two shutouts, and an .833 quality starts percentage.
Besides Brandon Bussi (2025-26), Kochetkov joins Connor Hellebuyck (2024-25), Jack Campbell (2020-21), Carey Price (2016-17), Kari Lehtonen (2011-12), Martin Gerber (2007-08), Brent Johnson (2000-01), Linus Ullmark (2022-23), Ross Brooks (1973-74), and Charlie Hodge (1960-61).
Even more remarkable, Kochetkov won his first 10 starts. He unfortunately saw that 10-game winning streak end against the Nashville Predators, only to notch his 11th win in a blowout fashion against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Kochetkov was so effective, he allowed two goals or fewer in 10 of those starts. He allowed three goals on 17 shots against the Vancouver Canucks, but the Hurricanes avoided the massive upset. Then, of course, he allowed three against Nashville.
Considering the long history of the NHL, that is an ultra-rare club of goaltenders for Kochetkov to be part of. What’s rarer? One franchise having not one but two netminders on the same team achieve the feat.
Reliving Brandon Bussi’s Remarkable Start In Hurricanes’ Championship Season
As in 2026-27, the Hurricanes were dominant even early in their Stanley Cup-winning season. But they wouldn’t have achieved such early-season dominance without a sensational effort from Bussi.
Unlike Kochetkov, however, Bussi had to rely on a winning streak after losing his third game to add his name to the list of those mentioned earlier. Bussi and the Hurricanes won on Oct. 14 and Oct. 18, 2025, but fell 3-2 on Oct. 25 against the Dallas Stars.
Bussi didn’t lose another game in regulation that calendar year. His only other loss in 2025 came in a shootout on Dec. 19 against the Florida Panthers.
Before that shootout loss, Bussi went 11-1-0, with a .911 save percentage, and just 2.1 goals allowed per game. Now that Kochetkov has matched Bussi, the Hurricanes are another team that doesn’t have a true weakness at goaltender.
As they steamroll into Finland and inch toward the one-quarter mark of their season, that could very well be, in a manner of speaking, their biggest “power play.”
Hurricanes’ Pyotr Kochetkov Joined Rare NHL Company Ahead of Finland Trip