The Carolina Hurricanes made some major personnel moves Friday, signing goalie Pyotr Kochetkov to a two-year contract extension and trimming the training camp roster to 28 players.
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One personnel decision still remains undetermined: the future of defenseman Alexander Nikishin, a restricted free agent who remains unsigned and has not been at camp.
Kochetkov, who was entering the final year of his contract, agreed on an extension that will pay the Russian $2.4 million with a $1.5 million signing bonus for the 2027-28 season, and $3 million with a $1 million signing bonus for the 2028-29 season.
“Pyotr is an incredibly talented goalie whose aggressive style fits our team very well,” Canes general manager Eric Tulsky said in a statement. “We believe in his ability to win games for this organization and are thrilled he wants to continue helping us pursue championships in Carolina.”
The Canes on Friday placed forwards Skyler Brind’Amour, Juha Jaaska and Justin Robidas, and defensemen Aleksi Heimosalmi and Pierre-Olivier Joseph on waivers for the purpose of being reassigned to the Chicago Wolves, the Canes’ AHL affiliate.
The Hurricanes also have assigned forwards Charlie Cerrato and Viktor Neuchev; defensemen Dominik Badinka, Joel Nystrom and Ronan Seeley, and goaltenders Ruslan Khazheyev and Zach Sawchenko to the Wolves.
Forward Josiah Slavin, the brother of Canes defenseman Jaccob Slavin, has been released from his PTO and could sign an AHL contract with Chicago.
The Canes have sent forwards Filip Ekberg (Ottawa 67’s/OHL) and Zachary Lansard (Regina Pats/WHL) back to their junior teams.
The roster cutdown has forwards Bradly Nadeau and Felix Unger Sorum, and defensemen Charles Alexis Legault and Noel Fransen remaining with the group — for now. Fransen, a third-round pick in the 2024 draft, signed his entry-level contract with Carolina in May.
Nadeau and Unger Sorum are being considered as the replacement for forward Seth Jarvis while Jarvis rehabs from offseason shoulder surgery. Jarvis has been at camp but remains in a yellow no-contact jersey and is expected to miss some early-season games.
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Nadeau and Unger Sorum scored shootout goals as the Canes topped Florida 3-2 in a preseason game Tuesday. Unger Sorum just beat the final horn with a goal Thursday to complete Carolina’s 6-5 comeback victory over Nashville in Greensboro that made Kochetkov the winning goalie.
With Nikishin absent, Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour has been considering several options as a replacement for the D-man. Veteran Mike Reilly has been re-signed, and the Canes signed free agent Juuso Valimaki to a one-year contract.
Legault and Fransen remain possibilities. Legault played 12 games for the Canes last season and might have played more had it not been for a skate-blade cut to his right hand, which sidelined him for a few months.
“Making a tough decision is what you want,” Brind’Amour said Friday. “We’ll have to make those decisions really soon and figure that out.”
In another development Friday, Nikishin has switched his representation and signed with agent Paul Theofanous, whose clients include Kochetkov and Canes goalie Cayden Primeau.
Kochetkov, 27, missed almost all the entire 2025-26 season to have surgery for a lower-body injury, going 6-2-0, with a 2.33 goals-against average and .899 save percentage in nine games with the Hurricanes.
Kochetkov returned late in the season and was available for the playoffs but did not get into a game.
The Canes will play their fourth and final preseason game on the road Saturday against the Predators and will have a veteran lineup for the first time.
“Anyone who hasn’t played will be playing,” Brind’Amour said.
The Hurricanes open the regular season against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday at the Lenovo Center, and will hold a pregame ceremony to raise their new Stanley Cup championship banner.
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This story was originally published September 25, 2026 at 4:53 PM.