The Chicago Wolves announced Tuesday they have received goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov on loan from the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL).
The 22-year-old Penza, Russia, native was selected by Carolina in the second round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and has spent parts of the last four seasons playing professionally in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). This year, Kochetkov served as the primary goaltender for Torpedo Niznhy Novgorod and posted a 10-10-2 record with a 2.23 goals-against average and .926 save percentage. His save percentage ranked seventh in the KHL, which canceled the remainder of its regular season on Feb. 5.
The 6-foot-2, 179-pound Kochetkov backstopped Russia to a bronze medal in the IIHF’s 2019 World Junior Championships as he posted a 4-1-0 record with a 1.45 GAA and .953 save percentage and earned the IIHF Directorate’s Best Goaltender Award. He ranks No. 11 on the Carolina Hurricanes’ Top 20 prospect list compiled earlier this month by The Athletic’s Blake Wheeler — a list that also includes current Wolves Ryan Suzuki (No. 2), Jack Drury (No. 5), Jamieson Rees (No. 6), Joey Keane (No. 8) and Dominik Bokk (No. 10).
Kochetkov joins a Wolves squad that has led the Central Division since Nov. 27 and ranks No. 2 among the AHL’s 31 teams in Goals Allowed at just 2.58 per game. The Wolves host the Iowa Wild at 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Allstate Arena. To get the best ticket specials for Faith and Fellowship Night on Saturday or Pride Day and Papa Johns Family Sunday, email a Wolves representative at [email protected].
