The Hurricanes signed Pyotr Kochetkov to a two-year extension Friday carrying an average annual value of $3.95 million.
That works out to $7.9 million in total for a goalie who picked up the win in Thursday's 6-5 preseason victory over Nashville.
He allowed five goals in that one, which isn't exactly the clip you'd pin to a contract announcement.
The price is what jumps out. Dustin Wolf sits 10th among NHL goalies at $7,500,000.
Kochetkov's new number comes in at a little more than half of that.
For a team that won the Stanley Cup in June, that's the kind of goalie money that keeps the rest of a roster together.
So where does this leave the Hurricanes in the Connor Hellebuyck conversation?
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Hurricanes sign Pyotr Kochetkov, and fans think they overpaid
The Hurricanes have been linked to the Jets goalie since the summer, along with Utah and San Jose.
Hellebuyck's $8,500,000 cap hit is more than double what Kochetkov will carry on this deal.
Kevin Cheveldayoff has also pointed out that teams with an established starter rarely chase another one.
This is a smart deal for Eric Tulsky. Two years is short enough to walk away from and cheap enough to live with if it doesn't work.
The Hurricanes already carry Andrei Svechnikov at $7,750,000 through 2028-29. Every dollar saved in the crease is a dollar that helps keep that core intact.
Signing a goalie at this number is like leasing a reliable sedan instead of buying the sports car. Nobody stares in the parking lot, but there's money left for everything else.
It should age well, too. Elliotte Friedman has the cap projected to reach $127.5 million by 2028-29.
Logan Stankoven carried the offense on Thursday, scoring twice and adding an assist in front of the new extension.
Rod Brind'Amour's group gets a rematch with the Predators in Nashville on Saturday.
Then the Hurricanes open the regular season Tuesday at home against Florida.
The extension settles one question in Carolina's crease. It doesn't settle whether Tulsky still picks up the phone if Winnipeg calls.
Is $3.95 million a year the right price for Pyotr Kochetkov after the Hurricanes' Cup run?
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