Pyotr Kochetkov Sets a Hurricanes Record With a 9-0 Start as Carolina Edges Columbus: Why He Is a Must-Start Fantasy Goalie Right Now

Pyotr Kochetkov has not lost a game this season. The Carolina Hurricanes goaltender made 24 saves in Thursday's 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets to improve to 9-0, setting a franchise record for the longest winning streak to open a season. He passed the mark of eight straight set by Frederik Andersen to begin the 2021-22 campaign.

Mark Jankowski scored in the third period to give Carolina a 3-0 lead, and the Hurricanes held on after Denton Mateychuk and Kent Johnson scored for Columbus, Johnson's goal coming on a power play at 9:50 of the third. Carolina did it without Taylor Hall, who has missed seven games with an upper-body injury and is expected to miss a couple more, according to coach Rod Brind'Amour.

From injured backup to franchise record

The streak is more remarkable given where Kochetkov was a year ago. A lower-body injury in the 2025 preseason and surgery in December limited him to just nine NHL games in a season that ended with Carolina winning the Stanley Cup. Andersen, who carried the load and was hurt in the Final, signed with the Edmonton Oilers on July 1.

That left Kochetkov and Brandon Bussi as the Carolina tandem, and the Hurricanes showed their faith by signing Kochetkov to a two-year extension in September. He has said he is in a better state of mind this season after the long recovery, and the results back that up.

Here is the context:

Why the streak is sustainable, and why it is not

The case for Kochetkov is the team in front of him. Carolina's structure has been among the league's best at limiting high-danger chances for years, and Brind'Amour's system produces low-event games in which a goalie's job is to stop the shots he should stop. Wins are the most team-dependent fantasy goalie category, and the Hurricanes win a lot.

The case for caution is the save percentage regression that hits every hot goalie. No one wins every game; the question is whether the underlying performance stays strong when the bounces even out. Fantasy managers should value Kochetkov as a top-tier starter on a strong team, not as a goalie who will keep going unbeaten.

The workload is the other factor. After a season lost to injury, Carolina will manage his starts, especially on back-to-backs. Expect Bussi to take a share of games, which lowers Kochetkov's weekly volume.

Taylor Hall and the lineup shuffle

Hall's absence has created a forward reshuffle. With Hall out, Nikolaj Ehlers moved onto the line with Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake. That line is the one to watch for fantasy production in the short term, and Ehlers in particular gets a boost from top-six minutes with two productive young forwards.

Brind'Amour's comment that Hall will probably miss another couple of games suggests a return sometime next week. Hall managers in deep leagues should hold. When he returns, expect the lines to shift again.

Columbus and the opposing view

Columbus has struggled, and its power-play goal was a rare bright spot on Thursday. Kent Johnson's redirect on a pass from Charlie Coyle showed what this group can do with the extra man, and Johnson remains the Blue Jackets forward with the most fantasy upside.

For streaming goalies, Columbus is one of the opponents to target until its five-on-five offense improves.

The Verdexed angle

Winning streaks attract attention and shorten prices. A 9-0 goalie on a team that won the Cup will be priced as a heavy favorite most nights, and the real betting question is not whether Carolina wins but at what number. The value tends to show up on nights when Bussi starts and the market is slow to adjust, or on Carolina puck lines against weaker opponents.

The model's nightly calls on Hurricanes games are on the NHL picks pages, today at /blog/nhl-picks-2026-10-30, with the full probability board at /nhl/predictions.

What to do in your league

Start Kochetkov every time he is confirmed in net, and check Daily Faceoff for the confirmed starter on back-to-backs. Roster Bussi in deep leagues as the handcuff to a goalie coming off an injury-shortened season. Add Nikolaj Ehlers if he is available, while he plays in the top six. Hold Taylor Hall in deep leagues. And stream goalies against Columbus until its even-strength offense shows signs of life.