In the words of legendary Hurricanes netminder Cam Ward, "I like the way he moves."
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The rookie of the month for December, Pyotr Kochetkov was drafted 36th overall by the Canes in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. His ultra fun playing style, and active, aggressive stick share a similarity with his favourite player growing up, Sergei Bobrovsky.
But while not speaking of career projections, his closest analogue may be the great Dominik Hasek, perhaps the greatest goalie to ever play the game. Hasek made saves that he had no business making, in ways other goalies would never attempt; Kochetkov does too.
But will Kochetkov become one of the NHL's great keepers? That will depend on his ability to control the less spectacular elements of the position. He'll make amazing saves, but due to his anticipation sometimes getting the better of him, will also allow some less than impressive goals. The key to his career will be the ratio of one to the other, and his ability to maintain focus amidst the chaos. However his career develops, it's going to be an awful lot of fun to watch.
00:00 NHL Debut
04:19 Playoff Debut (Meeting Marchand)
08:15 A new Season (Welcome to McDavid's Rink)
10:04 First Shutout
13:19 The Best of the Next 10 Games