The Hurricanes Cannot Afford to Pass on Adding a Goaltender

The Canes Cannot Ignore the Goalie Market This Summer

Despite a solid regular season given the number of players that moved on last summer, the Carolina Hurricanes struggled with goaltending. The Canes ranked 26th in save percentage despite finishing 9th in wins and 10th in goals for.

The Hurricanes had five different goaltenders make starts over the course of the season. Pyotr Kochetkov made the most starts (47), stepping in for Frederik Andersen, who missed time during both the regular season and playoffs due to injuries. Also seeing action were Spencer Martin (claimed off waivers from Columbus, making nine starts), Dustin Tokarski (six starts), and Yaniv Perets, who played in one game in relief of Martin.

Goaltending has long been a shaky area for the organization during this era of contention. Between Mrazek, Raanta, Nedeljkovic, Reimer, and of course Ayres, the Hurricanes’ crease has been a revolving door of goaltenders who haven’t quite measured up compared to those backstopping other contenders. None of the netminders Carolina has employed have reached the level of Vasilevskiy, Shesterkin, Bobrovsky, or other elite playoff performers.

While we’ve seen teams reach the Stanley Cup Final without an $8 million goaltender — such as Colorado with Kuemper and Vegas with Hill — I’m not sure the Canes have ever had a goalie with the consistent ceiling of those names. Andersen has come closest. I believe he earned his first contract extension with his performance in the Eastern Conference Final. Despite the sweep (that wasn’t really a sweep), he kept the Canes competitive with three of their top five projected goalscorers in the press box.

Regardless, Carolina enters next season with Kochetkov and Andersen under contract. That said, I don’t think this tandem is enough. Here’s my concern: if Freddie goes down again after the trade deadline, the postseason could be lost before it begins.

What Options Are Out There This Year?

Potential Trade Options

1. John Gibson

Gibson has declined since his early-career dominance. Once viewed as a top-five goalie in the league, he now carries a .888 save percentage and a 3.40 GAA over the last three seasons. Anaheim’s porous defense hasn’t helped, and some believe he could rebound in a better system like Carolina’s. He could provide the steady hand the Canes need.

Trade Proposal (No Salary Retention):
To Carolina:
• John Gibson (3 years, $6.4M AAV)

To Anaheim:
• 2nd-round pick
• 4th-round pick
• B-tier prospect

Alternatively, Anaheim could take on a bad contract in return. Despite recently picking up some Rangers castoffs, the Ducks still need over $6 million just to hit the cap floor. With an ongoing conversation this summer (likely happening right about now) about Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s future, Southern California could be a good landing spot for the Finn if Carolina sweetens the deal.

Trade Proposal (No Salary Retention):
To Carolina:
• John Gibson (2 years, $6.4M AAV)
• 5th-round pick

To Anaheim:
• 1st-round pick
• 3rd-round pick
• Jesperi Kotkaniemi (4 years, $4.83M AAV)

This would offer a change of scenery for both players while balancing out the trade value. The increased draft pick value would account for the salary dump on Carolina’s end.

2. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – $1.75M Retained (Cap Hit: $3M)

Luukkonen quietly broke out in 2024–25 with Buffalo, going 24–15–4 with a .910 save percentage and 2.57 GAA in 45 starts. Still just 26, the young Finn looked more composed and positionally sound than ever. He could be a reliable backup for Freddie — and likely offer more stability than Carolina’s current depth.

Buffalo has Levi waiting in the wings and may be willing to part with UPL to clear their goaltending logjam. With retention, this is a cap-friendly move with upside.

Trade Proposal:
To Carolina:
• Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (4 years, $3M AAV, with $1.75M retained)

To Buffalo:
• 2nd-round pick
• B-tier prospect

3. Thatcher Demko

Demko remains one of the NHL’s most reliable starters — when healthy. He posted reasonable numbers last year before injuries and a Canucks collapse hurt his stock. He’s a true #1 when available, but his durability is a concern, which is why he’s third on my list. That said, any upgrade is better than standing pat.

Demko at $2.5M AAV (with 50% retention) would be a steal. The Canes could rotate him with Andersen or ride him as the new starter. Vancouver avoids future contract headaches and gets a solid return. Carolina pays a premium but gets elite value if Demko holds up.

Trade Proposal:
To Carolina:
• Thatcher Demko (1 year, $2.5M AAV, 50% retained)

To Vancouver:
• Conditional 2nd-round pick (becomes a 1st if Demko plays more than 50% of playoff games through the first two rounds)
• B-tier prospect

Pending Free Agents and Long-Term Outlook

The free-agent market is quite underwhelming, with Jake Allen and Ville Husso headlining the class. According to PuckPedia, there are only 12 UFA goaltenders — 11 if you remove Marc-Andre Fleury, who is likely to retire. Based on the available options, I don’t believe there’s a better upgrade in free agency.

Jakub Dobeš and Devon Levi are two intriguing RFA options. Levi, as far as I understand, is eligible to receive an offer sheet this summer. On one hand, I don’t think an offer sheet is the right move for Carolina right now — he’s unlikely to help make a Cup run next season. On the other hand, acquiring Levi could solidify the Canes’ long-term goaltending future. He’d enter the system now and potentially become the #1 option by the time Nadeau, Blake, Jarvis, and Stankoven are the team’s core. Still, that doesn’t help the Canes next season.

Regardless of which direction they take, the Hurricanes cannot afford to ignore the goaltending market this summer.