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The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
team based in
Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the List of North Carolina county seats, seat of Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County in the United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most ...
. They compete in the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) as a member of the
Metropolitan Division The National Hockey League's Metropolitan Division (often referred to simply as the "Metro Division") was formed in 2013 as one of the two divisions in the Eastern Conference as part of a league realignment. It is also a successor of the original ...
in the Eastern Conference, and play their home games at
PNC Arena PNC Arena (originally Raleigh Entertainment & Sports Arena and formerly the RBC Center) is an indoor arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The arena seats 18,680 for ice hockey and 19,722 for basketball, including 61 suites, 13 loge boxes a ...
. The franchise was formed in 1971 as the New England Whalers of the
World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association (french: Association mondiale de hockey) was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (NHL) ...
(WHA). The Whalers saw success immediately, winning the Eastern Division in the WHA's first three seasons and becoming the inaugural
Avco World Trophy The Avco World Trophy, also known as the Avco Cup, is the playoff championship trophy of the defunct World Hockey Association ( 1972–1979). The trophy's naming rights were sold to the former Avco Corporation (a name originally derived from "Avia ...
Champions to cap off the 1972–73 season. The Whalers again competed for the World Trophy in 1978, this time falling short to the
Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, p ...
in a rematch of the 1973 Finals. The franchise joined the NHL in 1979 as part of the
NHL–WHA merger The 1979 NHL expansion was the culmination of several years of negotiations between the National Hockey League (NHL) and the World Hockey Association (WHA) that resulted in the WHA and its six surviving franchises folding in return for the owners ...
, renaming themselves the Hartford Whalers. The team relocated to North Carolina in 1997, rebranding themselves as the Hurricanes. Carolina advanced to the
Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
for the first time in 2002, where they were defeated by the
Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
. The Hurricanes won the 2006 Stanley Cup over the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
, giving the state of North Carolina its first major professional sports championship and its only major championship as of 2022.


Franchise history


New England/Hartford Whalers (1971–1997)

The
New England Whalers New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...
were established in November 1971 when the
World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association (french: Association mondiale de hockey) was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (NHL) ...
(WHA) awarded a franchise to begin play in
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
,
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
. For the first two years of their existence, the club played their home games at the
Boston Arena Matthews Arena (formerly Boston Arena) is a multi-purpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the world's oldest multi-purpose athletic building still in use, as well as the oldest arena in use for ice hockey. The arena opened in 1910 on wh ...
and
Boston Garden The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928, as "Boston Madison Square Garden" (lat ...
. With the increasing difficulty of scheduling games at Boston Garden (owned by the NHL rival
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
), the owners decided to move the team to
Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...
, beginning with the 1974–75 season. While waiting for the completion of a new arena in Hartford, the Whalers played the first part of the season at The Big E Coliseum in
West Springfield, Massachusetts West Springfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was ...
. On January 11, 1975, the team played its first game in front of a sellout crowd at the
Hartford Civic Center Coliseum The XL Center (originally known as the Hartford Civic Center) is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut. Owned by the City of Hartford, it is managed by the quasi-public Capital Region Development ...
, and would maintain its home there through 1997. As one of the most stable WHA teams, the Whalers, along with the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
,
Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...
and
Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, p ...
, were admitted to the NHL when the rival leagues merged in 1979. However, under pressure from the extant NHL team in the
New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
area, the Boston Bruins, the Whalers were compelled to rename the team the
Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...
. The Whalers were never as successful in the NHL as they had been in the WHA, recording only three winning seasons. They peaked in the mid-to-late 1980s, winning their only playoff series in 1986 over the Nordiques before bowing out in the second round to the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
, taking the Habs to overtime of Game 7 in the process. The
next year "Next Year" is a song released as the last single from the third Foo Fighters' album ''There Is Nothing Left to Lose''. History A shorter version (running at just 3:21 compared to the original's 4:36) was released as a single in 2000 and wa ...
, the club secured the regular season
Adams Division The NHL's Adams Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Prince of Wales Conference. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. It was named in honour of Charles Francis Adams, the founder of the Boston Bruins. It is the forerunner of the ...
title, only to fall to the Nordiques in six games in the first round of the playoffs. In 1992, the Whalers made the playoffs for the final time, but were bounced in the first round in seven games by the Canadiens. Two years later, the team hired
Jim Rutherford James Earl Rutherford (born February 17, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and front office executive. He is the president of hockey operations of the Vancouver Canucks. Prior to his position with the Canucks, Ruther ...
as
general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
, a position that he would hold within the franchise for twenty years. For years, the organization maintained many Whalers connections among its off-ice personnel; in addition to many members of executive management and the coaching staff, broadcasters Chuck Kaiton,
John Forslund John Forslund is an American sports announcer who is the television play-by-play announcer of the Seattle Kraken. He had previously filled the same role for the Carolina Hurricanes and was with the team since 1991 (when the team was the Hartford W ...
and Tripp Tracy (at the time a minor-league player), and equipment managers Wally Tatomir, Skip Cunningham and Bob Gorman all made the move to North Carolina with the team. Finally, the old goal horn from the Hartford Civic Center remains in use at PNC Arena. Kaiton and Forslund would both eventually leave the franchise; Kaiton in 2018 and Forslund in 2021.


Move to North Carolina (1997–2001)

The Whalers were plagued for most of their existence by limited marketability. Hartford was the smallest American market in the league and was located on the traditional dividing line between the home territories for New York City and Boston teams. It did not help matters that the Hartford Civic Center was one of the smallest arenas in the league, seating under 16,000 spectators for hockey. The Whalers' off-ice problems were magnified when the start of the 1990s triggered a spike in player salaries. Despite assurances made when he purchased the team in 1994 that the Whalers would remain in Hartford at least through 1998, in March 1997, owner
Peter Karmanos Peter Karmanos Jr. (born March 11, 1943) is an American businessman who was most recently the minority owner and alternate governor of the Carolina Hurricanes franchise until June 30, 2021. He served as their principal owner from 1994 (when the Hu ...
announced that the team would move elsewhere after the 1996–97 season because of the team's inability to negotiate a satisfactory construction and lease package for a new arena in Hartford. On May 6, 1997, Karmanos announced that the Whalers would move to the
Research Triangle The Research Triangle, or simply The Triangle, are both common nicknames for a metropolitan area in the Piedmont region of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by the cities of Raleigh and Durham and the town of Chapel Hill, home to ...
area of
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
and the new
Entertainment and Sports Arena The Entertainment and Sports Arena is a multi-purpose events facility, located on the St. Elizabeths East Campus, in Congress Heights, a residential neighborhood in southeast Washington, D.C. The arena is home to the Washington Mystics of the ...
(ESA) in
Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
. Due to the relatively short time frame for the move, Karmanos himself thought of and decided upon the new name for the club, the Carolina Hurricanes, rather than holding a contest as is sometimes done. Later that summer, the team dropped the Whalers' colors of blue, green and silver for a new black-and-red scheme, matching the colors of the North Carolina State University Wolfpack, with whose men's basketball team they would share the arena in Raleigh. The Hurricanes inherited the Whalers' place in the Northeast Division. Unfortunately for the team, the ESA would not be complete for two more years. The only arena in the Triangle area with an ice plant was 45-year-old
Dorton Arena J. S. Dorton Arena is a 7,610-seat multi-purpose arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina, on the grounds of the North Carolina State Fair. It opened in 1952. Architect Maciej Nowicki of the North Carolina State University Department of Architec ...
; at 5,100 seats, it was too small. The Hurricanes chose to play home games in
Greensboro Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...
, 90 minutes west of Raleigh, for their first two seasons after the move. However, the team would be based in Raleigh and practice in nearby Hillsborough—effectively saddling the Hurricanes with 82 road games for the next two years. This choice was disastrous for the franchise's attendance and reputation. With a capacity of over 21,000 people for hockey, the
Greensboro Coliseum The Greensboro Coliseum Complex, commonly referred to as Greensboro Coliseum (the first and biggest building on the site), is an entertainment and sports complex located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Opened in 1959, the complex holds eight ven ...
was the highest-capacity arena in the NHL. However, Triangle-area fans balked at making the 80-mile drive up
I-40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
to Greensboro. Likewise, fans from the
Piedmont Triad The Piedmont Triad (or simply the Triad) is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of North Carolina anchored by three cities: Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group of cities lies in the Piedmon ...
mostly refused to support a lame-duck team that had displaced the popular Greensboro/Carolina Monarchs minor-league franchise. As a result, even with the first game hosting more than 18,000 fans, most games in Greensboro attracted crowds of 5,000 or fewer. The crowds looked even smaller than that in the cavernous environment. Furthermore, only 29 out of 82 games were televised (over-the-air and cable combined), and radio play-by-play coverage on
WPTF WPTF (680 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a news/talk radio format. Licensed to Raleigh, the station serves the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. It is owned by the Curtis Media Group, with studios located on Highwo ...
was often pre-empted by Wolfpack basketball (for whose broadcasts WPTF was the flagship station), leaving these games totally unavailable to those who did not have a ticket. With by far the smallest season-ticket base in the NHL and attendance figures routinely well below the league average, ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' ran a story titled "Natural Disaster", and
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
anchors mocked the "Green Acres" of empty seats; in a 2006 interview, Karmanos admitted that "as it turns out, reensborowas probably a mistake." Under the circumstances, the Hurricanes managed to stay competitive, but still finished last in the Northeast Division with 74 points, nine points out of the playoffs. For 1998–99, the Hurricanes curtained off most of the upper deck lowering the Coliseum's listed capacity to about 12,000. Attendance continued to lag. Most games attracted crowds of well under 5,000. Conversely, on the ice the Hurricanes' performance improved led by the return of longtime Whalers' captain Ron Francis,
Keith Primeau Keith David Primeau (born November 24, 1971) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers. ...
's 30 goals, and Gary Roberts' 178
penalty Penalty or The Penalty may refer to: Sports * Penalty (golf) * Penalty (gridiron football) * Penalty (ice hockey) * Penalty (rugby) * Penalty (rugby union) * Penalty kick (association football) * Penalty shoot-out (association football) A p ...
minutes. They tallied their first winning season and playoff appearance since 1992. They also won the newly formed Southeast Division by eight points, only their second division title as an NHL team (following the 1987 Adams Division title as the Whalers). Tragedy struck hours after the team's first-round loss to the Bruins, when defenseman
Steve Chiasson Steven Joseph Chiasson (April 14, 1967 – May 3, 1999) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman with the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, Hartford Whalers and Carolina Hurricanes. Chiasson died in an automobile accident, w ...
was thrown from his pickup truck and killed in a single-vehicle drunk-driving accident. Despite a move to the newly completed arena in Raleigh, the Hurricanes played lackluster hockey in 1999–2000 failing to make the playoffs. This season was marked by an ultimately franchise-altering mid-season trade which saw Primeau dealt to the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...
in exchange that included future captain
Rod Brind'Amour Roderic Jean Brind'Amour (born August 9, 1970) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Brind'Amour played 20 seasons in the National H ...
. With the move to the new arena, the Hurricanes introduced the Storm Squad who were the very first cheerleaders for professional hockey in North America. In 2000–01, the Hurricanes managed to claim the eighth seed, nosing out the Boston Bruins, and landed a first-round match-up with the defending champions, the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
. The Devils eliminated the Hurricanes in six games. Down 3–0 in the series, the Hurricanes extended it to a sixth game, thereby becoming only the tenth team in NHL history to do so. Game 6 in Raleigh featured their best playoff crowd that year, as well as their loudest. Despite the 5–1 loss, Carolina was given a standing ovation by their home crowd as the game ended, erasing some of the doubts that the city would not warm up to the team.


Stanley Cup Finals and slow starts (2001–2006)

The Hurricanes made national waves for the first time in the 2002
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
. They survived a late charge from the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
to win the division, but expectations were low entering the first round against the defending Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Devils. However, Arturs Irbe and
Kevin Weekes Kevin Weekes (born April 4, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 348 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is now a studio analyst for NHL Networks' ''On the Fly'', '' NHL Tonight'', and ESPN's The Po ...
were solid in goal and the Hurricanes won two games in overtime as they defeated the Devils in six games. Their second-round matchup was against the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
, who were riding a wave of emotion after their captain
Saku Koivu Saku Antero Koivu (; born November 23, 1974) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1995–96 after three seasons with TPS of the ...
's return from cancer treatment. In the third period of game four in
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
, down 2–1 in the series and 3–0 in the game, Carolina would tie the game and later win on
Niclas Wallin Niclas Wallin (born 20 February 1975) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. Playing career Wallin's career began in Bodens ...
's overtime goal. The game became known to Hurricanes fans as the "Miracle at
Molson The Molson Brewery is a Canadian based brewery company based in Montreal which was established in 1786 by the Molson family. In 2005, Molson merged with the Adolph Coors Company to become Molson Coors. Molson Coors maintains some of its C ...
"; Carolina won the next two games by a combined 13–3 margin over a dejected Habs club to take the series. In the Eastern Conference Finals, Carolina met the heavily favored
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
. In Game 6 in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, the Leafs'
Mats Sundin Mats Johan Sundin (; born 13 February 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL), retiring in 2009. Originally drafted first overall in 1989, Sundin played ...
tied the game with 22 seconds remaining to send it to overtime, where Carolina's
Martin Gelinas Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austra ...
would score to send the franchise to their first
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
Finals appearance. During this series, several Hurricanes fan traditions drew hockey-wide media attention for the first time: fans met the team at the airport on the return from every road trip and echoed
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
-season habits honed for games across the parking lot by hosting massive tailgate parties before each home game, a relative novelty in the cold-weather-centric NHL. Inside the building, the CBC's
Don Cherry Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator. Cherry played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, and later coached the team for five se ...
lauded the RBC Center as "the loudest building in the NHL", praise that would be echoed in 2006. In the
Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
, Carolina would face the
Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
, thought to be the prohibitive favorite all year. Though the Hurricanes stunned the Wings in game one when Ron Francis scored in the first minute of overtime, Detroit stormed back to win the next four games. Game three in Raleigh featured a triple-overtime thriller eventually won by Detroit's
Igor Larionov Igor Nikolayevich Larionov (russian: Игорь Николаевич Ларионов; born 3 December 1960) is a Russian ice hockey coach, sports agent and former professional ice hockey player, known as "the Professor". Along with Viacheslav ...
, the oldest player to score a last-round goal. The Hurricanes looked poised to pick up where they left off in the 2002–03, but never recovered from a 10-loss January and finished dead last in the league with 61 points. After a similarly slow start to the 2003–04 season,
Paul Maurice Paul Maurice (born January 30, 1967) is a Canadian former ice hockey player and coach. He is the head coach of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). At age 43, Maurice became the youngest coach in NHL history to coach 1,000 g ...
, who had been the team's coach since midway through their next-to-last season in Hartford, was fired and replaced with former New York Islanders bench boss
Peter Laviolette Peter Philip Laviolette Jr. (born December 7, 1964) is an American professional ice hockey coach, and former player, currently serving as head coach for the Washington Capitals. He was previously the head coach of the New York Islanders, Caroli ...
. Under Laviolette, Weekes remained tough, but the offense was suspect; center
Josef Vasicek Josef may refer to *Josef (given name) *Josef (surname) Josef is the surname of the following people: * Jens Josef (born 1967), German composer of classical music, a flutist and academic teacher * Michelle Josef (born 1954), Canadian musician and tr ...
led the team with a mere 19 goals and 26 assists for 45 points. Many of the new fans attracted to the team (and to hockey itself) during the 2002 playoff run lost interest and attendance declined. One of the few positive results of these losing years was the team's drafting of
Eric Staal Eric Craig Staal (born October 29, 1984) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Buffalo S ...
in 2003.


Stanley Cup champions

The outcome of the 2004–05 NHL lockout led to the shrinking of the payroll to $26 million. The Hurricanes turned out to be one of the NHL's biggest surprises, turning in the best season in the franchise's 34-year history (including the years as the Whalers). They finished the regular season with a 52–22–8 record and 112 points, shattering the previous franchise records of 94 points (in the WHA) set by the 1972–73 Whalers and 93 points (in the NHL) set in 1986–87. It was the first time ever that the franchise had passed the 50-win and 100-point plateaus. The 112-point figure was good for fourth overall in the league, easily their highest overall finish as an NHL team (tied with the third-overall
Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and were founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minne ...
in points, but with one fewer win than the Stars) and second in the East (one point behind the
Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
). The Hurricanes also ran away with their third Southeast Division title, finishing 20 points ahead of the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
. Attendance increased from the 2003–04 season, averaging just under 15,600 per game, and the team made a profit for the first time since the move from Hartford. In the playoffs, after losing the first two games of the Conference Quarterfinal series against the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
, Laviolette lifted goalkeeper
Martin Gerber Martin Gerber (born 3 September 1974) is a Swiss former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft (232nd overall) by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He played in the National Hockey League (N ...
, who had been struggling to regain his form after playing through a bout of intestinal flu, in favor of rookie Cam Ward. This proved to be a consequential decision, as the Hurricanes went on to win both games in Montreal, tying up the playoff series and turning the momentum around, winning the series on a game six overtime goal by
Cory Stillman Cory Stillman (born December 20, 1973) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for several teams between 1994 and 2011, winning the Stanley Cup twice. He is currently an assi ...
. Carolina then faced the New Jersey Devils in the Conference Semifinals, which proved surprisingly one-sided, as the Hurricanes beat the Devils in five games. Stillman struck again, once again scoring the series-winning goal. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hurricanes faced the
Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
, who had finished just one spot behind the Hurricanes in the overall standings. The contentious series saw both coaches –
Lindy Ruff Lindy Cameron Ruff (born February 17, 1960) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach who is the head coach for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). Ruff was previously the head coach of the Dallas Stars of the NHL, and al ...
and Laviolette – taking public verbal shots at each other's team, but in the deciding game seven, the Hurricanes rallied with three goals in the third to win by a score of 4–2.
Rod Brind'Amour Roderic Jean Brind'Amour (born August 9, 1970) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Brind'Amour played 20 seasons in the National H ...
scored the game-winner as the Hurricanes reached the Stanley Cup finals for the second time in team history. The
Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
saw the Hurricanes facing the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
. The Hurricanes rallied from a 3–0 deficit in game one to win 5–4 after Rod Brind'Amour scored with 30 seconds left. In Game 2, the Hurricanes shelled the Oilers 5–0 to take a two-game lead. The Oilers won game three in
Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...
, 2–1, as
Ryan Smyth Ryan Alexander Borden Smyth (born February 21, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played most of his career for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was especially known for playing in the sty ...
scored the game-winning goal with 2:47 left to play. Carolina rebounded in game four with a 2–1 victory, and came home with a chance to win the Cup on home ice. However, game five saw the Oilers come back with a stunning 4–3 overtime win on a shorthanded breakaway by
Fernando Pisani Fernando Antonio Pisani (born December 27, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He played professionally in the National Hockey League for his hometown Edmonton Oilers for seven NHL seasons, and one for the Chicago Bla ...
. In Game 6 in Edmonton, Carolina was soundly defeated 4–0; the only bright point for the Hurricanes was the return of forward
Erik Cole Erik Thomas Cole (born November 6, 1978) is an American former professional ice hockey left winger. Originally drafted by the Hurricanes in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Cole played 15 seasons in the NHL for the Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oiler ...
from a broken neck that had sidelined him since March. In Game 7, before the then second-, now tenth-largest home crowd in franchise history (18,978), the Hurricanes won 3–1, sealing the Hurricanes' first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. Cam Ward was honored with the
Conn Smythe Trophy The Conn Smythe Trophy (french: Trophée Conn Smythe) is awarded annually to the most valuable player (MVP) of his team during the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs. It is named after Conn Smythe, the longtime owner, general ma ...
for being the playoffs' most valuable player, becoming just the fourth rookie to be honored with the award. Several Hurricanes raised the Cup for the first time in their long NHL careers; Rod Brind'Amour and
Bret Hedican Bret Michael Hedican (born August 10, 1970) is an American former professional ice hockey player, a Stanley Cup champion, and a two-time US Olympian. A product of St. Cloud State University, Hedican played with the 1992 US Olympic Team before he ...
had both played over 15 years without winning the Cup, while
Glen Wesley Glen Edwin Wesley (born October 2, 1968) is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman. Wesley played 13 seasons for the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. He began his career with the Boston Bruins, and briefly playe ...
, the last remaining member of the Hartford Whalers on the Hurricanes' roster, had waited 18 seasons. On the managerial side, general manager
Jim Rutherford James Earl Rutherford (born February 17, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and front office executive. He is the president of hockey operations of the Vancouver Canucks. Prior to his position with the Canucks, Ruther ...
finally won the Cup in his twelfth year with the franchise since joining the Whalers in 1994. The Hurricanes Stanley Cup championship marked the first professional major league sports title for a team from North Carolina. As well, they were the first NHL team to win the Stanley Cup despite losing at least nine playoff games in that year; the 2011
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
, the 2014
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
, the 2017
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
, and the 2019 St Louis Blues are the only other teams to have achieved this feat.


Post-championship slump (2006–2013)

The Hurricanes were unable to follow up their recent success. Losing four players to free agency in the off-season and 222-man games to injury during the 2006–07, the team struggled throughout the regular season, and once eliminated in the last game, the Hurricanes finished third in the Southeast and 11th overall in the Eastern Conference. This finish made them the first champions since the 1938–39
Chicago Black Hawks (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
to have failed to qualify for the playoffs both the seasons before and after their championship season, and the third champion overall to not defend its title after both the Blackhawks and the 1995-96 New Jersey Devils. In the 2007–08, Carolina again missed out as
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
stormed back to take the division title on the last day of the season, leaving the Hurricanes second in the division and ninth overall in the conference, and making the Hurricanes only the second club in NHL history to miss the playoffs for two seasons running after a Stanley Cup triumph. After a slow start to the 2008–09 season, Cup-winning coach
Peter Laviolette Peter Philip Laviolette Jr. (born December 7, 1964) is an American professional ice hockey coach, and former player, currently serving as head coach for the Washington Capitals. He was previously the head coach of the New York Islanders, Caroli ...
was fired in early December and replaced by his own predecessor,
Paul Maurice Paul Maurice (born January 30, 1967) is a Canadian former ice hockey player and coach. He is the head coach of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). At age 43, Maurice became the youngest coach in NHL history to coach 1,000 g ...
. Teetering on the edge of the playoff picture again, the club, on February 7, acquired utility forward
Jussi Jokinen Jussi Petteri Jokinen (born April 1, 1983) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey forward. After playing in his native Finland with Oulun Kärpät of the Liiga he was drafted by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Dallas Stars in 2001 in t ...
from the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
in exchange for
Wade Brookbank Wade Brookbank (born September 29, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 127 games in the National Hockey League with the Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins, and Carolina Hurricanes between 2003 and ...
, Josef Melichar and Carolina's fourth-round draft pick in 2009, then reacquired winger
Erik Cole Erik Thomas Cole (born November 6, 1978) is an American former professional ice hockey left winger. Originally drafted by the Hurricanes in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Cole played 15 seasons in the NHL for the Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oiler ...
from the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
at the March trade deadline and proceeded on a 12–3–2 run to close out the season. The stretch run included nine straight wins, matching a franchise record from the 2005–06 season, and capped off a streak of 12 straight home wins, which set a new franchise mark. The team finished sixth in the Eastern Conference with 97 points, the second-most points in franchise history. The Hurricanes' 2009 playoff run featured two tight series with dramatic finishes. Game 4 of the first-round matchup with the New Jersey Devils saw Stanley Cup playoff history when Jussi Jokinen scored with .2 seconds left in regulation to win the game, the latest regulation game-winning goal in NHL history. Then, in Game 7, the Devils took a 3–2 lead into the final two minutes of the game at the
Prudential Center Prudential Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the central business district of Newark, New Jersey. Opened in 2007, it is the home of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the men's basketball program of Seton Hal ...
in
Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...
before the Hurricanes struck. With 1:20 to play,
Tim Gleason Timothy Patrick Gleason (born January 29, 1983) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman and current assistant coach to the Carolina Hurricanes. Drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the first round, 23rd overall, at the 2001 NHL En ...
saved a puck on his knees at the right point, passed it to Joni Pitkanen on the left boards, who then hit Game 4 hero Jussi Jokinen at the far post for the tying goal. Just 48 seconds later, Chad LaRose sprang
Eric Staal Eric Craig Staal (born October 29, 1984) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Buffalo S ...
for a solo down-ice rush to give the Hurricanes 4–3 game and series win; Staal's goal was the latest regulation Game 7 winning goal in playoff history. The Game 7 comeback would become known as the “Shock at the Rock”. In the second-round matchup with the top-seeded
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
, the Hurricanes ran out to a 3–1 lead before the Bruins battled back for two wins. In Game 7 in Boston, Scott Walker scored the game and series winner 18:46 into overtime to send Carolina to the Eastern Conference finals against the
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
. The Penguins, though, put a decisive end to the Hurricanes' string, sweeping the series 4–0 on the way to their own
Stanley Cup championship The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North Americ ...
. As a result of their surprise run, very few changes were made in the off-season. Veterans such as Aaron Ward, Andrew Alberts, and
Stephane Yelle Stephane may refer to: * Stéphane, a French given name * Stephane (Ancient Greece), a vestment in ancient Greece * Stephane (Paphlagonia) Stephane ( grc, Στεφάνη) was a small port town on the coast of ancient Paphlagonia, according to Arri ...
were brought in to help drive the team further, but things did not go according to plan. The Hurricanes experienced a 14-game losing streak spanning October and November, and midway through the year, the Hurricanes replaced their only post-lockout captain
Rod Brind'Amour Roderic Jean Brind'Amour (born August 9, 1970) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Brind'Amour played 20 seasons in the National H ...
with Eric Staal. Despite improved play during the second half of the season, they could not overcome the deficit from early on in the season. The Hurricanes would end up with the seventh overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, eventually selecting
Jeff Skinner Jeff is a masculine name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the English given name Jefferson or Jeffrey, which comes from a medieval variant of Geoffrey. Music * DJ Jazzy Jeff, American DJ/turntablist record producer Jeffrey Allen Townes * ...
from the
Kitchener Rangers The Kitchener Rangers are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. The Rangers have won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL ...
of the
Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
(OHL). Brind'Amour retired over the 2010 off-season to take a coaching job with the club. The 2010–11 season was widely expected to be a transitional year from the veteran-heavy, high-salary club that opened 2009–10 to a younger, cheaper base. The Hurricanes contended for a playoff slot for the entire season aided by Skinner's emergence as an offensive phenomenon who, as the youngest player in the league, would lead all rookies in points. Raleigh hosted the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in January, and Eric Staal captained a team he selected (opposite a team selected by the Detroit Red Wings'
Nicklas Lidstrom Nicklas is a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include the following: Given name Sports Football *Nicklas Bärkroth (born 1992), Swedish footballer * Nicklas Bergh (born 1982), Swedish footballer * Nicklas Carlsson (born 1979), ...
) that featured Skinner (the youngest All-Star in NHL history), Cam Ward, and (for the SuperSkills competition) defenseman
Jamie McBain James Michael McBain (born February 25, 1988) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). McBain was born in Edina, Minnesota, but grew up in Faribault, Minnesota. He attended college a ...
. The Hurricanes went into the final day of the season able to determine their own fate, but lost 6–2 to the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
to finish ninth in the East. Skinner was awarded the
Calder Memorial Trophy The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving as ...
as rookie of the year, the first player in franchise history to receive that honor. In December 2011, the Carolina Hurricanes fired coach Paul Maurice and hired Kirk Muller. On February 20, 2012, the Carolina Hurricanes signed Tim Gleason to a four-year, $16 million extension and two days later, on February 22, they also signed
Tuomo Ruutu Tuomo Iisakki Ruutu (born 16 February 1983) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey forward and current assistant coach with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League. Ruutu was drafted in the first round, ninth overall, at the 2 ...
to a four-year, $19 million extension. Two months later the Carolina Hurricanes announced that they had signed Jiri Tlusty to a two-year deal that would pay him $1.5 million for 2012–13 and $1.7 million for 2013–14 (Gleason and Tlusty would eventually be traded to the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
and the
Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, p ...
over the next few seasons). Despite the signings of Gleason, Ruutu, and Tlusty, the Hurricanes would finish fifth in the Southeast Division and twelfth in the Eastern Conference during the 2011–12 season, which forced them to miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season. On May 9, 2012, the 2006 Stanley Cup champions Carolina Hurricanes' Game 7 victory was recognized as one of the NC Hall of Fame's "Great Moments" series. During the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the Carolina Hurricanes traded
Brandon Sutter Brandon Sutter (born February 14, 1989) is an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing career Junior ...
,
Brian Dumoulin Brian Joseph Dumoulin (born September 6, 1991) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Dumoulin was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2nd round (51st overall) of ...
and their 2012 first round draft pick (
Derrick Pouliot Derrick Pouliot (born January 16, 1994) is a Canadians, Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the San Jose Barracuda in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). H ...
) to the Penguins in exchange for
Jordan Staal Jordan Staal (born September 10, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is regarded as a premier penalty-killer, both for his strong defensive skills a ...
, uniting the player with his older brother, Eric Staal. On March 25, 2013, the Hurricanes signed
Alexander Semin Alexander Valeryevich Semin (russian: Александр Валерьевич Сёмин, ; born 3 March 1984) is a Russian former professional ice hockey winger. He last played with HC Vityaz of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) the top leag ...
to a five-year deal, worth $35 million. However, in the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, the team would finish third in the Southeast Division and 13th in the Eastern Conference, which would make the team miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season after a strong start was cut short by an injury to starting goaltender Cam Ward.


Continued decline and relocation rumors (2013–2017)

Before the 2013–14 season, the Hurricanes were realigned into the new
Metropolitan Division The National Hockey League's Metropolitan Division (often referred to simply as the "Metro Division") was formed in 2013 as one of the two divisions in the Eastern Conference as part of a league realignment. It is also a successor of the original ...
. They would finish seventh in the division during the 2013–14 season (ahead of only the New York Islanders) and would miss the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, which prompted management to fire head coach Kirk Muller. In addition, longtime general manager Jim Rutherford was moved to an advisory role after the season with longtime Whalers/Hurricanes star Ron Francis announced as his replacement on April 28, 2014. On June 19, 2014, Bill Peters was named head coach, becoming the fifth head coach in franchise history. Peters' teams would not break the Hurricanes' playoff drought. During the 2014–15 season, the team finished last in the Metropolitan Division and would miss the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. After team captain Eric Staal was traded to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline, the team finished sixth in the division during the 2015–16 season. Things did not improve in the 2016–17 season. The Hurricanes finished seventh in the division, missing the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season. The Hurricanes also experienced uncertainty about their future in Raleigh during this time. Karmanos was looking to sell the team, something he'd been trying to do for years. Attendance at PNC Arena had declined at a consistent rate since 2009. It became so bad the team finished second-to-last in average attendance in 2014 and 2015. Rumors started circulating in 2015 that the Hurricanes were possible contenders to move to either
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
or
Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the metropolitan area had a population of 839,311. It is t ...
. The Quebec rumors in particular were widely reported, with the Hurricanes and the NHL both refuting the claims. Las Vegas would eventually gain an expansion team in the
Vegas Golden Knights The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expan ...
.


Tom Dundon and the "Bunch of Jerks" (2018–present)

Before the 2017–18 season, the Hurricanes unveiled new uniforms. On July 13, 2017, it was reported that Chuck Greenberg had sent Karmanos a letter of intent to buy the team for $500 million. Greenberg would ultimately back out of a deal. On December 7, 2017, it was announced that Thomas Dundon signed an agreement to purchase the Hurricanes, which ensured that the team would not be relocated. The deal was finalized on January 11, 2018, with Dundon becoming majority owner and having a 61 percent stake in the team, while Karmanos retained a minority interest. Dundon wasted little time in overhauling the Hurricanes' front office. On March 8, 2018, the team announced that general manager Ron Francis had been moved to the role of president of hockey operations. However,
Sportsnet Sportsnet is a Canadian English-language sports specialty channel owned by Rogers Sports & Media. It was established in 1998 as CTV Sportsnet, a joint venture between CTV, Liberty Media, and Rogers Media. CTV parent Bell Globemedia then ...
reporter
Elliotte Friedman Elliotte Friedman (born September 27, 1970) is a Canadian sports journalist. He currently serves as a hockey reporter for Sportsnet and as an insider for the NHL Network. He is a regular panelist on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Early life ...
reported that the "promotion" was likely in name only, noting that there were rumblings Francis and Dundon did not see "eye-to-eye". Subsequently, coach Bill Peters resigned from his position on April 20, 2018, to pursue a similar opportunity with the
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
(he ultimately replaced
Glen Gulutzan Glen Gulutzan (born August 12, 1971) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former player. He is currently an assistant coach for the Edmonton Oilers. Playing career Gulutzan played junior hockey with the Moose Jaw Warriors, Brandon Wheat Kings and ...
as the Flames' head coach three days later), and the Hurricanes officially fired Francis from the organization altogether on April 30, 2018, leaving vacancies in both the head coach and general manager positions. Early in the Hurricanes' search for a replacement general manager, it was reported that Dundon's salary offerings for the position could be prohibitive in attracting quality candidates. Sportsnet's
Nick Kypreos Nikos "Nick" Kypreos (born June 4, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played eight seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Hartford Whalers, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Lea ...
reported that the Hurricanes were offering "in the ballpark of $400,000 a year", a fraction of the salary figures of many other teams' coaches, let alone those of their general managers, who serve in a higher-ranking position. Leading up to Kypreos' report, candidates such as
Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
assistant general manager Paul Fenton, New Jersey Devils assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald, and
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
assistant general manager Mike Futa had all reportedly passed on the position. Ultimately, on May 8, 2018, the Hurricanes announced the hiring of former Atlanta Thrashers general manager
Don Waddell Donald Douglas Waddell (born August 19, 1958) is American professional ice hockey executive and former player. He is the president and general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes. Playing career Waddell was selected 111th overall, in the 1978 NH ...
as team president and general manager. Waddell had previously been serving as the team's interim general manager since the promotion of Francis. At the same time, it was announced that former team captain Rod Brind'Amour had been named head coach, after serving with the team as an assistant coach since 2011. On April 4, 2019, the Hurricanes won 3–1 over the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
, clinching a playoff spot for the first time since 2009 and only the second time since their Cup win. During their stretch run, the Hurricanes gained notice for their on-ice victory celebrations, which they called "Storm Surges." This led
Don Cherry Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator. Cherry played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, and later coached the team for five se ...
of ''
Hockey Night in Canada CBC Television has aired National Hockey League (NHL) broadcasts under the ''Hockey Night in Canada'' (often abbreviated ''Hockey Night'' or ''HNiC'') brand that is primarily associated with its Saturday night NHL broadcasts throughout its hi ...
'' to call the Hurricanes a "bunch of jerks." The Hurricanes adopted "Bunch of Jerks" as a battle cry, even going as far as projecting it on the ice at PNC Arena before and after games. During the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, on April 24, the Hurricanes defeated the defending 2018 Stanley Cup champions, the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
, 4–3 in double overtime in game seven, winning their first playoff series since 2009. The team would then go on to defeat the New York Islanders in four straight games in the second round, recording the first best-of-seven playoff series sweep in franchise history, and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2009. It was also the first time since 1993 that an opposing team (the Islanders), that swept their opponent in the first round, the
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
, would then go on to lose four straight and drop the series. This trend continued into the third round against the Hurricanes favor as they themselves were swept by the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
, thus losing the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals. On February 22, 2020, on the 40th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice, Hurricanes emergency goaltender
David Ayres David Ayres (; born August 12, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and current Head Coach of the Port Perry Lumberjacks of the Provincial Junior Hockey League. He achieved fame as the first emergency backup goaltender ...
became the first emergency goaltender in NHL history to win a game, a 6–3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team whose minor league affiliate he works for as a Zamboni driver and maintenance man. The season would come to an abrupt end on March 11 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. On August 3, 2020, Andrei Svechnikov became the first Hurricanes/Whalers player to score a hat trick in the postseason in a 4–1 win over the
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
. By beating the Rangers, the Hurricanes made the playoffs for a second straight season. However, they lost to the Bruins in five games. The loss also marked the first time since the 2001 playoffs that the Hurricanes lost in the first round. The 2020–21 season concluded with the Hurricanes winning the Central Division, their first division championship since winning the Southeast Division in 2006. It was also the first time since moving to Raleigh that they had qualified for the postseason three years in a row and the first time in the history of the franchise that a head coach had taken the team to the playoffs in three consecutive years. They defeated the Nashville Predators in the first round in six games, but lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round in five games. Defenseman
Jaccob Slavin Jaccob Scott Slavin (born May 1, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Slavin was selected by the Hurricanes in the fourth round, 120th ove ...
won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, notably only having two penalty minutes (PIM) for the entire season. Defenseman
Dougie Hamilton Douglas Jonathan Hamilton Jr. (born June 17, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played in the NHL for the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, and Ca ...
was named to NHL's All-Star second team, and goaltender
Alex Nedeljkovic Alexander Nedeljkovic ( ', born January 7, 1996) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nedeljkovic was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round (37th over ...
was named to NHL's All-Rookie team and placed third in the
Calder Memorial Trophy The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving as ...
voting, while head coach Brind'Amour was awarded the Jack Adams Award, being the first in Hartford/Carolina history to receive it. On June 30, 2021, it was announced that Tom Dundon had purchased all remaining minority shares in the team. The 2021 off-season saw the Hurricanes overhaul the roster, resulting in many players departing.
Warren Foegele Warren Foegele (born April 1, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who currently plays with the Edmonton Oilers in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the third-round, 67th overall, at th ...
was traded to Edmonton for
Ethan Bear Ethan Bear (born June 26, 1997) is an Indigenous Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the fifth round, 124th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2015 NHL ...
,
Ian Cole Ian Douglas Cole (born February 21, 1989) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Cole won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 201 ...
and Brendan Smith were signed to complement the depth on defense. The team also overhauled their goaltending, trading away
Alex Nedeljkovic Alexander Nedeljkovic ( ', born January 7, 1996) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nedeljkovic was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round (37th over ...
for a pick and signing
Frederik Andersen Frederik "Freddie" Andersen (born 2 October 1989) is a Danish professional ice hockey goaltender for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs. Andersen was a ...
and Antti Raanta as the new goalie tandem. In perhaps their most talked-about moves, the Hurricanes signed Tony DeAngelo and signed
Jesperi Kotkaniemi Jesperi Kotkaniemi (; born 6 July 2000) is a Finnish professional ice hockey center currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted third overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2018 NHL Entry D ...
to an offer sheet. The 2021–22 NHL season concluded with the Hurricanes winning the
Metropolitan Division The National Hockey League's Metropolitan Division (often referred to simply as the "Metro Division") was formed in 2013 as one of the two divisions in the Eastern Conference as part of a league realignment. It is also a successor of the original ...
for the first time in franchise history. This was the first time the Hurricanes had ever won division titles in back-to-back years since relocation. The Hurricanes finished the regular season with 54 wins, the most in franchise history. Andersen and Sebastian Aho each represented the team at the
2022 NHL All-Star Game The 2022 National Hockey League All-Star Game was held on February 5, 2022, at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, the home of the Vegas Golden Knights. For the sixth consecutive All-Star Game, a three-on-three format was used, with teams represe ...
. In the playoffs, the top-seeded Hurricanes defeated the Boston Bruins in the first round, before falling to the New York Rangers in seven games.


Logos and uniforms

The Hurricanes' primary logo has always been a stylized hurricane with a
storm warning At sea, a storm warning is a warning issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when winds between 48 knots (89 km/h, 55 mph) and 63 knots (117 km/h, 73 mph) are occurring or predicted to occur soon. The wi ...
flag on a hockey stick as the secondary logo. A stylized black triangle sat behind the flag, referencing the Triangle region. After the team's first season in 1997, the team altered the color scheme to a slightly darker shade of red and kept the other colors. The Carolina Hurricanes currently wear black uniforms at home and white uniforms on the road. While black is one of the team's core colors, until 2022, the Hurricanes kept its usage at a minimum, opting for red helmets and red pants while using black exclusively as a trim color along with silver. Nevertheless, the Hurricanes have worn black alternate uniforms for select games since 2007.


Original uniforms

The initial Hurricanes uniforms featured the primary logo in front with the secondary logo on the shoulders. One enduring feature of this uniform was the red and black storm warning flags that dot the tail along with silver, red, black and white stripes. In 2000, black trim was added on the player's name, and upon moving to
Reebok Reebok International Limited () is an American fitness footwear and clothing manufacturer that is a part of Authentic Brands Group. It was established in England in 1958 as a companion company to J.W. Foster and Sons, a sporting goods company ...
's Edge template in 2007, piping was added on the shoulder yoke. In 2008, the Hurricanes unveiled their first black alternate uniform, featuring the flag logo in front and the primary logo (recolored to dark grey) on the shoulders. As with the primary uniforms, warning flag patterns dot the tail, albeit recolored to silver and black. "V" stripes of red and silver accent the sleeves and socks.


New looks

In 2013, the Hurricanes replaced their primary uniforms with a new set. The biggest changes for these uniforms included the omission of black and silver. On the red uniform, black was relegated exclusively to the neck piping, letter trim and logo, while on the white uniform, it was featured more prominently on the numbers and striping. Silver was almost completely removed from both the red and white uniforms except for the logo outline. In addition, a red nameplate with white letters and black trim was placed near the red shoulder yoke of the white uniforms. Both sets removed the flag logo and warning flag patterns while letters were updated to Univers Condensed font. The front logo also reduced in size compared to the prior set. Despite these changes, the Hurricanes continued to wear the prior black alternate uniform with this new set. Upon moving to
Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...
' AdiZero template in 2017, the Hurricanes made little changes to their white uniform. However, their new red uniform brought back a few elements from the original set, including black striping and the warning flag pattern (now recolored with a dark red shade) on the tail. In 2018, the Hurricanes unveiled a new black alternate uniform, featuring an updated flag logo corrected to a hurricane warning flag. This flag logo also became the new additional logo. On the dark grey shoulder yoke, the primary logo was placed on the right while the
Flag of North Carolina The flag of the state of North Carolina, often referred to as the North Carolina flag, N.C. flag, or North Star, is the state flag of the U.S. state of North Carolina. History First flag (1861–1865) North Carolina did not have an offic ...
was added to the left. Both logos were recolored in black and grey. The logo also features the state of North Carolina in the negative space between the flags. This alternate has since become the Hurricanes' primary home uniform during the playoffs. Also in 2018, the Hurricanes began wearing green "Heritage" uniforms from the team's Hartford years. In its first season, the throwbacks were used twice, both against the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
; for the 2019–20 season, the Hurricanes wore them once at home against the
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
, and in the 2021–22 season, they wore them once against the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
. During home games with the Whalers uniforms, the
Brass Bonanza The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to 1 ...
theme would be played after the horn. In 2019, a new white uniform was released, replacing the one worn since 2013. This new uniform featured the "CANES" nickname written diagonally in front with the flag logo returning on the shoulders. The warning flag patterns and red letters with black trim also returned from the original set. The new uniform came at the behest of owner Tom Dundon, who was not a fan of the previous white uniform. For the 2020–21 season, the Hurricanes would wear a "Reverse Retro" uniform, using the template of the 1980s Whalers uniforms but with a grey base - grey being the only color used by both teams - as a nod to the 1992–97 uniforms. The Hurricanes have not worn variants of their uniforms often. On April 5, 2022, the Hurricanes wore their alternate black pants with the white road uniforms for the first time in a game against the
Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
. Two nights later, also against the Sabres, the Hurricanes paired their alternate black helmets and pants with the primary red home uniform. In August 2022, the Hurricanes officially promoted their black uniform to their full time home uniform. They also brought back the original 1997–2007 red uniform as an alternate in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the franchise in Carolina. Later that year, the Hurricanes unveiled their second "Reverse Retro" uniform, this time using a red version of the "CANES" diagonal wordmark uniform.


Minor league affiliates


AHL/IHL

* 1979–1980:
Springfield Indians The Springfield Indians were a minor professional ice hockey franchise, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The Indians were founding members of the American Hockey League. They were in existe ...
* 1980–1990:
Binghamton Whalers The Binghamton Whalers were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, playing in Binghamton, New York, USA, at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. History The Whalers were generally a successful team, making the playoffs seven ti ...
* 1990–1994:
Springfield Indians The Springfield Indians were a minor professional ice hockey franchise, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The Indians were founding members of the American Hockey League. They were in existe ...
* 1994–1997:
Springfield Falcons The Springfield Falcons were a former ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) and played in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center. In 2016, the Falcons' franchise was purchased by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Ar ...
* 1997–1999:
Beast of New Haven The Beast of New Haven were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League in the 1997–98 and 1998–99 seasons. The team was based in New Haven, Connecticut, and played at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which was demolished in 2007. The Be ...
* 1999–2001: Cincinnati Cyclones * 2001–2006:
Lowell Lock Monsters The Lowell Devils were a minor ice hockey team in the American Hockey League playing in Lowell, Massachusetts, at the Tsongas Center. As their name implied, they were the top minor league affiliate of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey L ...
* 2006–2010: Albany River Rats * 2010–2020:
Charlotte Checkers The Charlotte Checkers are a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the top minor league affi ...
* 2020–present:
Chicago Wolves The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League and are the top minor-league affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the C ...


ECHL

* 1998–2019:
Florida Everblades The Florida Everblades are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Estero, Florida, in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metropolitan area. They play in the ECHL and are affiliated with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (N ...
* 2019–2020:
Greenville Swamp Rabbits The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are a professional ice hockey team located in Greenville, South Carolina. They play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference and play their home games at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in downtown Gr ...
* 2021−present:
Norfolk Admirals Norfolk Admirals has been the name of two professional ice hockey franchises: * Norfolk Admirals (AHL), a team which played in the American Hockey League from 2000 to 2015 *Norfolk Admirals (ECHL) The Norfolk Admirals are a professional ice hock ...


Season-by-season record

''This is a list of the last five seasons completed by the Hurricanes. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Carolina Hurricanes seasons'' ''Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''


Players and personnel


Current roster


Retired numbers

The Hurricanes also honor three numbers within the organization, but do not display their banners publicly: * 3 –
Steve Chiasson Steven Joseph Chiasson (April 14, 1967 – May 3, 1999) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman with the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, Hartford Whalers and Carolina Hurricanes. Chiasson died in an automobile accident, w ...
(D, 1997–1999), who died in an automobile accident immediately after the 1998–99 season * 9 –
Gordie Howe Gordon Howe (March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. From 1946 to 1980, he played 26 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first 25 seaso ...
(RW, 1977–1980) * 63 –
Josef Vasicek Josef may refer to *Josef (given name) *Josef (surname) Josef is the surname of the following people: * Jens Josef (born 1967), German composer of classical music, a flutist and academic teacher * Michelle Josef (born 1954), Canadian musician and tr ...
(F, 2000–2006), who died in the 2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash Besides the above numbers,
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
's No. 99 was retired for all the NHL's member teams at the
2000 NHL All-Star Game The 2000 NHL All-Star Game was the 50th All-Star Game in the National Hockey League. It took place on February 6, 2000, at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, home to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 1st NHL All-Star Game took place in 1947 and was also ho ...
. Notes: * 1 When the Whalers moved to North Carolina to begin the 1997–98 NHL season, they returned the previously retired #2 for
Rick Ley Rick may refer to: People *Rick (given name), a list of people with the given name *Alan Rick (born 1976), Brazilian politician, journalist, pastor and television personality *Johannes Rick (1869–1946), Austrian-born Brazilian priest and mycol ...
(D, 1972–1981) and #19 for John McKenzie (RW, 1977–1979) to circulation, while retaining Howe's #9 without public display. Wesley (who wore No. 20 in Hartford) was the only Hurricane to wear #2 prior to its re-retirement; #19 has been issued to several players since the move.


Team captains

''Note: This list of team
captains Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
does not include captains from the
Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...
(
NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
) and
New England Whalers New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...
( WHA).'' *
Kevin Dineen Kevin William Dineen (born October 28, 1963) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. , Dineen is the head coach of the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League (AHL). Dineen previously served as the head coach for the Fl ...
, 1997–1998 *
Keith Primeau Keith David Primeau (born November 24, 1971) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers. ...
, 1998–1999 * Ron Francis, 1999–2004 *
Rod Brind'Amour Roderic Jean Brind'Amour (born August 9, 1970) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Brind'Amour played 20 seasons in the National H ...
, 2005–2010 *
Eric Staal Eric Craig Staal (born October 29, 1984) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Buffalo S ...
, 2010–2016 *
Justin Faulk Justin Michael Faulk (born March 20, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Carolina Hurricanes for the first eight year ...
and Jordan Staal, 2017–2018 (co-captains) *
Justin Williams Justin Craig Williams (born October 4, 1981) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey right winger. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings, and Washingto ...
, 2018–2019 *
Jordan Staal Jordan Staal (born September 10, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is regarded as a premier penalty-killer, both for his strong defensive skills a ...
, 2019–present


Hall of Famers

*
Paul Coffey Paul Douglas Coffey (born June 1, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played for nine teams over 21 seasons in the National Hockey League. Known for his speed and scoring prowess, Coffey ranks second all-time among ...
spent one and a half seasons in Carolina near the end of his career (as well as, two seasons prior, 20 games in Hartford). He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004. * Ron Francis captained the team in both Hartford and Carolina and spent 15 years with the franchise overall as a player before joining its staff in 2006. He was inducted in 2007. *
Mark Recchi Mark Louis Recchi (; born February 1, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former assistant coach. Recchi played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, ...
played for the team at the end of the 2005–06 season after being traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was inducted in 2017. *
Jim Rutherford James Earl Rutherford (born February 17, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and front office executive. He is the president of hockey operations of the Vancouver Canucks. Prior to his position with the Canucks, Ruther ...
was the President and General Manager in both Hartford and Carolina from 1994 to 2014. He was inducted in 2019. Six members of the Hockey Hall of Fame played for the team before the move to North Carolina:
Gordie Howe Gordon Howe (March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. From 1946 to 1980, he played 26 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first 25 seaso ...
,
Mark Howe Mark Steven Howe (born 28 May 1955) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman and left winger who played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) following six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA). He is curr ...
,
Dave Keon David Michael Keon (born March 22, 1940) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He played professionally from 1960 to 1982, including 15 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986. Ke ...
,
Bobby Hull Robert Marvin Hull OC (born January 3, 1939) is a Canadian former ice hockey player who is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His blonde hair, skating speed, end-to-end rushes, and ability to shoot the puck at very high veloc ...
,
Brendan Shanahan Brendan Frederick Shanahan (born January 23, 1969) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player who currently serves as the president and alternate governor for the Toronto Maple Leafs, having previously served as the direct ...
, and
Chris Pronger Christopher Robert Pronger ( or ; born October 10, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman and a former advisor to the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Originally selected second overall by the Hartford ...
. In addition, longtime franchise radio play-by-play announcer Chuck Kaiton received the
Foster Hewitt Memorial Award The Foster Hewitt Memorial Award is an annual accolade honoring a member of the ice hockey broadcasting world. It was named for the Canadian hockey radio broadcaster and newspaper journalist Foster Hewitt, and it has been presented every year at a ...
in 2004, an honor granted by the Hall of Fame.


Broadcasters

The regional broadcasting rights for the Carolina Hurricanes is presently held by Bally Sports South.
Color commentary A color commentator or expert commentator is a sports commentator who assists the main (play-by-play) commentator, typically by filling in when play is not in progress. The phrase "colour commentator" is primarily used in Canadian English and the ...
for Bally Sports' broadcast is performed by Tripp Tracy or former player Shane Willis, while
play-by-play In sports broadcasting, a sports commentator (also known as sports announcer or sportscaster) provides a real-time commentary of a game or event, usually during a live broadcast, traditionally delivered in the historical present tense. Radio was ...
is provided by Mike Maniscalso. Chuck Kaiton was the team's radio play-by-play announcer from 1979 to 2018, dating to the team's days in Hartford. On the television side,
John Forslund John Forslund is an American sports announcer who is the television play-by-play announcer of the Seattle Kraken. He had previously filled the same role for the Carolina Hurricanes and was with the team since 1991 (when the team was the Hartford W ...
was the play-by-play voice of the franchise starting in 1995, but left prior to the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs and has since moved to
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
and later with the
Seattle Kraken The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and began play during the league's 2021–22 season. ...
. Since the 2018–19 season, the Hurricanes have simulcasted audio from the television broadcasts to a network of four stations fronted by
WCMC-FM WCMC-FM (99.9 MHz) is a sports radio station based in Raleigh, North Carolina and licensed to nearby Holly Springs. Its studios are located in north Raleigh along with WRAL-FM, an adult contemporary music station, two sports talk stations ...
in Raleigh. Hurricanes games can also be heard on
WWNB WWNB (1490 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports format and affiliated to ESPN Radio. Licensed to New Bern, North Carolina, United States. The station is currently owned by CTC Media Group. WWNB used to simulcast on WAVQ/1400 in Jackso ...
in New Bern,
WECU WECU (1570 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Licensed to Winterville, North Carolina, United States, it serves the Greenville area. The station is currently owned by CTC Media Group and operated by New Lite Media. History ...
in Greenville, and WZGV in Charlotte.


First-round draft picks

''Note: This list does not include selections of the
Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...
.'' * 1997:
Nikos Tselios Nikos Tselios ( gr, Νίκος Τσέλιος; born January 20, 1979) is a Greek-American former professional ice hockey defenseman. Tselios became the first draft pick in the history of the Carolina Hurricanes when he was selected 22nd overall i ...
(22nd overall) * 1998: Jeff Heerema (11th overall) * 1999:
David Tanabe David Michael Tanabe (born July 19, 1980) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. Tanabe was drafted in the first round, 16th overall, by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. After being forced into early retirem ...
(16th overall) * 2000: ''none'' * 2001:
Igor Knyazev Igor Knyazev (born 27 January 1983 in Elektrostal, Soviet Union) is a Russian ice hockey defenceman. Knyazev was drafted in the first-round, 15th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He spent two seasons in the American ...
(15th overall) * 2002: Cam Ward (25th overall) * 2003:
Eric Staal Eric Craig Staal (born October 29, 1984) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Buffalo S ...
(2nd overall) * 2004:
Andrew Ladd Andrew Joseph Ladd (born December 12, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers, Winn ...
(4th overall) * 2005: Jack Johnson (3rd overall) *
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
: ''none'' * 2007:
Brandon Sutter Brandon Sutter (born February 14, 1989) is an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing career Junior ...
(11th overall) * 2008:
Zach Boychuk Zachary Boychuk (born October 4, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently playing for Eisbären Berlin in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round, 14th overall, i ...
(14th overall) * 2009: Philippe Paradis (27th overall) * 2010:
Jeff Skinner Jeff is a masculine name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the English given name Jefferson or Jeffrey, which comes from a medieval variant of Geoffrey. Music * DJ Jazzy Jeff, American DJ/turntablist record producer Jeffrey Allen Townes * ...
(7th overall) * 2011: Ryan Murphy (12th overall) * 2012: ''none'' *
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
:
Elias Lindholm Elias Viktor Zebulon Lindholm (born 2 December 1994) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player and an alternate captain for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round (5 ...
(5th overall) * 2014:
Haydn Fleury Haydn Fleury (born July 8, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Fleury was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2014 NHL ...
(7th overall) * 2015:
Noah Hanifin Noah Hanifin (born January 25, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Carolina Hurricanes, who drafted him fifth overall in the 2015 NHL ...
(5th overall) * 2016:
Jake Bean Jake Bean (born June 9, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Bean was drafted in the first round, 13th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft b ...
(13th overall),
Julien Gauthier Julien Gauthier (born October 15, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Gauthier was drafted 21st overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He ha ...
(21st overall) * 2017:
Martin Necas Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austral ...
(12th overall) * 2018: Andrei Svechnikov (2nd overall) * 2019: Ryan Suzuki (28th overall) *
2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
:
Seth Jarvis Seth Jarvis (born February 1, 2002) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Jarvis was selected 13th overall by the Hurricanes in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Early life Jarvis w ...
(13th overall) *
2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
: ''none'' *
2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
: ''none''


NHL awards and trophies

Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
* 2005–06
Prince of Wales Trophy The Prince of Wales Trophy, also known as the Wales Trophy, is a team award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL). Named for Prince Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII and then Duke of Windsor), it has been awarded for diffe ...
* 2001–02, 2005–06
Conn Smythe Trophy The Conn Smythe Trophy (french: Trophée Conn Smythe) is awarded annually to the most valuable player (MVP) of his team during the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs. It is named after Conn Smythe, the longtime owner, general ma ...
* Cam Ward: 2005–06
Frank J. Selke Trophy The Frank J. Selke Trophy, or simply the Selke Trophy, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey W ...
*
Rod Brind'Amour Roderic Jean Brind'Amour (born August 9, 1970) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Brind'Amour played 20 seasons in the National H ...
: 2005–06, 2006–07
King Clancy Memorial Trophy The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is a sports award given annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. The ...
* Ron Francis: 2001–02 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy * Ron Francis: 2001–02 *
Jaccob Slavin Jaccob Scott Slavin (born May 1, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Slavin was selected by the Hurricanes in the fourth round, 120th ove ...
:
2020–21 The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...
Lester Patrick Trophy The Lester Patrick Trophy has been presented by the National Hockey League and USA Hockey since 1966 to honor a recipient's contribution to ice hockey in the United States. It is considered a non-NHL trophy because it may be awarded to players, c ...
*
Peter Karmanos Jr. Peter Karmanos Jr. (born March 11, 1943) is an American businessman who was most recently the minority owner and alternate governor of the Carolina Hurricanes franchise until June 30, 2021. He served as their principal owner from 1994 (when the Hu ...
: 1997–98
Calder Memorial Trophy The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving as ...
*
Jeff Skinner Jeff is a masculine name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the English given name Jefferson or Jeffrey, which comes from a medieval variant of Geoffrey. Music * DJ Jazzy Jeff, American DJ/turntablist record producer Jeffrey Allen Townes * ...
: 2010–11 Jack Adams Award *
Rod Brind'Amour Roderic Jean Brind'Amour (born August 9, 1970) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Brind'Amour played 20 seasons in the National H ...
:
2020–21 The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...
William M. Jennings Trophy The William M. Jennings Trophy is an annual National Hockey League (NHL) award given to "the goaltender(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it ... based on regular-season play." From 1946 until ...
*
Frederik Andersen Frederik "Freddie" Andersen (born 2 October 1989) is a Danish professional ice hockey goaltender for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs. Andersen was a ...
: 2021–22 * Antti Raanta: 2021–22


Statistics


Franchise scoring leaders

These are the top-ten point-scorers in franchise (Hartford and Carolina) history. Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season. * – current Hurricanes player ''Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game''


Franchise records

''Note: these records include those from the Hartford Whalers.''


Individual

* Most goals in a season:
Blaine Stoughton Blaine A. Stoughton (born March 13, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played twelve professional seasons. Stoughton played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple L ...
, 56 (1979–80) * Most assists in a season: Ron Francis, 69 (1989–90) * Most points in a season: Mike Rogers, 105 (1979–80, 1980–81) * Most penalty minutes in a season: Torrie Robertson, 358 (1985–86) * Most points in a season, defenseman:
Mark Howe Mark Steven Howe (born 28 May 1955) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman and left winger who played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) following six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA). He is curr ...
, 80 (1979–80) * Most points in a season, rookie:
Sylvain Turgeon Joseph Sylvain Dorilla Turgeon (born January 17, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 669 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing career Turgeon was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the 1983 NHL En ...
, 72 (1983–84) * Fastest hat trick: Ray Whitney, 1 minute 40 seconds, February 8, 2007, vs.
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
* Most shots on goal in one game:
Jeff Skinner Jeff is a masculine name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the English given name Jefferson or Jeffrey, which comes from a medieval variant of Geoffrey. Music * DJ Jazzy Jeff, American DJ/turntablist record producer Jeffrey Allen Townes * ...
, 13 (2014) * Most hat tricks in a season:
Eric Staal Eric Craig Staal (born October 29, 1984) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Buffalo S ...
, 4 (2008–09) * Most wins in a season: Cam Ward, 39 (2008–09) * Most shutouts in a season: Arturs Irbe (1998–99, 2000–01);
Kevin Weekes Kevin Weekes (born April 4, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 348 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is now a studio analyst for NHL Networks' ''On the Fly'', '' NHL Tonight'', and ESPN's The Po ...
(2003–04); Cam Ward (2008–09), 6 * Most career post-season goals: Eric Staal, 18 * Most career post-season points: Eric Staal, 40 * Most points in one post-season: Eric Staal, 28 (2006) * Most shutouts in one post-season: Kevin Weekes (2002); Cam Ward (2006, 2009); Petr Mrazek (2019), 2


Team

* Most wins in a season: 54 (2021–22) * Most points in a season: 116 (2021–22) * Most consecutive wins: 9 (2005–06 (twice), 2008–09, 2021–22) * Most consecutive home wins: 12 (2008–09) *Most consecutive penalties killed: 36 (Nov. 8—24, 2000 (twice), Dec. 21, 2014—Jan. 19, 2015) * Best shot differential in a game: 45 (57–12), April 7, 2009, vs. New York Islanders


References


External links

* {{Authority control National Hockey League teams 1997 establishments in North Carolina Ice hockey clubs established in 1972 Ice hockey teams in North Carolina Metropolitan Division Sports in Raleigh, North Carolina