Carolina Hurricanes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carolina Hurricanes
Conference	Eastern
Division	Metropolitan
Founded	1972
History	New England Whalers 1972–1979 (WHA) Hartford Whalers 1979–1997 (NHL) Carolina Hurricanes 1997–present
Home arena	Lenovo Center
City	Raleigh, North Carolina
Colors	Black, red, gray, white
Media	Television TBD Radio ESPN The Fan (99.9 FM) The Buzz (620 AM) ESPN Greenville (107.5 FM/1570 AM) ESPN New Bern (103.9 FM/1490 AM) Inside the Game (730 AM)
Owner(s)	Tom Dundon (majority)
General manager	Eric Tulsky
Head coach	Rod Brind'Amour
Captain	Jordan Staal
Minor league affiliates	Chicago Wolves (AHL) Greensboro Gargoyles (ECHL)
Stanley Cups	2 (2005–06, 2025–26)
Conference championships	3 (2001–02, 2005–06, 2025–26)
Presidents' Trophies	0
Division championships	7 (1998–99, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2025–26)

The Carolina Hurricanes, often called the Canes, are a professional ice hockey team. They are based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes play in the National Hockey League (NHL). They are part of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at the Lenovo Center.

The team started in 1971 as the New England Whalers. They were part of the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Whalers quickly found success. They won the Eastern Division in the WHA's first three seasons. They also became the first Avco World Trophy champions in 1973. The Whalers joined the NHL in 1979. They changed their name to the Hartford Whalers. In 1997, the team moved to North Carolina. They rebranded themselves as the Hurricanes. Carolina reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 2002. They won their first Stanley Cup in 2006 against the Edmonton Oilers. The Hurricanes won their second Stanley Cup in 2026, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Hurricanes' Journey: From Whalers to Champions

Early Days as the New England Whalers (1971–1997)

The New England Whalers began in November 1971. They were a new team in the World Hockey Association (WHA). For their first two years, they played in Boston, Massachusetts. It became hard to schedule games there. So, the owners moved the team to Hartford, Connecticut, in 1974. They played their first game in Hartford in 1975. The team stayed there until 1997.

The original Hartford Whalers logo.

The Whalers joined the NHL in 1979. This happened when the WHA merged with the NHL. They had to change their name to the Hartford Whalers. This was because of the Boston Bruins, another NHL team nearby. The Whalers were not as successful in the NHL. They only had three winning seasons. Their best years were in the mid-1980s. They won their only playoff series in 1986. They reached the playoffs for the last time in 1992.

Moving to North Carolina and Becoming the Hurricanes (1997–2001)

The Whalers faced challenges in Hartford. It was the smallest market in the league. The arena was also one of the smallest. In 1997, owner Peter Karmanos Jr. announced the team would move. They needed a new arena. On May 6, 1997, Karmanos shared the news. The Whalers would move to the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. Their new home would be in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Karmanos chose the new name, the Carolina Hurricanes. The team changed its colors. They went from blue, green, and silver to black and red. These colors matched North Carolina State University. The new arena in Raleigh was not ready yet. So, the Hurricanes played their first two seasons in Greensboro. This was about 90 minutes away from Raleigh.

Playing in Greensboro was difficult. Fans from Raleigh found it too far to travel. Fans in Greensboro did not fully support the team. Attendance was often low. Despite these challenges, the Hurricanes played well. They finished last in their division in their first year. In 1999, their performance improved. They had their first winning season since 1992. They also won the newly formed Southeast Division. Tragedy struck after their first-round loss. Defenseman Steve Chiasson passed away in a car accident.

The team finally moved to their new arena in Raleigh in 1999. They were the first major sports team to play in Raleigh. In 2000–01, the Hurricanes made the playoffs. They faced the defending champions, the New Jersey Devils. The Devils won the series in six games. Even with the loss, fans gave Carolina a standing ovation. This showed the city was starting to embrace the team.

Reaching the Stanley Cup Final and Winning it All (2001–2006)

The Hurricanes made a big impact in the 2002 playoffs. They won their division. They then surprised many by defeating the New Jersey Devils. Goaltenders Arturs Irbe and Kevin Weekes played very well. They won two games in overtime. Their next challenge was the Montreal Canadiens. Carolina won a thrilling Game 4 in overtime. This game became known as the "Miracle at Molson". The Hurricanes then won the series.

In the conference finals, Carolina met the Toronto Maple Leafs. In Game 6, Martin Gelinas scored in overtime. This sent the team to their first Stanley Cup Final! Fans showed huge support. They met the team at the airport. They also held big tailgate parties before games. The arena was called "the loudest building in the NHL".

In the Stanley Cup Final, Carolina played the Detroit Red Wings. The Hurricanes won Game 1 in overtime. But Detroit came back to win the next four games. Game 3 in Raleigh was a triple-overtime thriller. Detroit won that game.

Eric Staal was drafted by the Hurricanes in 2003. He became team captain in 2010.

The Hurricanes struggled in the next two seasons. They finished last in the league in 2002–03. Coach Paul Maurice was replaced by Peter Laviolette in 2003. One positive outcome was drafting Eric Staal in 2003.

Stanley Cup Champions in 2006

After a league-wide lockout, the Hurricanes had an amazing season. They finished with 52 wins and 112 points. This was their best record ever. It was also the first time they reached 50 wins and 100 points. They won their third Southeast Division title. Fan attendance grew, and the team made a profit.

In the playoffs, they lost the first two games to the Montreal Canadiens. Coach Laviolette changed goalies. Rookie Cam Ward took over. This was a great decision! The Hurricanes won the series. They then beat the New Jersey Devils in five games.

In the conference finals, they faced the Buffalo Sabres. The series was tough. In the deciding Game 7, the Hurricanes rallied. They scored three goals in the third period. Rod Brind'Amour scored the winning goal. This sent them to the Stanley Cup Final again!

The Hurricanes celebrate after winning Game 7 of the 2006 Stanley Cup Final.

The Stanley Cup Final was against the Edmonton Oilers. Carolina won Game 1 in a comeback. They then won Game 2 with a 5–0 shutout. The Oilers fought back, winning Games 3, 5, and 6. In the exciting Game 7, the Hurricanes won 3–1. They sealed their first Stanley Cup championship! Cam Ward won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs' most valuable player. Many players, like Rod Brind'Amour and Glen Wesley, won the Cup for the first time. This was North Carolina's first major professional sports title.

Challenges and Changes (2006–2017)

After their championship, the Hurricanes faced difficulties. They missed the playoffs in the next two seasons. This was unusual for a defending champion. In 2008–09, coach Peter Laviolette was replaced by Paul Maurice again. The team made a strong comeback. They acquired Jussi Jokinen and Erik Cole. They finished sixth in the Eastern Conference.

In 2009, the Hurricanes acquired Jussi Jokinen through a trade.

The 2009 playoffs were full of drama. Jussi Jokinen scored a game-winning goal with 0.2 seconds left. This was a record! In Game 7 against the Devils, the Hurricanes made a huge comeback. They scored two goals in the final two minutes. Eric Staal scored the winning goal. This became known as the "Shock at the Rock". They then beat the Boston Bruins in Game 7 overtime. They reached the conference finals. However, the Pittsburgh Penguins swept them 4–0.

The next season, the team struggled early. Eric Staal became the new captain. They drafted Jeff Skinner in 2010. He became a star rookie. Raleigh hosted the 2011 NHL All-Star Game. Skinner won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year.

Jeff Skinner won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2011.

In 2011, Paul Maurice was fired. Kirk Muller became the new coach. The team missed the playoffs for several seasons. In 2012, they traded for Jordan Staal, Eric's brother. Despite some good players, they continued to miss the playoffs.

Bill Peters coached the Hurricanes from 2014 to 2018.

In 2014, Bill Peters became head coach. The team continued to miss the playoffs. There were rumors about the team moving. Owner Karmanos was looking to sell. Attendance had declined. However, the team stayed in Raleigh.

Second Stanley Cup (2017–Present)

In 2017, Thomas Dundon bought the Hurricanes. This ensured the team would stay in North Carolina. Dundon quickly made changes. Don Waddell became the general manager. Former captain Rod Brind'Amour was named head coach in 2018.

Rod Brind'Amour became head coach in 2018. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2021.

On April 4, 2019, the Hurricanes made the playoffs. This was their first time since 2009! They became known for their fun post-game celebrations. These were called "Storm Surges".

In the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, they defeated the defending champions, the Washington Capitals. They won in double overtime in Game 7. They then swept the New York Islanders. This was their first playoff series sweep ever. They reached the conference finals but were swept by the Boston Bruins.

In 2020, emergency goaltender David Ayres made history. He became the first emergency goalie to win an NHL game. This was a 6–3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hurricanes made the playoffs again. They lost to the Bruins.

The 2020–21 season was a success. The Hurricanes won the Central Division. This was their first division title since 2006. They made the playoffs for three years in a row. They beat the Nashville Predators. They then lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Defenseman Jaccob Slavin won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. Coach Brind'Amour won the Jack Adams Award.

The 2021 off-season saw many roster changes. The team brought in new goalies, Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta. The 2021–22 season saw the Hurricanes win the Metropolitan Division. This was a first for the franchise. They had 54 wins, a new team record. They defeated the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. They then lost to the New York Rangers in seven games.

In the following season, the Hurricanes won their division again. In the 2023 playoffs, they beat the New York Islanders and the New Jersey Devils. However, they were swept by the Florida Panthers in the conference finals.

The 2023–24 season saw the Hurricanes finish second in their division. They defeated the Islanders in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. They then lost to the Rangers in six games. In the next season, they finished second again. They beat the Devils and the Capitals in the playoffs. They reached the conference finals but were eliminated by the Panthers.

The 2025–26 season was historic. The Hurricanes finished first in the Metropolitan Division. In the 2026 playoffs, they swept the Ottawa Senators. They then swept the Philadelphia Flyers. This was the first time an NHL team went undefeated in the first two rounds since 1987! The Hurricanes won the conference finals in five games. They advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. They won their second Stanley Cup, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 4–2.

Team Logos and Uniforms

The Hurricanes' main logo is a stylized hurricane. It features a storm warning flag on a hockey stick. A black triangle behind the flag represents the Triangle region. The team's colors are black, red, gray, and white.

The Hurricanes currently wear black uniforms at home. They wear white uniforms on the road. Black became their main home color in 2022. They also have worn red alternate uniforms.

Uniform History

The first Hurricanes uniforms had the main logo on the front. The flag logo was on the shoulders. They featured red and black storm warning flags on the tail. In 2008, they introduced their first black alternate uniform. It had the flag logo on the front.

In 2013, the team updated their primary uniforms. They used less black and silver. The flag logo and warning flag patterns were removed. In 2017, they made small changes to their white uniform. Their new red uniform brought back black stripes and the warning flag pattern.

In 2018, a new black alternate uniform was unveiled. It featured an updated hurricane warning flag logo. This flag logo also became a new secondary logo. It includes the shape of North Carolina. This black uniform is now their main home uniform during the playoffs.

In 2019, a new white uniform was released. It had "CANES" written diagonally on the front. The flag logo returned to the shoulders. This new uniform was requested by owner Tom Dundon.

The Hurricanes sometimes mix and match their uniform parts. For example, they have worn black pants with white road uniforms. They also started wearing red helmets with their white road uniforms.

Whalers Heritage Uniforms

Since 2018, the Hurricanes have worn special green "Heritage" uniforms. These uniforms are from the team's Hartford Whalers days. They wear them for a few games each season. When they wear these uniforms at home, the old "Brass Bonanza" theme song plays.

For the 2020–21 season, they wore a "Reverse Retro" uniform. It used the 1980s Whalers design but with a grey color. This honored the team's history. In 2023–24, they brought back the white version of the Whalers uniform. They even wore special long pants during warmups as a tribute.

Minor League Teams

The Carolina Hurricanes have teams in smaller leagues. These teams help develop new players.

AHL/IHL Affiliates

• 1979–1980: Springfield Indians
• 1980–1990: Binghamton Whalers
• 1990–1994: Springfield Indians
• 1994–1997: Springfield Falcons
• 1997–1999: Beast of New Haven
• 1999–2001: Cincinnati Cyclones
• 2001–2006: Lowell Lock Monsters
• 2006–2010: Albany River Rats
• 2010–2020: Charlotte Checkers
• 2020–2023: Chicago Wolves
• 2023–2024: None
• 2024–present: Chicago Wolves

ECHL Affiliates

• 1998–2019: Florida Everblades
• 2019–2020: Greenville Swamp Rabbits
• 2021−2023: Norfolk Admirals
• 2024–2025: Bloomington Bison
• 2025–present: Greensboro Gargoyles

Season Records: How the Hurricanes Played

This table shows the Hurricanes' performance in their last five seasons.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Players and Team Staff

Current Roster

Updated December 23, 2022

#	Nat	Player	Pos	S/G	Age	Acquired	Birthplace
20		Aho, SebastianSebastian Aho (A)	C	L	28	2015	Rauma, Finland
31		Andersen, FrederikFrederik Andersen	G	L	36	2021	Herning, Denmark
8		Burns, BrentBrent Burns	D	R	41	2022	Barrie, Ontario
5		Chatfield, JalenJalen Chatfield	D	R	30	2021	Ypsilanti, Michigan
15		Coghlan, DylanDylan Coghlan	D	R	28	2022	Duncan, British Columbia
44		de Haan, CalvinCalvin de Haan	D	L	35	2022	Carp, Ontario
71		Fast, JesperJesper Fast	RW	R	34	2020	Nässjö, Sweden
51		Gardiner, JakeJake Gardiner	D	L	35	2019	Minneapolis, Minnesota
24		Jarvis, SethSeth Jarvis	C	R	24	2020	Winnipeg, Manitoba
73		Kase, OndrejOndrej Kase	RW	R	30	2022	Kadan, Czech Republic
52		Kochetkov, PyotrPyotr Kochetkov	G	L	27	2019	Penza, Russia
82		Kotkaniemi, JesperiJesperi Kotkaniemi	C	L	25	2021	Pori, Finland
48		Martinook, JordanJordan Martinook (A)	LW	L	33	2018	Brandon, Manitoba
88		Necas, MartinMartin Necas	C	R	27	2017	Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic
23		Noesen, StefanStefan Noesen	RW	R	33	2021	Plano, Texas
67		Pacioretty, MaxMax Pacioretty	LW	L	37	2022	New Canaan, Connecticut
22		Pesce, BrettBrett Pesce	D	R	31	2013	Tarrytown, New York
32		Raanta, AnttiAntti Raanta	G	L	37	2021	Rauma, Finland
76		Skjei, BradyBrady Skjei	D	L	32	2020	Lakeville, Minnesota
74		Slavin, JaccobJaccob Slavin (A)	D	L	32	2012	Denver, Colorado
11		Staal, JordanJordan Staal (C)	C	L	37	2012	Thunder Bay, Ontario
26		Stastny, PaulPaul Stastny	C	L	40	2022	Quebec City, Quebec
21		Stepan, DerekDerek Stepan	C	R	36	2021	Hastings, Minnesota
37		Svechnikov, AndreiAndrei Svechnikov	RW	L	26	2018	Barnaul, Russia
86		Teravainen, TeuvoTeuvo Teravainen	LW	L	31	2016	Helsinki, Finland

Retired Numbers: Honoring Great Players

The Carolina Hurricanes have retired four numbers. This means no other player on the team can wear them. Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 is retired for all NHL teams.

The Hurricanes also honor three numbers within the team. Their banners are not publicly displayed.

• 3 – Steve Chiasson (D, 1997–1999), who passed away in a car accident after the 1998–99 season.
• 9 – Gordie Howe (RW, 1977–1980), a hockey legend.
• 63 – Josef Vasicek (F, 2000–2006), who passed away in a plane crash in 2011.

Team Captains: Leading the Way

• Kevin Dineen, 1997–1998
• Keith Primeau, 1998–1999
• Ron Francis, 1999–2004
• Rod Brind'Amour, 2005–2010
• Eric Staal, 2010–2016
• Justin Faulk and Jordan Staal, 2017–2018 (co-captains)
• Justin Williams, 2018–2019
• Jordan Staal, 2019–present

Rod Brind'Amour was the Hurricanes' team captain from 2005 to 2010.

Hall of Famers: Hockey Legends

Several players and staff connected to the Hurricanes are in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

• Tom Barrasso played for the team in 2001–02. He was inducted in 2023.
• Paul Coffey played for Carolina near the end of his career. He was inducted in 2004.
• Ron Francis was a captain in both Hartford and Carolina. He spent 15 years with the team. He was inducted in 2007.
• Mark Recchi played for the team in 2005–06. He was inducted in 2017.
• Jim Rutherford was the general manager from 1994 to 2014. He was inducted in 2019.

Six other Hall of Famers played for the team before it moved to North Carolina. These include Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull.

First-Round Draft Picks: Future Stars

The Hurricanes drafted Noah Hanifin 5th overall in 2015.

NHL Awards and Trophies Won

Franchise Records: Top Performances

Scoring Leaders: Most Points, Goals, and Assists

These tables show the top players in team history for points, goals, and assists.

•  *  – current Hurricanes player

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game

Goaltending Leaders: Most Wins

These goalies have the most wins in team history.

•  *  – current Hurricanes player

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T/O = Ties/Overtime losses; GA = Goal against; GAA = Goals against average; SA = Shots against; SV% = Save percentage; SO = Shutouts

Individual and Team Records: Amazing Achievements

These records include those from the Hartford Whalers era.

Individual Player Records

Cam Ward set the franchise record for most wins by a goalie in a season with 39 in 2008–09.

• Most goals in a season: Blaine Stoughton, 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 by a defenseman: Mark Howe, 80 (1979–80)
• Most points in a season by a rookie: Sylvain Turgeon, 72 (1983–84)
• Fastest hat trick: Ray Whitney, 1 minute 40 seconds (February 8, 2007)
• Most shots on goal in one game: Jeff Skinner, 13 (2014)
• Most hat tricks in a season: Eric Staal, 4 (2008–09)
• Most wins in a season by a goalie: Cam Ward, 39 (2008–09)
• Most shutouts in a season: Arturs Irbe (1998–99, 2000–01); Kevin Weekes (2003–04); Cam Ward (2008–09), 6
• Most career postseason goals: Eric Staal, 18
• Most career postseason points: Eric Staal, 40
• Most points in one postseason: Eric Staal, 28 (2006)
• Most shutouts in one postseason: Frederik Andersen, 3 (2026)
• Most career postseason shutouts: Frederik Andersen, 5

Team Records

• Most wins in a season: 54 (2021–22)
• Most points in a season: 116 (2021–22)
• Most consecutive wins: 11 (2022–23)
• 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

See also

In Spanish: Carolina Hurricanes para niños