Carolina Hurricanes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carolina Hurricanes |
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| 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 |
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| Colors | Black, red, gray, white |
| Media | Television
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| Owner(s) | Tom Dundon |
| General manager | Eric Tulsky |
| Head coach | Rod Brind'Amour |
| Captain | Jordan Staal |
| Minor league affiliates | Chicago Wolves (AHL) Greensboro Gargoyles (ECHL) |
| Stanley Cups | 1 (2005–06) |
| Conference championships | 2 (2001–02, 2005–06) |
| Presidents' Trophies | 0 |
| Division championships | 6 (1998–99, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23) |
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) as part of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. Their home games are played at the Lenovo Center.
The team started in 1971 as the New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Whalers quickly found success, winning their division three times. They even won the first-ever Avco World Trophy in the 1972–73 season. In 1979, the team joined the NHL as part of a merger and changed their name to the Hartford Whalers. In 1997, the team moved to North Carolina and became the Hurricanes. They reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 2002 but lost. The Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in 2006, beating the Edmonton Oilers. This was the first major professional sports championship for North Carolina.
Contents
Team History
Early Years as the Whalers (1971–1997)
The New England Whalers began in November 1971 in Boston, Massachusetts. For their first two years, they played in Boston. Because it was hard to schedule games there, the team moved to Hartford, Connecticut, for the 1974–75 season. They played their first game in Hartford in January 1975 at the Hartford Civic Center Coliseum. This arena was their home until 1997.
The Whalers were one of the strongest teams in the WHA. When the WHA merged with the NHL in 1979, the Whalers joined the NHL. They had to change their name to the Hartford Whalers because of the Boston Bruins. The Whalers were not as successful in the NHL as they had been in the WHA. They only had three winning seasons. Their best years were in the mid-to-late 1980s. They won their only playoff series in 1986. The next year, they won their division title. In 1992, the Whalers made the playoffs for the last time. In 1994, Jim Rutherford became the team's general manager. He stayed with the team for 20 years.
Many people who worked for the Whalers, like broadcasters Chuck Kaiton and John Forslund, moved with the team to North Carolina. Even the old goal horn from the Hartford Civic Center is still used today at Lenovo Center.
Moving to North Carolina (1997–2001)
The Whalers faced challenges because Hartford was the smallest American market in the league. Their arena was also one of the smallest. In March 1997, owner Peter Karmanos announced the team would move. This was because they could not agree on a new arena in Hartford. On May 6, 1997, Karmanos said the Whalers would move to the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. Their new home would be the Entertainment and Sports Arena (ESA) in Raleigh. Karmanos chose the new name, the Carolina Hurricanes. The team changed their colors from blue, green, and silver to black and red. These colors matched the North Carolina State University Wolfpack.
The new arena in Raleigh was not ready for two more years. So, the Hurricanes played their first two seasons in Greensboro, about 90 minutes west of Raleigh. This was a difficult choice for the team. Fans in the Raleigh area did not want to drive to Greensboro. Also, fans in Greensboro did not support a team that had replaced their local minor-league team. As a result, many games had very small crowds. This made the team's attendance look bad. Even with these challenges, the Hurricanes played well. They finished last in their division but were only nine points out of the playoffs.
For the 1998–99, the team tried to make the Greensboro Coliseum feel smaller by closing off parts of the upper deck. Attendance was still low. However, the Hurricanes improved on the ice. They had their first winning season and made the playoffs since 1992. They won the new Southeast Division. After their first-round playoff loss, defenseman Steve Chiasson tragically passed away.
The team finally moved to their new arena in Raleigh in 1999. They were the first major professional sports team to play in Raleigh. This move also brought the "Storm Squad," the first cheerleaders for professional ice hockey in North America. In 2000–01, the Hurricanes made the playoffs as the eighth seed. They faced the defending champions, the New Jersey Devils. The Devils won the series in six games. Even though Carolina lost, the fans gave them a standing ovation. This showed that the city was starting to embrace the team.
Winning the Stanley Cup (2001–2006)
The Hurricanes gained national attention in the 2002 playoffs. They won their division. In the first round, they beat the New Jersey Devils in six games. Goaltenders Arturs Irbe and Kevin Weekes played very well. Their next opponent was the Montreal Canadiens. In game four, Carolina came back from being down 3–0 to win in overtime. This game became known as the "Miracle at Molson". The Hurricanes then won the next two games to take the series.
In the conference finals, Carolina played the Toronto Maple Leafs. In game six, Martin Gelinas scored in overtime to send the Hurricanes to their first Stanley Cup Final. During this playoff run, Hurricanes fans became known for meeting the team at the airport and having big tailgate parties before home games. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Don Cherry called the RBC Center "the loudest building in the NHL."
In the Stanley Cup Final, Carolina faced the Detroit Red Wings. The Hurricanes won game one in overtime. However, Detroit came back to win the next four games and the series. Game three in Raleigh was a long triple-overtime game that Detroit won.
The Hurricanes struggled in the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons. They finished last in the league in 2003. Coach Paul Maurice was fired and replaced by Peter Laviolette. One positive thing from these years was drafting Eric Staal in 2003.
Stanley Cup Champions
After the 2004–05 NHL lockout, the Hurricanes had a great season in 2005–06. They finished with 52 wins and 112 points. This was the best season in the team's history. They easily won their third Southeast Division title. Attendance also increased, and the team made a profit.
In the playoffs, they lost the first two games against the Montreal Canadiens. Coach Laviolette then put rookie goalie Cam Ward in net. This was a big decision, and the Hurricanes won the next four games to win the series. They then beat the New Jersey Devils in five games.
In the conference finals, the Hurricanes faced the Buffalo Sabres. In game seven, the Hurricanes came back with three goals in the third period to win 4–2. Rod Brind'Amour scored the winning goal, sending the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time.
In the Stanley Cup Finals, the Hurricanes played the Edmonton Oilers. Carolina won the first two games. The Oilers won game three. Carolina won game four, giving them a chance to win the Cup at home. However, the Oilers won game five in overtime. They also won game six. In game seven, in front of a huge home crowd, the Hurricanes won 3–1. This 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 after long careers. General manager Jim Rutherford also won the Cup after 12 years with the team.
The Hurricanes' Stanley Cup win was the first major professional sports title for a team from North Carolina.
After the Championship (2006–2013)
The Hurricanes struggled after their championship win. They lost players and had many injuries in the 2006–07. They missed the playoffs. This made them the first champions since 1939 to miss the playoffs both the season before and after their championship. In 2007–08, they missed the playoffs again.
After a slow start to the 2008–09 season, coach Peter Laviolette was fired. Paul Maurice returned as coach. The team improved, especially after getting Jussi Jokinen and Erik Cole. They finished strong, winning nine straight games. They ended up sixth in the Eastern Conference with 97 points.
The Hurricanes' 2009 playoff run had many exciting moments. In game four against the New Jersey Devils, Jussi Jokinen scored with 0.2 seconds left to win the game. In game seven, the Hurricanes came back in the last two minutes to win 4–3. This comeback became known as the "Shock at the Rock." In the second round, they beat the Boston Bruins in game seven in overtime. They then faced the Pittsburgh Penguins in the conference finals but lost in four games.
The 2010–11 season was a rebuilding year. The team focused on younger players. Jeff Skinner became a star, leading all rookies in points. Raleigh hosted the 2011 NHL All-Star Game. Eric Staal was a captain, and Skinner (the youngest All-Star ever) and Cam Ward also played. The Hurricanes almost made the playoffs but lost on the last day. Skinner won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year.
In December 2011, Paul Maurice was fired again, and Kirk Muller became coach. The Hurricanes signed some key players like Tim Gleason and Tuomo Ruutu. However, they missed the playoffs for the third straight season in 2011–12. In 2012, the Hurricanes traded for Jordan Staal, bringing him to play with his older brother, Eric Staal. Despite this, the team missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season in the lockout-shortened 2012–13.
Challenges and New Ownership (2013–2017)
For the 2013–14 season, the Hurricanes moved to the new Metropolitan Division. They finished seventh and missed the playoffs for the fifth year in a row. Coach Kirk Muller was fired. Jim Rutherford moved to an advisory role, and Ron Francis became the new general manager in April 2014.
In June 2014, Bill Peters became the new head coach. His teams did not end the playoff drought. The team finished last in their division in 2014–15, missing the playoffs for the sixth straight season. After Eric Staal was traded, the team finished sixth in the division in 2015–16. In 2016–17, they finished seventh, missing the playoffs for the eighth season in a row.
During this time, there were rumors about the team moving from Raleigh. Owner Karmanos was trying to sell the team. Attendance at PNC Arena had gone down. Rumors suggested the team might move to Las Vegas or Quebec City. Las Vegas eventually got its own expansion team.
Tom Dundon and the "Bunch of Jerks" (2017–Present)
Before the 2017–18 season, the Hurricanes revealed new uniforms. In December 2017, Thomas Dundon agreed to buy the Hurricanes. This deal was completed in January 2018, ensuring the team would stay in Raleigh.
Dundon quickly made changes. In March 2018, general manager Ron Francis was moved to a different role. Coach Bill Peters resigned in April 2018. Francis was then officially fired. This left both the head coach and general manager positions open.
On May 8, 2018, the Hurricanes hired Don Waddell as team president and general manager. At the same time, former team captain Rod Brind'Amour was named head coach. He had been an assistant coach since 2011.
On April 4, 2019, the Hurricanes won a game against the New Jersey Devils. This win clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2009. During their playoff run, the Hurricanes became known for their fun on-ice victory celebrations, called "Storm Surges." This led Don Cherry to call them a "bunch of jerks." The Hurricanes liked this nickname and even used "Bunch of Jerks" as a battle cry.
In the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Hurricanes beat the defending champions, the Washington Capitals, in game seven. This was their first playoff series win since 2009. They then swept the New York Islanders in four games. This was the first time the team had swept a best-of-seven playoff series. They reached the conference finals but were then swept by the Boston Bruins.
On February 22, 2020, emergency goaltender David Ayres made history. He became the first emergency goalie in NHL history to win a game. He helped the Hurricanes beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6–3. The season ended early in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2020, Andrei Svechnikov scored the first playoff hat trick for a Hurricanes/Whalers player. The Hurricanes made the playoffs for a second straight season but lost to the Bruins.
The 2020–21 season saw the Hurricanes win the Central Division. This was their first division championship since 2006. It was also the first time they made the playoffs three years in a row since moving to Raleigh. They beat the Nashville Predators in the first round but lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round. Defenseman Jaccob Slavin won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for being a very fair player. Coach Brind'Amour won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's best coach. In June 2021, Tom Dundon bought all remaining shares of the team.
The 2021 off-season brought many changes to the team's roster. They traded players and signed new ones, including goalies Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta. The 2021–22 season ended with the Hurricanes winning the Metropolitan Division for the first time. This was their most successful regular season ever, with 54 wins. Andersen and Sebastian Aho played in the 2022 NHL All-Star Game. In the playoffs, they beat the Boston Bruins but 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. In the 2023–24 season, the Hurricanes finished second in their division. In the 2024 playoffs, they beat the Islanders again but were eliminated by the Rangers.
Team Logos and Uniforms
The Hurricanes' main logo is a hurricane symbol. Their secondary logo is a storm warning flag on a hockey stick. A black triangle behind the flag represents the Triangle region of North Carolina. The team's colors are black, red, gray, and white.
The Hurricanes currently wear black uniforms at home and white uniforms on the road. They have also worn black alternate uniforms since 2007.
Uniform Changes Over Time
The first Hurricanes uniforms had the main logo on the front and the flag logo on the shoulders. They featured red and black storm warning flags on the tail. In 2000, black trim was added to the player names.
In 2008, the Hurricanes introduced their first black alternate uniform. It had the flag logo on the front and the main logo (in dark grey) on the shoulders.
In 2013, the team changed their main uniforms. They removed most of the black and silver. The flag logo and warning flag patterns were also removed.
When the team switched to Adidas uniforms in 2017, they brought back some elements from the original red uniform, like black stripes and the warning flag pattern.
In 2018, a new black alternate uniform was revealed. It featured an updated flag logo and the Flag of North Carolina on the shoulders. This black uniform has become the team's main home uniform during the playoffs.
In 2019, a new white uniform was released. It had the "CANES" nickname written diagonally on the front. The flag logo returned to the shoulders, along with the warning flag patterns.
The Hurricanes sometimes mix and match their uniform pieces. For example, they have worn black pants with their white road uniforms. They also started wearing red helmets with their white road uniforms in 2022.
In August 2022, the black uniform became the official full-time home uniform. The original 1997–2007 red uniform was brought back as an alternate for one season to celebrate the team's 25th anniversary in Carolina.
Whalers Heritage Uniforms
Since 2018, the Hurricanes have worn green "Heritage" uniforms from their time as the Hartford Whalers. They usually wear these special uniforms a few times each season, often against the Boston Bruins. When they wear the Whalers uniforms at home, the "Brass Bonanza" theme song is played after goals.
For the 2020–21 season, the Hurricanes wore a "Reverse Retro" uniform. This uniform used the design of the 1980s Whalers uniforms but with a grey color. In the 2023–24 season, they also wore the white version of the Whalers uniform.
Minor League Teams
The Hurricanes have minor league teams where younger players develop their skills.
- The Chicago Wolves are their main minor league team in the AHL.
- The Greensboro Gargoyles are their team in the ECHL.
Recent Season Records
This table shows the Hurricanes' performance over the last five completed seasons.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2020–21 | 56 | 36 | 12 | 8 | 80 | 179 | 136 | 1st, Central | Lost in second round, 1–4 (Lightning) |
| 2021–22 | 82 | 54 | 20 | 8 | 116 | 278 | 202 | 1st, Metropolitan | Lost in second round, 3–4 (Rangers) |
| 2022–23 | 82 | 52 | 21 | 9 | 113 | 266 | 213 | 1st, Metropolitan | Lost in conference finals, 0–4 (Panthers) |
| 2023–24 | 82 | 52 | 23 | 7 | 111 | 279 | 216 | 2nd, Metropolitan | Lost in second round, 2–4 (Rangers) |
| 2024–25 | 82 | 47 | 30 | 5 | 99 | 266 | 230 | 2nd, Metropolitan | Lost in conference finals, 1–4 (Panthers) |
Players and Staff
Retired Numbers
The Carolina Hurricanes have retired four numbers: 2, 10, 12, and 17. This means no other player on the team can wear these numbers. Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 is retired for all NHL teams.
The Hurricanes also honor three other numbers within the team, but their banners are not publicly displayed:
- 3 – Steve Chiasson (D, 1997–1999), who tragically passed away after the 1998–99 season.
- 9 – Gordie Howe (RW, 1977–1980)
- 63 – Josef Vasicek (F, 2000–2006), who passed away in a plane crash in 2011.
When the Whalers moved to North Carolina, they brought back some previously retired numbers for new players.
| No. | Player | Position | Career | Date of retirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Glen Wesley | D | 1994–2003, 2003–2008 | February 17, 2009 |
| 10 | Ron Francis | C | 1981–1991, 1998–2004 | January 28, 2006 |
| 12 | Eric Staal | C | 2003–2016 | January 12, 2025 |
| 17 | Rod Brind'Amour | C | 2000–2010 | February 18, 2011 |
Team Captains
The team captain is a leader on the ice. Here are the captains since the team moved to Carolina:
- 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
Hall of Fame Members
Several players and staff connected to the Hurricanes have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
- Tom Barrasso played for the team in 2001–02. He was inducted in 2023.
- Paul Coffey played for Carolina for a short time. He was inducted in 2004.
- Ron Francis was a captain for both Hartford and Carolina. He was inducted in 2007.
- Mark Recchi played for the team at the end of the 2005–06 season. He was inducted in 2017.
- Jim Rutherford was the general manager for both Hartford and Carolina. He was inducted in 2019.
Six Hall of Famers played for the team before it moved to North Carolina: Gordie Howe, Mark Howe, Dave Keon, Bobby Hull, Brendan Shanahan, and Chris Pronger.
Broadcasters
The Carolina Hurricanes games are broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network South. Mike Maniscalco does the play-by-play, and Tripp Tracy or Shane Willis provide commentary.
Chuck Kaiton was the team's radio announcer from 1979 to 2018. John Forslund was the TV play-by-play voice from 1995 until 2020.
First-Round Draft Picks
The Hurricanes pick talented young players in the NHL Entry Draft. Here are some of their first-round picks since 1997:
- 1997: Nikos Tselios (22nd overall)
- 1998: Jeff Heerema (11th overall)
- 1999: David Tanabe (16th overall)
- 2001: Igor Knyazev (15th overall)
- 2002: Cam Ward (25th overall)
- 2003: Eric Staal (2nd overall)
- 2004: Andrew Ladd (4th overall)
- 2005: Jack Johnson (3rd overall)
- 2007: Brandon Sutter (11th overall)
- 2008: Zach Boychuk (14th overall)
- 2009: Philippe Paradis (27th overall)
- 2010: Jeff Skinner (7th overall)
- 2011: Ryan Murphy (12th overall)
- 2013: Elias Lindholm (5th overall)
- 2014: Haydn Fleury (7th overall)
- 2015: Noah Hanifin (5th overall)
- 2016: Jake Bean (13th overall), Julien Gauthier (21st overall)
- 2017: Martin Necas (12th overall)
- 2018: Andrei Svechnikov (2nd overall)
- 2019: Ryan Suzuki (28th overall)
- 2020: Seth Jarvis (13th overall)
- 2023: Bradly Nadeau (30th overall)
NHL Awards and Trophies
The Hurricanes and their players have won several important NHL awards:
- 2005–06
- 2001–02, 2005–06
Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP)
- Cam Ward: 2005–06
Frank J. Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward)
- Rod Brind'Amour: 2005–06, 2006–07
King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Leadership and Community)
- Ron Francis: 2001–02
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sportsmanship)
- Ron Francis: 2001–02
- Jaccob Slavin: 2020–21, 2023–24
Lester Patrick Trophy (Service to Hockey in the U.S.)
- Peter Karmanos Jr.: 1997–98
Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year)
- Jeff Skinner: 2010–11
Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year)
- Rod Brind'Amour: 2020–21
William M. Jennings Trophy (Goalies with Fewest Goals Against)
- Frederik Andersen: 2021–22
- Antti Raanta: 2021–22
Team Records
Top Scorers
These are the players with the most points in the team's history (including the Hartford Whalers years).
- * – current Hurricanes player
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game
| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | P/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ron Francis | C | 1,186 | 382 | 793 | 1,175 | .99 |
| Eric Staal | C | 909 | 322 | 453 | 775 | .85 |
| Sebastian Aho* | C | 667 | 283 | 348 | 631 | .93 |
| Kevin Dineen | RW | 708 | 250 | 294 | 544 | .77 |
| Rod Brind'Amour | C | 694 | 174 | 299 | 473 | .68 |
| Jordan Staal* | C | 897 | 178 | 285 | 463 | .52 |
| Jeff O'Neill | RW | 673 | 198 | 218 | 416 | .62 |
| Teuvo Teravainen | LW | 555 | 138 | 277 | 415 | .75 |
| Pat Verbeek | RW | 433 | 192 | 211 | 403 | .93 |
| Jeff Skinner | LW | 579 | 204 | 175 | 379 | .65 |
| Player | Pos | G |
|---|---|---|
| Ron Francis | C | 382 |
| Eric Staal | C | 322 |
| Sebastian Aho* | C | 283 |
| Kevin Dineen | RW | 250 |
| Blaine Stoughton | RW | 219 |
| Jeff Skinner | LW | 204 |
| Jeff O'Neill | C | 198 |
| Geoff Sanderson | LW | 196 |
| Pat Verbeek | RW | 192 |
| Sylvain Turgeon | LW | 178 |
| Player | Pos | A |
|---|---|---|
| Ron Francis | C | 793 |
| Eric Staal | C | 453 |
| Sebastian Aho* | C | 348 |
| Rod Brind'Amour | C | 299 |
| Kevin Dineen | RW | 294 |
| Jordan Staal* | C | 285 |
| Teuvo Teravainen | LW | 277 |
| Andrew Cassels | C | 253 |
| Jaccob Slavin* | D | 244 |
| Jeff O'Neill | C | 218 |
Individual and Team Records
These records include achievements from both the Hartford Whalers and Carolina Hurricanes eras.
Player Records
- 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 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 (3 goals in one game): Ray Whitney, 1 minute 40 seconds (February 8, 2007)
- Most wins by a goalie in a season: Cam Ward, 39 (2008–09)
- Most shutouts (games with no goals allowed) in a season: Arturs Irbe (1998–99, 2000–01); Kevin Weekes (2003–04); Cam Ward (2008–09), all with 6
- Most career playoff goals: Eric Staal, 18
- Most career playoff points: Eric Staal, 40
- Most points in one playoff season: Eric Staal, 28 (2006)
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)
See also
In Spanish: Carolina Hurricanes para niños
