This Carolina Hurricanes team was special from the very beginning. The way that they played for each other. The way that there was always someone to step up when a player went down. The way they dominated through the postseason. The 2025-26 Hurricanes will go down as the best team in franchise history in more ways than one.
One of the most celebrated and special parts of winning the Stanley Cup is sharing it with your teammates. Hockey is, after all, a team game. One player can't win it all. An entire team has its name etched in silver forever. The order is a big part of that. This was the order that the Hurricanes passed the Stanley Cup in, and how each player fits into the story of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Jordan Staal- 2nd Stanley Cup
The longest-serving member of the team after being acquired on his wedding day in 2012, there was no better player to receive the Stanley Cup from the commissioner. It had been 17 years since his last Stanley Cup win, breaking Chris Chelios' record for the longest time between championships. He also claimed the Conn Smythe, becoming the oldest player (37) to ever win it.
The captain had an incredible Stanley Cup Final, scoring six goals in the first five games of the series, tying the record for the longest Cup Final-opening goal streak. It was the finale to one of his biggest offensive seasons in a decade, scoring 20 goals for the first time since 2015-16. He did it all for the Canes this season, so it only makes sense that he got to touch the Cup first.
Frederik Andersen- 1st Stanley Cup
The most anticipated moment is the first pass from the captain. Usually, the next person to touch it is a veteran who has yet to experience this level of elation. He alluded to it during his first post-game interview, so it came as no surprise when Staal handed it to Frederik Andersen. The Danish netminder needed 13 seasons to reach the pinnacle of the sport.
Andersen's career is all over the place, with a ton placed on his inability to win the big games. He proved a lot of doubters wrong this year. After a historically bad regular season, Andersen parlayed his strong end of the year into an incredible first three rounds of the postseason. Things were derailed by what we now know was a knee injury in Game 2, but it doesn't overshadow his brilliance.
Taylor Hall- 1st Stanley Cup
Taylor Hall hasn't taken the normal path of a #1 pick, but he has accumulated a few accolades on the way. He's the first player in NHL history to be drafted first (Oilers), win the Hart (Devils), and win the Stanley Cup (Hurricanes) with three different teams. He also played the second-most games, regular season and postseason, for a #1 pick before winning the Stanley Cup, behind only Alex Ovechkin.
Hall has experienced a renaissance of sorts since joining the Canes last January as the forgotten part of the Rantanen deal. This postseason, Hall finished second on the team in scoring, burying the Stanley Cup-winning goal early in Game 6. He was second in Conn Smythe voting to the captain, nearly adding another piece of hardware to his collection.
Sebastian Aho- 1st Stanley Cup
When his career is all said and done, Sebastian Aho might go down as the greatest Carolina Hurricane of all time. He's already the team's leader in most postseason scoring categories, and he's nipping at Eric Staal's heels for several others in the regular season. Many of those records are expected to fall at some point next year. Now, Aho can add a Stanley Cup to his resume.
It's no secret that Aho didn't have the type of postseason we'd come to expect from him, but still finished with 12 points, including five in the Stanley Cup Final. It's appropriate that he was the first homegrown player to touch the Cup, though he wasn't the longest-tenured Canes draft pick on the team. The honor belonged to the man he handed it to.
Jaccob Slavin- 1st Stanley Cup
Selected in the fourth round in 2012, Jaccob Slavin waited three years to have his name called by the Canes to make his NHL debut. Once he did, he never relinquished his spot in the lineup. Over the last decade, Slavin has become one of the best defensive defensemen in the league. He'll never get the love he deserves for the Norris Trophy, but I'm sure he'd trade that for the Stanley Cup any day.
Slavin had a very tough season, suffering a few injuries early in the year. However, he was healthy enough to represent the United States at the Winter Olympics in February, winning a gold medal with the Americans. With his Stanley Cup victory, Slavin joins Ken Morrow from the "Miracle on Ice" team in 1980 as the only Americans to win gold and the Stanley Cup in the same year.
Jordan Martinook- 1st Stanley Cup
In some ways, the first big move that the franchise made in 2018 to turn things around was their seemingly small deal during the 2018 postseason to acquire Jordan Martinook from the Arizona Coyotes. As a member of the team's leadership group, Martinook has helped transform this team, becoming another of its heartbeats.
Martinook had one of the first big moments of the postseason, finishing Game 2 against Ottawa in double overtime after being stopped on a penalty shot the period before. His move to the Aho line in the middle of the Cup Final was a big turning point for the group. He might not get the most points every season, but he plays his role very well.
Shayne Gostisbehere- 1st Stanley Cup
In the second year of his second tour with the Hurricanes, Shayne Gostisbehere is a major part of what makes the Canes' power play click. Brought back in 2024 after briefly spending the end of the 2022-23 season with the Canes, Gostisbehere would've had a near-Norris Trophy season, if not for the numerous injuries he suffered.
Though he was limited to 55 games during the season, Gostisbehere put up 13 goals and 50 points, 18 of which came on the power play. His postseason numbers took a little time to get going. He didn't pick up a point until Game 3 against the Flyers. Things started rolling in the conference finals, with Gostisbehere recording ten points in the team's final nine games.
William Carrier- 2nd Stanley Cup
Now, this is a man who knows a thing or two about winning championships in Las Vegas. An original Misfit with the Golden Knights for their run in 2018, this is the third time that William Carrier's season has ended in the Stanley Cup Final in Nevada. In 2018, he lost to Washington at home. In 2023, Vegas beat Florida on home ice. In 2026, as a Hurricane, Carrier got the last laugh against his old mates.
The fourth line doesn't get the proper amount of shine for the work that they do, and Carrier is an essential part of that. He's the wrecking ball of the trio, throwing himself into just about any situation. Carrier's 91 hits led the Canes this postseason and were third in the league, behind a pair of Golden Knights. He has won the Cup twice in four years now, joining Staal as the second two-timer.
Nicolas Deslauriers- 1st Stanley Cup
Out of all the players who lifted the Stanley Cup at the end of Game 6 on Sunday, only one of them isn't guaranteed to get their name on it. That would be Nicolas Deslauriers. Brought over from the Flyers at the trade deadline, Deslauriers failed to meet the 41-game requirement for the regular season, nor did he make an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.
After his mid-season acquisition, Deslauriers only played in seven games with the Canes, recording his only point with an assist in Chicago at the end of the regular season. His only playoff action came in Game 4 of the first round. After 13 years of grinding in an enforcer role, the Canes can petition to get his name engraved. I see no reason to suspect that they won't try.
Sean Walker- 1st Stanley Cup
Remember when Sean Walker was playing like the team's best defenseman at the beginning of the season? When the bodies went down on the blue line, Walker was called upon to step his game up. He played in every game except for the regular season finale, posting a career-best 31 points and falling one goal short of tying his previous high.
Walker didn't score a ton during the playoffs, recording just three assists, but he was laying out everyone in his path. His 68 hits were fourth on the team, including seven games with at least five. Walker put a hit on Brett Howden that shook the Lenovo Center in Game 5. His pairing with K'Andre Miller was excellent as the 2024 offseason addition continues to make his mark in Raleigh.
Jalen Chatfield- 1st Stanley Cup
There might not have been a bigger "diamond in the rough" find than Jalen Chatfield when he joined the Hurricanes as a free agent in 2021. Undrafted out of juniors, Chatfield got his first chance with the Vancouver Canucks, but things didn't go as planned. When he signed with the Canes, he spent most of his first season in Chicago, winning a Calder Cup with the Wolves.
While he saw limited action in 2021-22, Chatfield made the club in a full-time capacity the following year and quickly became one of their most reliable bodies on the back end. Chatfield will rarely light up the net, though his eight points during this run are double his previous best. His pairing with Slavin turned it on late in the Cup Final to help get the team over the hump.
Mark Jankowski- 1st Stanley Cup
I still feel that we don't give Mark Jankowski enough credit after coming over at last year's deadline. We talk about Hall as the "forgotten" part of the initial trade, but the addition of Jankowski on deadline day flew under the radar. As the staple on the fourth line, he put together another double-digit goal campaign and hit 20+ points for the third time.
It looked like Jankowski had his first big postseason moment in Game 2 against Ottawa, scoring in overtime. While that goal came off the board, he continued to find ways to contribute, especially against Montreal. Jankowski's moment finally came against Vegas, scoring the tying goal in Game 2 as part of the big comeback. He inked a new deal, keeping him on our block a little longer.
Eric Robinson- 1st Stanley Cup
The final piece of the valuable fourth line, Eric Robinson also had 10+ goals at the bottom of the lineup, though his point production was nearly cut in half from a year ago. He faced a little injury trouble during the season, costing him 15 games. His entire line was all around it when the playoffs began, but their payoff didn't come until halfway through.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, Robinson scored a goal in three of the five games, finishing with four points in the series. The fourth line was easily the team's most consistent against the Canadiens, earning them high praise. Robinson had two more assists in the Stanley Cup Final. Like his linemates, Robinson fits a clear role with the team, and he thrives as one of the quickest skaters on the ice.
Andrei Svechnikov- 1st Stanley Cup
Another of the biggest strokes of luck in the Canes' favor during the 2018 offseason was their jump to the second pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, moving up nine spots to select Andrei Svechnikov. His numbers have been up and down during his eight seasons in Raleigh, but after a slow start this year, Svechnikov notched the most goals (31) and points (70) of his career.
Svechnikov has shown to be a regular contributor during the postseason, even if his production this time around was lighter. Still, he had a few big moments during the run, scoring the overtime winner in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final and scoring two goals in a big Game 5 win over Vegas. From trade rumors in October to hoisting the Stanley Cup in June. My, how the times have changed.
Nikolaj Ehlers- 1st Stanley Cup
The honor of the best free-agent signing of the summer is, without question, the Hurricanes bringing in Nikolaj Ehlers. The Canes needed to make a splash last summer after another disappointing finish against the Panthers. Looking for a new home after a decade in Winnipeg, Ehlers chose to become a Hurricane, and he paid them in kind by playing out of his mind.
In his first year with the group, Ehlers eclipsed 70 points for the first time while playing the full 82-game gauntlet. Like his regular season, Ehlers' start to the playoffs was a bit quiet. He came to life during the Eastern Conference Finals before recording seven points over the final three games of the Stanley Cup Final and ending the postseason with eight goals and 18 points.
Seth Jarvis- 1st Stanley Cup
When you're winning a world championship, it's always nice to have your friends around to celebrate with you. All playoff long, you couldn't get too far into a conversation about Seth Jarvis without talking about his childhood friends, whose popularity has continued to soar exponentially since last year's 4 Nations tournament. Their best friend also seems to be doing just fine for himself.
Scoring 30 goals for the third year in a row, Jarvis, like his linemates, had a slower postseason. He had just 11 points in 19 games, but there were a few big goals thrown in there. The biggest of his life, to this point, was the Game 2 overtime winner against Vegas. He might not have been satisfied with his silver medal at the Olympics. I don't envision his Stanley Cup ring going up on Craigslist.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi- 1st Stanley Cup
While he didn't dress for the team during the playoffs, Jesperi Kotkaniemi qualifies to have his name on the Stanley Cup after playing 42 games during the regular season, clearing the criteria by one game. It feels more and more likely that his days with the Hurricanes are coming to an end, though that doesn't change the fact he's a Stanley Cup champion.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that things haven't been the best for Kotkaniemi since the Canes completed an offer sheet for the young center in 2021. He hasn't developed into the player Montreal thought they were getting with the third pick in 2018. Now, the Canes will likely try to facilitate a move. I wonder if winning the Stanley Cup will help move the needle at all?
K'Andre Miller- 1st Stanley Cup
I seem to remember quite a few Rangers fans got excited when they heard that K'Andre Miller was being traded. I'm sure that tune has changed quite a bit. It was time for Miller to get a fresh start this season, and he grabbed the opportunity. Of course, there were some growing pains, but it culminated in some high praise from a respected member of the hockey community.
When Wayne Gretzky says that you're playing better than any defenseman he's ever seen play in the playoffs, you must be doing something right. His work in the neutral and defensive zones was exemplary through three rounds before he got a little quiet down the stretch. The Canes took a bit of a gamble when making this move. They appear pretty content with it now.
Brandon Bussi- 1st Stanley Cup
We can split hairs about this all we want, but I think that Brandon Bussi completed the best story we saw in hockey this season by shutting out Vegas in Game 6 to win the Stanley Cup. After two months sitting behind Andersen, Bussi's number was called during the third period of Game 3, and he never looked back. He could've let the double overtime goal get to him. Instead, he rose to the moment.
It's incredible that Bussi didn't get a single look with Boston over the last four years, only for him to go to Florida and end up on waivers. He was going to be the third-string option until an early injury put him in the backup spot. What followed was 34 wins in 43 games during the regular season and the playoffs. He earned every cent of his extension, and it's starting to look like Carolina underpaid him.
Mike Reilly- 1st Stanley Cup
Just as Kotkaniemi did, Mike Reilly qualifies to get his name on the Stanley Cup after playing in 42 games this season. However, Reilly saw some action during the playoffs, dressing for the first two games of the second round against Philadelphia and recording two assists in their 3-0 Game 1 win. Reilly's 11-year journey through the NHL now has him as a champion.
While Reilly signed with the Canes as the seventh defenseman over the summer, the team's early injury situation saw him get much more ice time than we'd originally anticipated. When he played, Reilly impressed. He recorded an assist in his first game and added a short-handed goal for his first with the Canes against the Islanders later in October. I'm sure he'll land somewhere this summer.
Jackson Blake- 1st Stanley Cup
The sophomore slump hates to see Jackson Blake coming. After a very respectable rookie year earned him a fat extension last summer, Blake took the league by storm in his second season, finishing fifth on the team in scoring during the regular season (22 goals, 53 points). However, Blake stole the show in the postseason.
In 19 games, Blake recorded a team-high 20 points, finishing third in the league and joining Hall as one of the two point-per-game players on the Canes. He recorded seven multi-point games, setting a new franchise record, the last of which came in Game 6 of the Final. Blake is a big-game player, and I hope that he gets to play in a lot more big games in the future.
Logan Stankoven- 1st Stanley Cup
From now until the end of time, we will no longer refer to the trade that brought Logan Stankoven to Carolina as the "Mikko Rantanen trade". Instead, it'll be affectionately known as the "Logan Stankoven trade". Not only did he get a Stanley Cup before Rantanen, but Stankoven was one of the most crucial parts of the team's march.
His first season as a center in the NHL wasn't always smooth sailing. However, there might not have been a deadlier sniper over the final month of the regular season and into the playoffs. Stankoven led the Canes with 11 goals, finishing third in the league overall. On top of that, like Blake, his next contract doesn't start until next season, keeping him in Raleigh for eight more years.
Alexander Nikishin- 1st Stanley Cup
All in all, I'd say it was a pretty successful week for the Canes' rookie defenseman. After being named to the NHL's All-Rookie Team on Friday, Alexander Nikishin finished his week by winning a Stanley Cup in his first full season in the NHL. The once-touted prospect has officially graduated in the grandest way imaginable.
His regular season was record-setting in almost every way for a Hurricanes rookie defender. His postseason was a little less glamorous. He was on the receiving end of a scary hit late in the Ottawa series, forcing him to miss two games. Otherwise, Nikishin only missed one other game all season. He only had one assist in 17 games, though I'd bet that he doesn't really care about that right now.
Pyotr Kochetkov- 1st Stanley Cup
When Pyotr Kochetkov was scratched from a December start and decided to get hip surgery, it appeared as if his season were done for good. As the postseason drew closer, there was cautious optimism that he could return. Kochetkov made a quick stop in Chicago at the end of the year, but he failed to see any action this postseason.
However, there's a silver lining to it all, and I'm hoping that this was a semi-intentional move from the coaching staff. While he wouldn't have met the engraving criteria based on his season numbers, Kochetkov was the backup for Games 4 through 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, which automatically helps him qualify. While Andersen probably wasn't available to play, it's cool to see that he'll get his due.
Rod Brind'Amour- 2nd Stanley Cup (1st as a Head Coach)
I know that he isn't a player anymore, but no one on this planet can deny how important Rod Brind'Amour is to the Carolina Hurricanes. It has been the case for over 25 years now. He knew what it took to get to the top of the mountain as a player. Now, he has done it as a coach with the same team he hoisted the Stanley Cup for 20 years ago.
Some doubted whether Brind'Amour's system could work and help get a team to the very end. For seven years, there was a ton of evidence to suggest that was the case. Many thought that Brind'Amour's job might've been on the line this postseason. I'd say he's perfectly safe. He got to sit back and watch his players celebrate. There must be no better feeling.
