It’s a routine the Carolina Hurricanes go through with regularity every October — only the number of games changes.
When the big Ferris wheel starts to go up at the N.C. State Fairgounds, it’s time for the Hurricanes to start packing up their gear and head out of town. This year, the luggage included their white Hartford Whalers throwback jerseys, which they plan to wear Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche.
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This fall, the Canes embarked on a six-game “State Fair” trip that will be their longest of the season. After the game against the Avs, who will honor their hockey past by donning Nordiques sweaters, the Canes finish up their lengthy early season sojourn Saturday against the Dallas Stars.
“It’s always a challenge,” Canes captain Jordan Staal said before the trip. “It’s always fun getting on the road with the guys and getting to know each other, the new guys especially. But when you look at the lineup of teams we face, we’re really going to have a good challenge. It is a great identity trip. It’s a way to build our identity and how we want to play on the road trip.”
Jordan Staal (11) and Jordan Martinook (48) of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate one of Staal’s two goals in a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.
Added center Logan Stankoven: “We want to start off on the right foot out there in California and go from there.”
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The Canes did that, winning the first three games in California — against the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings — before a 4-1 loss Monday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Hurricanes got off on the wrong foot in that game at T-Mobile Arena, falling behind 2-0.
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour’s teams have fared well on most of their Fair trips in past Octobers, when parking lots around the Lenovo Center are used for fair-goers and traffic in the area can be heavy. The Hurricanes won five of six games last season and have been 13-6-1 overall in the previous four trips that took them hither and yon.
Why so good?
“I generally feel good about our training camps, the way guys come in and are in shape, understanding how we need to play,” Brind’Amour said. “Maybe that carries over at the start when other teams are still kind of ramping up. I don’t know. “
Brent Burns of the Colorado Avalanche plays the Utah Mammoth in the third period at Ball Arena on October 9, 2025 in Denver, Colorado.
Familiar faces
The final two games of this year’s trip have some interesting storylines after the Canes made big ripples in the NHL last season.
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First was the mega deal the Canes concocted that brought in star forward Mikko Rantanen from the Avs in exchange for forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury. That one blew up in their faces when Rantanen was disgruntled about the move and did not sign a long-term deal, forcing a March trade to the Stars that brought Stankoven to the Canes.
Defenseman Brent Burns left in free agency after last season, the veteran signing with Colorado after three years with Carolina. He used to pack for the State Fair trip like a survivalist.
Martin Necas of the Colorado Avalanche plays the Utah Mammoth in the second period at Ball Arena on October 9, 2025 in Denver, Colorado.
The Canes will face Necas, Drury and Burns in Denver, then Rantanen in Dallas. Talk about adding some late spice to the trip.
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Through Wednesday’s games, Necas was tied for fifth in the NHL with 11 points (five goals, six assists) in his first seven games. Necas had a late-game snipe Tuesday against the Utah Mammoth that forced overtime — a sharp-angle shot that quickly went viral. Drury also had a third-period goal, his first of the season.
The Avs lost in overtime, 4-3, but extended their point streak to seven games.
Mikko Rantanen (96) of the Dallas Stars skates with the puck in the first period against the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on October 9, 2025 in Winnipeg, Canada at Canada Life Centre on October 9, 2025 in Winnipeg, Canada.
The Canes have been without injured defenseman Jaccob Slavin and goalie Pyotr Kochetkov on the trip, and then defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere went out with a lower-body injury in the Kings game. Charles Alexis Legault, a rookie D-man who made his NHL debut against Vegas, should be in the lineup again Thursday in Colorado.
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Goalies Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi have split the first four games of the trip, Andersen the loser in Vegas. Bussi, claimed off waivers Oct. 5 from the Florida Panthers, made his NHL debut against the Sharks and was back in net for the Kings game that Seth Jarvis won in overtime with his sixth goal of the season.
The Hurricanes, who won their first two games of the season at home, will be back in the Lenovo Center on Tuesday to host the Golden Knights. They then face the New York Islanders at home Thursday, Oct. 30.
State Fair trips under Brind’Amour
2018-19
State Fair: Oct. 11-21. Canes record 1-2-0: The Hurricanes had just three games away in Brind’Amour’s first season as head coach. They beat Minnesota in overtime on a Sebastian Aho goal to start, then had losses at Winnipeg and Tampa Bay.
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2019-20 State Fair: Oct. 17-27. Canes record 1-2-1: The trip began with a shutout win over the L.A. Kings, then saw regulation losses to San Jose and Anaheim before an overtime loss to Columbus.
2020 N.C. State Fair canceled because of Covid-19 pandemic. No NHL games played before Jan. 13, 2021. 2021-22
2020-21 State Fair: Oct. 14-24 Canes record 3-0-0: The three-gamer away from home saw the Canes win at Nashville, Montreal and Columbus. They outscored the three teams, 12-4.
2022-23 State Fair: Oct. 13-23. Canes record 3-1-1. The trip began with wins over San Jose and Seattle, followed by losses to Edmonton and Calgary (overtime), and then a win at Vancouver.
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2023-24 State Fair: Oct. 12-22. Canes record 2-4-0: The six-game trip began with a shootout win over the Kings and included a win at San Jose, but had regulation losses to the Ducks, Kraken, Avalanche and Lightning.
2024-25 State Fair: Oct. 17-27. Canes record 5-1-0: The trip included overtime wins at Edmonton and Vancouver, both on Aho goals with Necas and Gostisbehere assisting. The loss was in the second game, to the St. Louis Blues.