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Carolina Hurricanes celebrate after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas.

 

AP Photo/John Locher

Looking back at the start of the season, there was a lot to be desired for the Hurricanes. After years of falling short in the playoffs, people seemed to believe that this team would never reach the Stanley Cup Finals.

 

Throughout the season, however, the Hurricanes would prove to be one of the best teams in the NHL, finishing the year atop the Eastern Conference with some of the best offensive production in franchise history.

 

Heading into the playoffs, the Canes’ lack of playoff success was cited as a reason the team would miss the finals. With past failures looming, this felt like a make-or-break year for head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s squad. However, this team would not be haunted by past playoff failures.

 

Getting over the Conference Final hump

 

Throughout the last few seasons, The Hurricanes would consistently fall short in the playoffs, managing only one win in the Eastern Conference finals across their last four appearances. When the Montreal Canadiens conclusively won game one of the series, it felt like déjà vu.

 

However, the rest of the series looked very different compared to the first game. Carolina won games two and three in overtime, with game winners coming from forwards Nikolaj Ehlers and Andrei Svechnikov. Games four and five saw the Hurricanes dominate on the ice, scoring 10 goals throughout both games and only allowing one goal in game five of that stretch.

 

This season, the Hurricanes looked different compared to their last playoff runs. With the past not defining them, the Canes would beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in the series. This led to a Stanley Cup Finals appearance against the Vegas Golden Knights.

 

Feels like ’06

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Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour, right, lifts the Stanley Cup after a win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. 

 

AP Photo/Candice Ward

The finals would see close results in nearly all the games. Game one treated fans to a 5-4 thriller, with Vegas picking up the first game in Raleigh. Game two would also be an intense matchup, with Carolina coming back down 2-0 in the third period. Three unanswered goals and an overtime winner coming from forward Seth Jarvis tied the series heading to Las Vegas.

Game three would see an early deficit with the Hurricanes going down 4-0 at the end of the second period. Heading into the third period, backup goaltender Brandon Bussi replaced goaltender Frederik Andersen, who suffered a knee injury that he attempted to play through in game three. Bussi would not allow the Golden Knights to score in the third period, and Carolina scored four unanswered goals, forcing the game into overtime. While the loss in double overtime in Las Vegas was devastating for the Hurricanes, their comeback in the third period, sparked by the offense and the goalie change, led to some optimism heading into game four.

Game four in Las Vegas would be another dramatic one. The Hurricanes held a 3-1 lead that quickly evaporated after Vegas scored twice in the 2nd period. However, a goal from team captain and forward Jordan Staal in the third period would prove to be the nail in the coffin. Carolina would also get an empty net goal late in the third from Ehlers, which led to a 5-3 victory and tied the series at 2-2.

Game five would see a dominant performance from Bussi, with a 92% save percentage. He manned the net and provided a spark for the rest of the team. Ehlers had three assists in this game and Svechnikov added two goals. These two forwards and their impact led to a 4-2 victory.

In game six, the momentum tilted toward the Hurricanes. Goals from forwards Jackson Blake and Taylor Hall provided a two-goal lead heading into the third period. Bussi made a stellar save and would not allow a single goal. The nail in the coffin came when Ehlers scored an empty-netter with nearly a minute to go in the game, leading to a 3-0 win and the Stanley Cup heading to Raleigh for the first time in 20 years.

The captain becomes hero

The Carolina Hurricanes would not have been able to win the Stanley Cup without their longtime captain, Staal. Acquired from a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins back in 2012, Staal has been one of the main impacts for the team in each season. His contributions led to him being named captain of the Hurricanes in 2019.

 

In the finals, Staal would show why he was the team’s leader. Staal scored six goals in six games during the Stanley Cup Finals. Staal’s performance set nearly impossible records. He is the first player in 70 years to score in each of the first five games of the finals. This leadership and play from the captain led to him becoming the oldest recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is awarded to the best player in the playoffs.

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Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) celebrates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. 

 

AP Photo/John Locher

 

Staal also set the longest gap between Stanley Cup finals wins, with his first Stanley Cup being 17 years ago with the Penguins. Staal’s hard work and patience were finally rewarded, with him being named the best player in the playoffs and his second Stanley Cup.

 

Future never looked brighter

 

General manager Eric Tulsky has built a team that can compete for the long term. The team is projected to have $11 million in cap space and has forwards Logan Stankoven and Blake on team-friendly, long-term deals, which can provide even more impact players down the line to help improve the team.

 

While a team getting even more players would be nice, this team may not need that. Each player provided something throughout the Hurricanes’ playoff run. The team showed they could win with the players they already have.

 

The Hurricanes’ hard work throughout many years has finally paid off, with the team coming off the greatest season in franchise history. It feels like this could be the beginning of something special — the Carolina Hurricanes could be on their way to a potential dynasty.