Carolina Hurricanes

Team information

• Inaugural season: 1997, 1972 (as New England Whalers)
• Home arena: PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Owner: Tom Dundon
• Team colors: Red, white, gray, and black

Overview

The Carolina Hurricanes are a National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that plays in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. Succeeding the now-defunct New England and later Hartford Whalers, the Hurricanes first took the ice in 1997. Since their founding, the Hurricanes have been a consistently competitive team, even winning a Stanley Cup championship in the 2005–2006 season. As the Whalers prior to their move to Carolina, the team also won the Avco World Trophy in the World Hockey Association’s (WHA) inaugural 1972–1973 season. By the 2022–2023 season, the team’s all-time record stood at 1,467 wins, 1,475 losses, 263 ties, and 191 overtime losses. Known for their enthusiastic fans and their occasional “Storm Surge” on-ice celebrations, the Hurricanes are counted among the NHL’s most unique teams. The Hurricanes are also a financially successful franchise, worth an estimated $825 million in 2023.

In addition to their on-ice play, the Carolina Hurricanes maintain an active commitment to philanthropic endeavors. The team’s community relations department works to serve the people of Raleigh, North Carolina, and help improve the lives of children and their families. Every year, the Hurricanes distribute more than 1,000 in-kind donations and tickets to local non-profits. The team also sponsors various programs aimed at providing support for children, teachers, public safety personnel, and military service members. In addition to all this, the team also operates the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation (CHF), a charity organization that raises money for local educational and children’s programs. Through the CHF, the Hurricanes generate at least $1 million in cash and donations for various North Carolina charities and educational programs.

History

The history of the Carolina Hurricanes began with the founding of the New England Whalers in 1972. The Whalers were one of the original franchises in the WHA, a then-new professional hockey league meant to rival the NHL. Upon taking the ice for the first time, the Whalers immediately established themselves as one of the WHA’s top teams. In fact, the team eventually charged into the playoffs and went on to win the fledgling league’s first championship. Following that historic start, the Whalers most noteworthy moment in the WHA came with the signing of al-time NHL great Gordie Howe in 1977. For three seasons as a Whaler, Howe played alongside his sons Mark and Marty Howe. By that time, the WHA was facing serious financial troubles and struggling to survive. These issues eventually forced the league to merge with the NHL in 1979. As part of the merger, the Whalers, Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, and Winnipeg Jets were absorbed into the NHL. This also forced the Whalers to move from their original home in Boston to the city of Hartford, Connecticut. From that point, the team was referred to as the Hartford Whalers.

Debuting as an NHL team in 1979, the Whalers made the playoffs in their first season, albeit with a losing record. After a rocky first few years, the team slowly began to find its footing, making the 1985–1986 playoffs and subsequently returning to the playoffs for seven straight seasons from 1986–1992. However, from that point onward, the Whalers struggled to find success on the ice. The team’s poor play, coupled with the realities of being located in a small market, also led to financial troubles. When an attempt to build a new area in Hartford fell through, the franchise was forced to relocate to Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1997.

In Raleigh, the former Whalers were rechristened as the Carolina Hurricanes. Playing in Greensboro, North Carolina, while their new home was being built in Raleigh, the Hurricanes initially struggled on the ice and in getting fans unfamiliar with hockey to attend their games. Still, the team managed to win its division and make the playoffs in the 1998–1999 season. Despite taking the ice at their permanent home in Raleigh the following year, the Hurricanes continued to struggle, ultimately falling a single point shy of making the 1999–2000 playoffs. Over the next two seasons, the Hurricanes gradually began to improve. In the 2001–2002 season, the team shocked the NHL by going on an unexpected playoff run all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Squaring off against the Detroit Red Wings, the Hurricanes put up a fierce fight against a team considered to be a far superior, before falling in five games.

After again struggling through the 2002–2003 and 2003–2004 seasons and being sidelined during the lockout-canceled 2004–2005 season, the Hurricanes returned to the ice in late 2005 and embarked on the most successful year in franchise history. Earning a 52–22–8 regular season record and winning their division, the Hurricanes surged into the playoffs as an underdog. Skating past the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sabres, the suddenly red-hot Hurricanes headed into a Stanley Cup Finals series against the Edmonton Oilers. After trading wins through the first six games, the teams faced off in a deciding Game 7 that saw the Hurricanes clinch a 3–1 win to claim their first Stanley Cup.

In the first two years after their Stanley Cup win, the Hurricanes fell short of making playoffs and thus missed out on the opportunity to repeat their historic feat. The team’s performance improved again in the 2008–2009 season, returning to the playoffs and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals before being swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 2010s largely proved to be a disappointing decade for the Hurricanes. Between the 2009–2010 and 2017–2018 seasons, the team failed to make any playoff appearances and even finished at the bottom of their division in some years. Nevertheless, the team slowly rebuilt and eventually began to find success once again. During the 2018–2019 season, the Hurricanes generated a buzz both with their improved on-ice performance and their increasingly popular “Storm Surge” postgame celebrations. While some hockey commentators reacted negatively to these celebrations, the Hurricanes’ newfound notoriety helped catapult them back into playoff contention. After defeating the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders, the Hurricanes met the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals. Despite being swept by the Bruins, the Hurricanes once again proved themselves to be legitimate contenders.

Under Rod Brind'Amour, a former player who returned as coach with the 2019-2019 season, the 'Canes continued to make the playoffs. They lost the first round in 2019-2020 and the second round each of the next two seasons. In 2022-2023, Carolina lost to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference finals. Under Brind'Amour, the team's success also translated to improved attendance. In 2018-2019, the 'Canes averaged 13,321 fans per game. In 2023, Carolina was drawing sell-out crowds for most games.

Notable players

Several former Carolina Hurricanes players have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario. Among these honorees was center Ron Francis, who was undoubtedly the single most important player in Hurricanes history. Originally drafted at age 19 by the Hartford Whalers in 1981, Francis quickly became both a fan favorite and one of the team’s top stars. As the Whalers emerged as a playoff contender in the mid-1980s, Francis took center stage. At age 22 in the middle of the 1984–1985 season, he was promoted to team captain, becoming one of the youngest players appointed to that position in NHL history. While the Whalers remained mediocre at best, Francis proved his worth, recording 264 goals and 557 assists before heading to Pittsburgh in 1991. Shortly after the Whalers relocated to Raleigh and became the Carolina Hurricanes, Francis returned to the team and helped lead the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002. During his six years with the Hurricanes, Francis recorded 118 goals and 236 assists. He would ultimately play a few final games with the Toronto Maple Leafs before retiring in 2004.

Defenseman Paul Coffey was another Hall of Famer who spent some time as a Hurricanes player. Drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 1980, Coffey quickly emerged as one of the league’s top defensemen and served an integral part of the Oilers’ first three 1980s Stanley Cup championships. After being traded to Pittsburgh ahead of the 1987–1988 season and later spending stints in Los Angeles and Detroit, Coffey played briefly for the Whalers in 1996 just before they moved to North Carolina. Later that same season, he moved on again to Philadelphia and later Chicago before finally joining the Hurricanes during the 1998–1999 season. In the two years he played with the Hurricanes, Coffey recorded 13 goals and 37 assists. He ultimately played one last season in Boston in 2000–2001 before his retirement.

Famed right winger Mark Recchi also spent a brief, but important, stint with the Hurricanes during his Hall of Fame career. After playing with several different teams in his early years and winning a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991, Recchi made his Hurricanes debut during the 2005–2006 season. Despite playing in only 20 games, Recchi was an instrumental part of the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup win that year. Leaving the following season, Recchi played for several more teams before retiring in 2011.

There have been other notable Caroline Hurricanes as well. Center Rod Brind’Amour spent the last ten seasons of his career with the Hurricanes and helped lead the team to its 2006 Stanley Cup championship. He returned to become head coach of the Hurricanes in 2018. Brothers Eric and Jordan Staal also spent large portions of their career with the Hurricanes. Right winger Justin Williams was part of the Hurricanes’ Cup-winning team in 2006 and later returned for a second stint in North Carolina starting in 2017.

Bibliography

“Carolina Hurricanes.” Hockey Hall of Fame, 2023, www.hhof.com/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=Carolina+Hurricanes. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.

“Carolina Hurricanes.” Hockey Reference, 2024, www.hockey-reference.com/teams/CAR/history.html. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.

“Carolina Hurricanes.” Internet Hockey Database, 2024, www.hockeydb.com/stte/carolina-hurricanes-5154.html. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.

“Carolina Hurricanes.” Sports E-Cyclopedia, 2020, sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/carolina/hurricanes.html. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.

“Carolina Hurricanes Team History.” Sports Team History, 2020, sportsteamhistory.com/carolina-hurricanes. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.

“Community Relations.” Carolina Hurricanes, 2020, www.nhl.com/hurricanes/community. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.

“# 25 Carolina Hurricanes.” Forbes, 2020, www.forbes.com/teams/carolina-hurricanes/#23e557c8ff25. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.

Stainkamp, Michael. “A Brief History: Carolina Hurricanes.” NHL.com, 7 Aug. 2010, www.nhl.com/ice/m‗news.htm?id=535336. Accessed 1 Apr. 2020.