Carolina Hurricanes add 53 names
The Carolina Hurricanes added 53 names to the Stanley Cup after winning the 2026 championship. Owner Tom Dundon, his wife Veruschka, and their five children occupy the first seven spots across the top two lines.
The family entries appear before chief executive Brian Fork, general manager Eric Tulsky, coach Rod Brind’Amour, other staff members, and 24 players. Carolina shared an image of the completed engraving on July 9, 2026.
Carolina Hurricanes win second Cup
The Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in the championship series, securing the franchise’s second Stanley Cup. Carolina previously captured the trophy in 2006, when Rod Brind’Amour served as team captain.
Jordan Staal captained the 2026 champions, while Brind’Amour coached the team. Both names appear on the engraving with Sebastian Aho, Jaccob Slavin, Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov, and goaltender Frederik Andersen.
Tom Dundon’s family takes seven spots
Tom Dundon and six members of his family occupy seven of Carolina’s 53 engraved entries. NHL rules allow a championship team to submit no more than 55 names for the Stanley Cup.
The Hurricanes used 15 engraved lines, with the Dundon family filling the first two. Executives, coaches, and support staff followed, while the 24 listed players occupied the final seven lines.
Dundon relatives hold no team roles
Veruschka Dundon and children Caden, Dax, Drew, Blake, and Tagan held no formal roles with the Hurricanes. Their placement drew attention because the six relatives appeared before every coach, staff member, and player.
Other NHL owners have placed relatives on the trophy through official positions. Florida owner Vincent Viola included family members after consecutive 2024 and 2025 championships, with organizational roles linking them to the Panthers.
Florida relatives held official titles
Florida’s engraved Viola family members held formal team positions, including alternate governor roles. Carolina’s six additional Dundon relatives held no official titles with the Hurricanes when their names appeared on the Stanley Cup.
NHL rules automatically qualify players who appear in 41 regular-season games or one Stanley Cup Final game. Teams may petition the commissioner when extenuating circumstances prevent someone from meeting those requirements.
Joel Nystrom misses automatic entry
Carolina defenseman Joel Nystrom played 38 regular-season games, 3 below the automatic eligibility threshold, and his name did not appear on the engraving. Public reports did not establish whether Carolina submitted an exemption request.
Forward Nicolas Deslauriers did not qualify automatically after arriving in a late-season trade. Carolina included him among its engraved players through the league’s petition process after he played 7 regular-season games and 1 playoff game for the Hurricanes.
Bobby Gorman remains off the Cup
Longtime equipment manager Bob Gorman did not appear on Carolina’s 2026 engraving. Gorman first joined the organization in 1976, continued with the club in a reduced capacity during the 2025-26 season, and previously had his name added after the Hurricanes’ 2006 championship.
The Hurricanes’ current staff directory lists Jorge Alves as head equipment manager, Patrick Budds and Nick Roy as assistant equipment managers, Doug Bennett as head athletic trainer, Koryd Lavimoniere as assistant athletic trainer, and Nick Maheffey as coordinator of rehabilitation and sports science.
Stanley Cup names began in 1907
The Stanley Cup carries thousands of engraved names, reflecting a tradition that began with roster entries in 1907. The 1906-07 Montreal Wanderers became the first champions to engrave their roster on the trophy.
Annual roster engraving did not become standard until 1924, when the Montreal Canadiens captured the Cup. Since then, the trophy has honored generations of players, coaches, executives, and staff who were part of championship teams.
Stanley Cup included relatives before
The trophy carried unusual family entries before Carolina’s additions. Tampa Bay included Penny Vinik in 2021, while Florida placed members of the Viola family on both its 2024 and 2025 championship sections.
Historical cases also show limits. Edmonton owner Peter Pocklington added his father, Basil, in 1984 despite no team affiliation, prompting officials to cover the name with 16 engraved X marks.
NHL approval shapes modern engravings
The 1984 response remains a notable example of the NHL rejecting an unaffiliated family entry. League hockey operations approves modern engraving lists, while the Hockey Hall of Fame maintains and travels with the trophy.
Lord Stanley of Preston commissioned the original trophy in 1892 while serving as Canada’s Governor General. The Cup was first awarded in 1893, and the NHL commissioner presents it to the championship captain.
Stanley Cup tradition centers players
The NHL commissioner presents the Stanley Cup to the championship captain, who lifts it before teammates take turns carrying the trophy. Players traditionally receive the first opportunity to celebrate with it on the ice.
During the offseason, members of the championship organization receive scheduled time with the Cup while an official keeper accompanies it. Many players bring the trophy to hometowns, family gatherings, or community events.
Stanley Cup bands preserve older names
The Cup’s physical structure changes as engraving space fills. Older championship bands move to the Hockey Hall of Fame, creating room for future winners while preserving retired names for museum display.
Engraving errors also form part of the trophy’s history. Past mistakes included misspelled team names, duplicated player names, and incorrect surnames, while official engravers have traditionally added names by hand for generations.
Ice quality shapes puck movement, player control, and game speed across the NHL. Explore how temperature, humidity, and arena conditions can quietly influence what happens during a matchup.
Carolina engraving remains unchanged
Carolina selected the names submitted for engraving, while the NHL approved the final list. The Hockey Hall of Fame maintains and travels with the Stanley Cup, but it does not decide who is engraved on Carolina’s championship section.
As of July 20, 2026, Carolina and the NHL had announced no revision to the completed engraving. Tom Dundon, his wife, and their 5 children remained among the 53 listed names.
Nathan MacKinnon’s series performance went beyond scoring and leadership. Explore the personal sacrifice the Colorado Avalanche star made and why it mattered during the team’s victory.
Should Stanley Cup engraving space be reserved only for official team contributors, or should owners have room to honor relatives? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
Read More From This Brand:
