NHL

Carolina Hurricanes’ Return to Stanley Cup Throne Was 20 Years in the Making

‘You want to win it again and again and again. What a feeling, what a battle,’ Hurricanes center Jordan Staal said.
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Carolina Hurricanes’ Return to Stanley Cup Throne Was 20 Years in the Making
The Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after a win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series in Las Vegas on June 14, 2026. Candice Ward/AP Photo
Matthew Davis
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The Carolina Hurricanes ended a 20-year Stanley Cup drought on Sunday in Las Vegas with a 3–0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights.

Carolina last won the title in 2006 during the team’s eighth season in North Carolina, eight years after a 1997 move from Hartford. Before Sunday, the Hurricanes endured seven consecutive years of playoff heartbreak, which included three Eastern Conference finals losses and five early exits.

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Matthew Davis
Matthew Davis
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Matthew Davis is an experienced, award-winning journalist who has covered major professional and college sports for years. His writing has appeared on Heavy, the Star Tribune, and The Catholic Spirit. He has a degree in mass communication from North Dakota State University.