Twenty seasons and 120 playoff games after raising the Stanley Cup for the first time in 2006 — the eighth season after the franchise relocated — the Carolina Hurricanes are back competing for the best trophy in professional sports.
And it couldn’t have come at a better time, nor with a better core. The Hurricanes have tuned out the critics who said there was no chance they would get to this spot, opting instead to play their way and style en route to complete domination.
When the final horn sounded on the Carolina Hurricanes’ 6-1 win on Friday over the Montreal Canadiens to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup against the Vegas Golden Knights, there was almost a sense of relief mixed in with the joy. After seven seasons — that each seemed to have a similar disappointing ending — the wait finally paid off. Carolina’s journey with this core hasn’t always been smooth, but the patience has been worth the wait.
The way last season played out for the Canes would have been considered a success for most teams. Instead, for Carolina, it left a bitter taste.
While the Hurricanes were able to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, they were once again completely outmatched, losing to the Florida Panthers in five games. The one positive takeaway, at least, was they ended one of the worst — and strangest — playoff streaks in North American sports.
Entering last season’s ECF, the Canes had gone three straight conference finals appearances without winning a single game after being swept in 2009, 2019 and 2023. Then the Florida Panthers, who swept the Canes in 2023, went up 3-0 last season in the ECF to bring the streak to 15 consecutive conference finals games without a win — the longest by five games in NHL history.
The Hurricanes were able to snap the streak after beating the Panthers in Game 4, but their season came to an end unceremoniously in Game 5, bringing their conference finals record to a miserable 1-16 in the ECF since their Stanley Cup win in 2006.
Entering the offseason it was clear something had to be done, but to what extent was the question. After whiffing on landing a big star following the departure of both Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen in previous years, many thought Carolina’s core wouldn’t be able to get over the hump.
Instead of making any premature or drastic changes, general manager Eric Tulsky got right to work in the offseason to make the Canes better. Carolina first added K’Andre Miller in a sign-and-trade with the Rangers and then doubled down by signing Nikolaj Ehlers to the ninth biggest UFA contract in total value since 2015.
After enjoying another dominant regular season this year, in which the Hurricanes finished with the second most points in the league and the best record in the Eastern Conference, the real test started in April. The doubts of whether this was the year the Canes would overcome their agonizing Eastern Conference Finals woes still hung above the franchise’s head.
Despite complete domination through the first two rounds, which resulted in an unbeaten record heading into the ECF against the Canadiens, there was a split second where it looked like the pattern would continue when the Canes were destroyed 6-2 in Game 1.
But overtime winners from Ehlers and Andrei Svechnikov gave Carolina breathing room and it was smooth sailing from there.
The coffin holding the 19 years filled with conference final misery was officially put in the ground following Carolina’s win over the Canadiens on Friday.
While it feels as if this season has already been a success, it’s far from complete. Any scenario that doesn’t end with a parade in Raleigh and another banner hung in the Lenovo Center might even be deemed a failure of sorts. It’s a simple equation that almost-championship teams never cement themselves quite like the teams that get the job done, for example the 2001-02 Hurricanes team that lost in the Stanley Cup versus the 2005-06 team that won it all.
To get to that level of immortality, the Canes will have to get through the Vegas Golden Knights, who will be without a doubt the toughest test yet.
After firing head coach Bruce Cassidy in late March, the Knights have gone 19-4-1 under new head coach John Tortorella. They just swept the Stanley Cup favorite Colorado Avalanche and are playing their best hockey of the season.
Mitch Marner, who Vegas traded for in the offseason from the Toronto Maple Leafs, has been a revelation so far this postseason. He has 21 points in 16 games to lead the Knights. Not far behind is Jack Eichel — who was a key part of Vegas’ 2023 Stanley Cup win — with 18 points.
Unlike the Senators, Flyers or Canadiens, the Knights are experienced, physical and have the top end talent to be competitive with the Canes. They’ve also been in this position before with their Stanley Cup win in 2023, something Carolina can’t speak to. Vegas has also been the beneficiary of hot goaltending during the playoffs.
With all that being said, this is the Hurricanes’ series to take. No team has been more consistent and more dominant across the regular season and postseason.
Carolina is the only team since the NHL moved to the four best-of-7 series format in 1987 to enter the Stanley Cup with a 12-1 record. With a sweep, the Hurricanes can become the first team in NHL history to go 16-1 in the playoffs.
First the Hurricanes surmounted their Eastern Conference Final troubles.
Now, the Stanley Cup is only four wins away from coming back to Raleigh for the first time in two adversity-filled decades.