For current sports news on this topic, see 2007–08 Carolina Hurricanes season

Carolina Hurricanes
Conference	Eastern
Division	Southeast
Founded	1972
History	New England Whalers 1972 - 1979 (WHA) Hartford Whalers 1979 - 1997 (NHL) Carolina Hurricanes 1997 - present (NHL)
Home Arena	RBC Center
City	Raleigh, North Carolina
Media	FSN South WCMC (99.9 FM)
Owner(s)	Peter Karmanos
General Manager	Jim Rutherford
Head Coach	Peter Laviolette
Captain	Rod Brind'Amour
Minor League Affiliates	Albany River Rats (AHL) Florida Everblades (ECHL)
Stanley Cups	2005–06
Conference Championships	2001–02, 2005–06
Division Championships	1998–99, 2001–02, 2005–06

The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). They won their first Stanley Cup during the 2005–06 season, beating the Edmonton Oilers four games to three. Prior to 1997, the team was known as the Hartford Whalers. They play their home games at the RBC Center. Image File history File links Soccerball_current_event. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Eastern Conference logo, circa 2006 French version of the Eastern Conference logo The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League (NHL) used to divide teams. ... The NHLs Southeast Division was formed in 1998 as part of the Eastern Conference due to expansion. ... WHA redirects here. ... The Hartford Whalers were an American professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. ... NHL redirects here. ... NHL redirects here. ... The RBC Center (originally the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena) is an indoor arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina. ... For other uses of this name, see Raleigh. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Largest metro area Charlotte metro area Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (900 km)  - % water 9. ... Fox Sports Net headquarters in Los Angeles. ... WCMC-FM is a sports talk radio station based in Raleigh, North Carolina. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Peter Karmanos, Jr. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... James Earl Jim Rutherford (born February 17, 1949, in Beeton, Ontario) is a former goaltender in the National Hockey League who played for the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Los Angeles Kings in the 1970s and 1980s. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Peter Laviolette Jr. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Albany River Rats are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. ... The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America, that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. ... The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada, generally regarded as a tier below the American Hockey League. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... For other uses of this name, see Raleigh. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Largest metro area Charlotte metro area Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (900 km)  - % water 9. ... The NHLs Southeast Division was formed in 1998 as part of the Eastern Conference due to expansion. ... Eastern Conference logo, circa 2006 French version of the Eastern Conference logo The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League (NHL) used to divide teams. ... NHL redirects here. ... The Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (French: ) is the championship trophy of the National Hockey League (NHL), the major professional ice hockey league in Canada and the United States. ... The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ... The Hartford Whalers were an American professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. ... The RBC Center (originally the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena) is an indoor arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina. ...

Franchise History

In New England

See also: Hartford Whalers

The New England Whalers were born in November 1971 when the World Hockey Association awarded a franchise to begin play in Boston, Massachusetts. For the first two-and-a-half years of their existence, the club played their home games at the Boston Arena, Boston Garden, and The Big E Coliseum in West Springfield. However, sagging attendance forced the team to Connecticut. On January 11, 1975, the team played its first game in front of a sellout crowd at the Hartford Civic Center Coliseum. With the exception of a period in the late 1970s when the Whalers played at the Springfield Civic Center while their Hartford home was being renovated (due to a portion of the roof collapsing after a blizzard), the franchise was largely located in Hartford.. The Hartford Whalers were an American professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. ... The Hartford Whalers were an American professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. ... See also: 1970 in sports, other events of 1971, 1972 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Richard Petty won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Richard Petty Indianapolis 500 - Al Unser, Sr. ... WHA redirects here. ... Boston redirects here. ... Matthews Arena, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the worlds oldest indoor hockey arena. ... The Boston Garden was a famous arena built in 1928 in Boston, Massachusetts. ... The Eastern States Coliseum is a 5,900-seat multi-purpose arena in West Springfield, Massachusetts, built in 1926. ... West Springfield may refer to: West Springfield, Massachusetts West Springfield, Virginia This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Official language(s) none (de facto English) Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[2] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[3] Area  Ranked 48th in the US  - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Hartford Civic Center Coliseum is an indoor arena in Hartford, Connecticut. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... The MassMutual Center is a 7,444-seat multi-purpose arena in Springfield, Massachusetts. ... Hartford redirects here. ...

As one of the most stable WHA teams, the Whalers, along with the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, and Winnipeg Jets, were admitted to the NHL when the rival leagues merged in 1979. Because the NHL already had a team in the New England area, the Boston Bruins, the former WHA team was renamed the Hartford Whalers. Unfortunately, the team was never as successful in the NHL as they had been in the WHA, recording only three winning seasons. They peaked with their only playoff series victory in 1986 over the Quebec Nordiques and extended the Montreal Canadiens to overtime of the seventh game in the second round, followed by a regular season division title in 1986–87. 1992 was the last time the Hartford Whalers made the playoffs. The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ... The Quebec Nordiques (in french Nordiques de Québec, pronounced ; translated into English as Northmen or Northerners) were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. ... The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... The Boston Bruins are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. ... The Hartford Whalers were an American professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. ... The Quebec Nordiques (in french Nordiques de Québec, pronounced ; translated into English as Northmen or Northerners) were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional mens hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ...

In Carolina

In March 1997, Whalers owner Peter Karmanos announced that the team would leave cut after 1996–97 because of the team's inability to negotiate a satisfactory construction and lease package for a new arena in Hartford. In July, Karmanos announced that the Whalers would move to the Research Triangle area of North Carolina and the new Entertainment and Sports Arena in Raleigh, become the Carolina Hurricanes, and change their team colors to red and black. Due to the relatively short time frame for the move, Karmanos himself thought of and decided upon the new name for the club, rather than holding a contest as is sometimes done. Peter Karmanos, Jr. ... Look up cut in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Research Triangle, commonly referred to as the Triangle, is a region in the piedmont of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by the cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill and the major research universities of North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Largest metro area Charlotte metro area Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (900 km)  - % water 9. ... The RBC Center (originally the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena) is an indoor arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina. ...

Unfortunately, the ESA wouldn't be complete for two more years, and the only other hockey building in the Triangle was Dorton Arena, a 5,100-seat, 45-year-old building which was totally unsuitable for NHL hockey. The Hurricanes were thus forced to play home games in Greensboro, ninety minutes away from Raleigh, for their first two seasons after the move. This displaced the American Hockey League's Carolina Monarchs. The Greensboro Coliseum seated over 21,000 people for hockey, temporarily putting the 'Canes in the highest-capacity arena in the NHL. This choice was disastrous for the franchise's attendance and reputation. Most Triangle-area fans were unwilling to make the drive across I-40 to Greensboro. As for their part, fans from the Piedmont Triad wouldn't support a lame-duck team, and were still upset over ticket price hikes when the Monarchs moved from the East Coast Hockey League to the AHL in 1995. Furthermore, only 29 out of 82 games were televised, and radio play-by-play coverage was often pre-empted by ACC basketball, leaving these games totally unavailable to those who didn't have a ticket. With attendance routinely below the league average, Sports Illustrated ran a story titled "Natural Disaster", and ESPN anchors mocked the "Green Acres" of empty seats; in a 2006 interview, Karmanos admitted that "as it turns out, Greensboro was probably a mistake." Dorton Arena is a 5,110-seat multi-purpose arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. ... Greensboro redirects here. ... For other uses of this name, see Raleigh. ... The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America, that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Greensboro Monarchs played in the ECHL from 1989-1995. ... The Greensboro Coliseum complex is an indoor arena in Greensboro, North Carolina. ... Interstate 40 is a major west-east interstate highway in the United States. ... The Piedmont Triad, Triad, or North Carolina Triad is a region of North Carolina in the Piedmont that consists of the area centered around the cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, and Burlington. ... The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada, generally regarded as a tier below the American Hockey League. ... The first issue of Sports Illustrated, August 16, 1954, showing Milwaukee Braves star Eddie Mathews at bat in Milwaukee County Stadium. ... ESPN, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ... This article is about the television series. ...

For 1998–99 the Hurricanes curtained off most of the upper deck, lowering capacity to about 12,000, but attendance continued to lag well behind league averages. On the ice, however, the 'Canes were now out of the doldrums; led by the return of longtime Whalers captain Ron Francis, Keith Primeau's 30 goals, and Gary Roberts' 178 penalty minutes, they won the new Southeast Division by eight points and made the playoffs for the first time since 1992. Tragedy struck hours after their first-round loss to the Bruins when defenceman Steve Chiasson was thrown from his pickup truck and killed in a single-vehicle drunk-driving accident. Ronald Ron Francis (born March 1, 1963 in Sault Ste. ... Keith Primeau (born November 24, 1971, in Toronto, Ontario) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. ... For other persons of the same name, see Gary Roberts. ... A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behaviour. ... The NHLs Southeast Division was formed in 1998 as part of the Eastern Conference due to expansion. ... Defence (defense in the U.S.A.) in hockey is a player position with a primary responsibility to prevent the opposing team from scoring goals. ... This article or section is missing needed references or citation of sources. ...

Despite their move to the brand-new ESA, the Hurricanes played lackluster hockey in 1999–2000, failing to make the playoffs. In 2000–01, though, they claimed the eighth seed, which nosed out Boston, and landed a first-round date with the defending champs, the New Jersey Devils. Although the Hurricanes were bounced by the Devils in six games, the series is seen as the real "arrival" of hockey in the Triangle. Down 3–0 in the series, the 'Canes extended it to a sixth game, thereby becoming only the tenth team in NHL history to do so. Game six in Raleigh featured their best playoff crowd that year, as well as its noisiest. ^[1] Despite the 5–1 loss, Carolina was given a standing ovation by their crowd as the game ended, erasing many of the doubts that the city wouldn't warm up to the team. ^[2] The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. ...

The 'Canes made national waves for the first time in the 2002 playoffs. They survived a late charge from the Washington Capitals to win the division, but expectations were low entering the Round One against the defending Eastern Conference champion Devils. However, Arturs Irbe and Kevin Weekes were solid in goal, and two games were won by the Hurricanes in overtime as they put away the Devs in six games. The second-round matchup was against the Montreal Canadiens, who were riding a wave of emotion after their captain Saku Koivu's return from cancer treatment. In the third period of Game 4 in Montreal, down 2–1 in games and 3–0 in score, Carolina would tie the game and then win on Niclas Wallin's overtime goal. The game became known to Hurricanes fans as the "Miracle at Molson"; Carolina easily won the next two games, by a 13–3 margin, over the dejected Habs to win the series. The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... Eastern Conference logo, circa 2006 French version of the Eastern Conference logo The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League (NHL) used to divide teams. ... ArtÅ«rs Irbe (born February 2, 1967 in Riga, Latvia) is a Latvian former professional Hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League who played for the San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks and Carolina Hurricanes. ... Kevin Weekes (born 4 April 1975) is a professional ice hockey goaltender of Barbadian/Bajan origin, born in Toronto, Ontario. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional mens hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... Saku Antero Koivu (born November 23, 1974 in Turku, Finland) is a professional ice hockey player, and currently plays centre for the Montreal Canadiens as the current team captain. ... Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ... Niclas Wallin born February 20, 1975 in Boden, Sweden is a professional ice hockey player who plays for the NHLs Carolina Hurricanes. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional mens hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ...

In the Conference Final, Carolina met the heavily-favored Toronto Maple Leafs. In game six in Toronto, the Leafs' Mats Sundin tied the game with 22 seconds remaining to send it to overtime, where Carolina's Martin Gelinas would score to send the franchise to their first Stanley Cup Final, against the Detroit Red Wings, thought to be the prohibitive favorite all year. Though the Canes stunned the Wings in Game 1, when Francis scored in the first minute of OT, Detroit stormed back to win the next four games. Game 3 in Raleigh featured a triple-overtime thriller (won by Detroit's Igor Larionov, the eldest player to score a last-round goal), which sportscasters called one of the best Final games in history. Despite the 4–1 series loss, it had been by far the most successful season in franchise history. For other uses, see Toronto Maple Leafs (disambiguation). ... Mats Johan Sundin (born February 13, 1971) is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League. ... Martin Gélinas (born June 5, 1970 in Shawninigan, Quebec, Canada) is a professional ice hockey player. ... The Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (French: ) is the championship trophy of the National Hockey League (NHL), the major professional ice hockey league in Canada and the United States. ... The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. ... L-to-R: Kozlov, Konstantinov, Fedorov, Fetisov, Larionov (June 1997) Igor Nikolayevich Larionov (Russian: Игорь Николаевич Ларионов; born December 3, 1960 in Voskresensk, Soviet Union, now Russia) is a Russian former ice hockey player. ...

Carolina's alternate logo, a gale storm watch flag. The black triangle represents the Triangle of North Carolina, and the flagpole is a hockey stick.

The momentum didn't last, however, and the next two seasons saw the 'Canes drop into the cellar of the NHL rankings; many of the new fans attracted to the team (and to hockey itself) during the 2002 playoff run lost interest and attendance declined. One of the few positive results of these losing years was the team's drafting of rising star Eric Staal in 2003. In December 2003, the team fired Paul Maurice, who had been their coach since their next-to-last season in Hartford, replacing him with former New York Islanders bench boss Peter Laviolette. Weekes remained tough, but offense was doubtful; center Josef Vasicek led the team with a mere 19 goals, 26 assists (tied with rookie Staal, who scored only 5 times himself) and 45 points. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Research Triangle, commonly referred to as the Triangle, is a region in the piedmont of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by the cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill and the major research universities of North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina... Eric Staal (born on 29 October 1984 in Thunder Bay, Ontario) is a Canadian ice hockey player who currently plays for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. ... The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee. ... Paul the good man Maurice (born January 30, 1967 in Sault Ste. ... The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, a hamlet located on Long Island in Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. ... Peter Laviolette Jr. ... Josef Vasicek (born 12 September 1980 in Havlickuv Brod, Czechoslovakia) is an ice hockey centreman who currently plays for the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL. Vasicek was drafted 91st overall by the Hurricanes in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. ...

2005–06 Championship

The outcome of the 2004–05 NHL lockout led to the shrinking of the payroll to $26 million; many fans were not optimistic about the 2005–06 season, still the first game back was to a sold out arena. The 'Canes, however, turned out to be one of the NHL's biggest surprises, turning in the best season in the franchise's 34-year history. They finished with a 52–22–8 record and 112 points, shattering the previous franchise record set by the 1986–87 Whalers. It was the first time ever that the franchise had passed the 50-win and 100-point plateaus. The 112-point figure was one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the best record in the East, and tied the Dallas Stars for third-highest in the league. The Stars, however, finished with one more win, meaning the 'Canes were ranked fourth in the overall league standings as a result of the tiebreaker. Still, their fourth-place finish was far and away their best ever as an NHL team. They ran away with their third Southeast Division title, finishing 20 points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Attendance increased from 2003–04, averaging just under 15,600 per game, and the team made a profit for the first time since the move from Hartford. ^[3] For other uses, see Ottawa Senators (disambiguation). ... The Dallas Stars are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas and are best known for winning the Stanley Cup in 1999. ... The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ...

In the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Carolina lost the first two games of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal at home against the seventh-seeded Habs, leading many to believe that the Canes' grand season would come to a sudden end. Laviolette made what would prove to be a fateful decision, lifting goalkeeper Martin Gerber in favor of rookie Cam Ward. A turning point of the series occurred in Game 3, as Carolina forward Justin Williams inadvertently hit Montreal captain Koivu in the eye with his stick as both players lunged for the puck. Koivu's eye was severely injured, causing him to miss the remainder of the series; Williams escaped a possible double-minor high-sticking penalty. The Hurricanes went on to win both games in Montreal, tying up the playoff series and turning the momentum around. They returned home and took Game 5 to take a 3–2 advantage in the series, and finished the series in Montreal with a 2–1 overtime victory on a goal by Cory Stillman. The modernized NHL shield logo, debuting in 2005. ... Martin Gerber (born September 3, 1974) is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently with the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League. ... Cameron Ward (born February 29, 1984 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) is a professional Canadian ice hockey goaltender. ... For the basketball player, see Justin Williams (basketball). ... Nickname: Motto: Concordia Salus (well-being through harmony) Coordinates: , Country Province Region Montréal Founded 1642 Established 1832 Government  - Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area [1][2][3]  - City 365. ... Cory Stillman (born December 20, 1973 in Peterborough, Ontario) is a professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. ...

The Hurricanes then played third-seeded New Jersey in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. This was expected to be a close series, but proved surprisingly one-sided. Carolina exploded to score six goals in Game 1, chasing career Jersey netminder Martin Brodeur from the net on his 34th birthday. This was Ward's first playoff shutout, as the Hurricanes won 6–0. The Hurricanes won Game 2 in dramatic fashion with Eric Staal (who led Carolina with a 45-goal, 55-assist campaign) scoring with just 3 seconds left in the third period to send the game into overtime. Niclas Wallin was the hero once again, as he lifted the Canes to a 3–2 win. He received a pass from Rod Brind'Amour as he skated over the blue line and muscled his way down the left side of Brodeur to the front of the net. In Game 3, the Hurricanes took a stranglehold on the series with a 3–2 win in New Jersey, but in a penalty-filled fourth game, the Devils rallied back with a 5–1 win. The series shifted back to Raleigh for Game 5 where Carolina closed out the series with a 4–1 win. Stillman struck again, scoring this series-winning goal too. Martin Pierre Brodeur (IPA: ) (born May 6, 1972, in Montreal, Quebec) is a professional ice hockey goaltender who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the New Jersey Devils. ...

In the Eastern Conference Final, the Hurricanes faced the Buffalo Sabres, who had finished just one spot behind the Canes in the overall standings. The Sabres squad was devastated by injuries in the series, at one point in the series playing without their top four defensemen in good health. The Hurricanes were defeated in the first game, as Buffalo took a 3–2 victory and the early lead in the series. In the second game, however, the Hurricanes recovered, defeating Buffalo 4–3. Buffalo won Game 3 by a score of 4–3 to take back the series lead, but Carolina tied it up again in Game 4 with a 4–0 shutout, in which Gerber, who had relieved Ward the previous game, started in goal for the first time since Game 2 of the first round. Gerber's good luck would not extend to Game 5, as after a shaky start, Ward was brought back in. Carolina took a 3–2 series lead by rallying and winning Game 5, as Stillman scored an overtime goal to give the Canes the 4–3 win. In Game 6 of the contentious series (both coaches — Lindy Ruff and Laviolette — took public verbal shots at each other's team), the Hurricanes lost 2–1 to the Sabres in overtime, forcing a seventh-and-deciding game in the series. In Game 7 the Hurricanes fell behind 2–1 in the second period but rallied with three goals in the third to win by a score of 4–2. Rod Brind'Amour scored the game winner as the Hurricanes reached the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in team history. The Buffalo Sabres is the best professional ice hockey team around. ... Lindy Cameron Ruff (Born: February 17, 1960 in Warburg, Alberta, Canada) is head coach of the Buffalo Sabres and former left winger in the National Hockey League. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The Final began on June 5 as the Hurricanes hosted the Edmonton Oilers in Raleigh, marking the first time in NHL history that two former WHA franchises had played in the Final. Early in the third period of the first game Dwayne Roloson, the Edmonton netminder considered by many to be the sole reason for the Oilers' playoff success, went down with a playoff-ending injury after a collision with Hurricane Andrew Ladd resulting from a check by the Oiler's Marc-Andre Bergeron. The Canes rallied from a 3–0 deficit in Game 1 (which included Oilers' star defenceman Chris Pronger scoring the first successful penalty-shot goal ever in the final round) to win 5–4 after Rod Brind'Amour scored with 30 seconds left after some miscommunication behind the net between the Oilers' captain Jason Smith and backup goalie Ty Conklin, who had replaced injured starter Dwayne Roloson with five minutes to play. In Game 2, the other Edmonton reserve goaltender, Jussi Markkanen, was brought in and played for the remainder of the series, the first time a team had used three goalies in the Final since the St. Louis Blues in 1970. The 'Canes shelled Markkanen and the Oilers 5–0 to take a two-game lead, threatening to turn the series into a romp. However, it would eventually prove to be a classic nail-biter, as Markkanen and the Oilers made adjustments. The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ... Andrew Ladd (born December 12, 1985 in Maple Ridge, British Columbia) is a professional Canadian ice hockey player who plays for the NHLs Carolina Hurricanes. ... Marc-Andre Bergeron (born October 13, 1980 in Saint-Louis-de-France, Quebec, Canada) is a French Canadian professional hockey defenceman. ... Christopher Robert Pronger (born October 10, 1974, in Dryden, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the NHLs Anaheim Ducks (2006–present). ... For other people with this name, see Jason Smith. ... Ty Conklin (born March 30, 1976, Anchorage, Alaska) is a goaltender with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. ... Albert Dwayne Roloson (born October 12, 1969 in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada) is an NHL goaltender currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers. ... This article is about the city in Alberta, Canada. ... Jussi Markkanen (born May 8, 1975 in Imatra, Finland) is an NHL goaltender for the Edmonton Oilers. ... The St. ...

The Oilers won Game 3 at Rexall Place, 2–1, as Ryan Smyth scored the game-winning goal with 2:47 left to play in the third period. Carolina rebounded in Game 4 with a 2–1 victory, and came home with a chance to win the Cup on home ice. However, game five saw the Oilers come back with a stunning 4–3 overtime win on a shorthanded breakaway by Fernando Pisani early in extra session. Suddenly the momentum started to turn the Oilers' way. In Game 6 in Edmonton, Carolina was soundly defeated 4–0, and now the possibility loomed of a team surrendering a 3–1 advantage in the Final for the first time since 1942, when the Wings had fallen to the Leafs. The ace in the deck for the Hurricanes was their home ice advantage in Game 7, and one last chance to regroup. Rexall Place is an indoor arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is situated on the north side of Northlands Park. ... Ryan Alexander Gordon Smyth (born February 21, 1976 in Banff, Alberta) is a professional ice hockey player who currently plays left wing for the Colorado Avalanche. ... Fernando Pisani (born 27 December 1976 in Edmonton, Alberta) is a professional ice hockey winger. ... This article is about the city in Alberta, Canada. ...

In Game 7, before the second-largest home crowd in franchise history (18,978), the Hurricanes jumped to an early 1–0 lead on an Aaron Ward blast from the right circle at 1:26. In the waning minutes of the first period, Craig Adams corraled a rebound and drove it toward the net. Defenseman Steve Staios jumped on the puck to keep it from going over the line after a mistimed tip by Ales Hemsky. Referee Brad Watson initially signaled for a penalty shot, but it was washed out by a delayed penalty on Ethan Moreau. Later replays showed that Adams had actually gotten the puck in the net. In the second period, Edmonton defenceman Jaroslav Spacek was called for holding. At 4:18, Frantisek Kaberle blasted one in from the left circle on the power play. Edmonton finally got on the board early in the third period on a Pisani goal. The game remained in doubt until the Oilers pulled Markkanen in hopes of sending the game into overtime. However, with just under two minutes left in regulation, an errant centering pass wound up on the stick of Bret Hedican, who dumped it to Eric Staal. He put it out to center ice where Justin Williams gathered the puck and scored on an empty-net breakaway at 18:59 of the third period, sealing the Hurricanes' first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history.

Ward was honored with the Conn Smythe Trophy for the playoffs' most valuable player, erasing the hopes that either Pisani or Pronger would break the 30-year streak of a non-goaltender to win the award in a losing cause — the only player to fit in such a category is Philadelphia Flyer Reggie Leach, who won it when his Flyers were swept by the Canadiens in 1976. Ward became just the fourth rookie to be honored with the award, following fellow goaltenders Patrick Roy (won with Montreal in 1986), Ron Hextall (lost with Philadelphia the next year), and Ken Dryden (also won as a Hab, in 1971, but not as an official rookie). Conn Smythe Trophy on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame The Conn Smythe Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the most valuable player during the National Hockey Leagues Stanley Cup playoffs. ... The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... Reginald Joseph Leach (born 23 April 1950 in Riverton, Manitoba, Canada) is a retired professional ice hockey right winger who played in the NHL between 1970 and 1983. ... Patrick Jacques Roy (IPA pronunciation: ), (born October 5, 1965, in Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada — a suburb of Quebec City) is a retired ice hockey goaltender. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional mens hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... Ron niggerdick Hextall (born May 3, 1964 in Brandon, Manitoba) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender most often associated with the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. ... The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... Kenneth Wayne Ken Dryden, PC, MP, BA, LL.B (born August 8, 1947) is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author and retired National Hockey League goaltender. ... The Rookie: Norman Rockwells cover for The Saturday Evening Post Rookie is a term for a person who is in their first year of play of their sport and has little or no professional experience. ...

Rod Brind'Amour and Bret Hedican had both waited over 15 years to raise Lord Stanley's Mug, while Glen Wesley — the last remaining Hartford Whaler on the Hurricanes' roster — had waited 18 seasons. Fagboy Named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1988. ...

The Hurricanes' Stanley Cup championship marked the first professional major league sports title for a team from the Carolinas. They were the second consecutive Southeast Division team to win the Cup, after the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2003–04; like the Hurricanes, Tampa Bay defeated a team from the Northwest Division — Edmonton's provincial rival in Alberta, the Calgary Flames. As well, they are the only NHL team in history to lose 9 or more games in a year's playoffs, yet still win the Stanley Cup. The Carolinas is a term used in the United States to refer collectively to the states of North and South Carolina. ... The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The NHLs Northwest Division was formed in 1998 as part of the Western Conference due to expansion. ... A province is a territorial unit, almost always a country subdivision. ... For other uses, see Alberta (disambiguation). ... The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and play out of the Pengrowth Saddledome. ...

However, the Hurricanes have not been able to repeat their success. Following a loss to the previous Cup champs, the Tampa Bay Lightning, on Tuesday, April 3, 2007, the Hurricanes were eliminated from playoff contention. This made them the first champions since the 1938–39 Chicago Blackhawks to have failed to qualify for the playoffs both the seasons before and after their championship season. The Edmonton Oilers also missed the playoffs, making the 2006–07 season the first time in NHL history both Stanley Cup Finalists of one season failed to qualify for the playoffs the next.

• To see the 2006/07 game recaps, click here.

As of the 2007–08 season, the only remaining legacies of the Hurricanes' Hartford days are longtime announcers Chuck Kaiton, John Forslund and Tripp Tracy, alternative captain Glen Wesley (who has been with the team since 1994, except for a brief portion of the 2002–03 season) and the old goal horn from the Hartford Civic Center. Chuck Kaiton has been the radio play-by-play announcer for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League since the organization joined the NHL for the 1979-80 season. ... Emmet E. Tracy III (born December 30, 1973 in Detroit, Michigan), better known as Tripp Tracy, is a retired American professional ice hockey player and is currently the television color commentator for the Carolina Hurricanes. ... Fagboy Named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1988. ...

Season-by-season record

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Hurricanes. For the full season-by-season history, see Carolina Hurricanes seasons This is a list of seasons completed by the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. ...

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Records as of April 7, 2007. ^[4]

¹ As of the 2005–06 NHL season, all games tied after regulation will be decided in a shootout; SOL (Shootout losses) will be recorded as OTL in the standings.

The Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (French: ) is the championship trophy of the National Hockey League (NHL), the major professional ice hockey league in Canada and the United States. ... The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ...

Notable players

Current roster

As of April 5, 2008. [1] is the 95th day of the year (96th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Goaltenders
#		Player	Catches	Acquired	Place of Birth
30		Cam Ward	L	2002	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
47		John Grahame	L	2006	Denver, Colorado

Defensemen
#		Player	Shoots	Acquired	Place of Birth
2		Glen Wesley – A	L	2003	Red Deer, Alberta
4		Dennis Seidenberg	L	2007	Schwenningen, West Germany
5		Frantisek Kaberle	L	2004	Kladno, Czechoslovakia
6		Bret Hedican	L	2002	St. Paul, Minnesota
7		Niclas Wallin	L	2000	Boden, Sweden
38		Tim Conboy	R	2006	Farmington, Minnesota
42		Tim Gleason	L	2006	Clawson, Michigan
45		David Tanabe	L	2007	White Bear Lake, Minnesota
77		Joe Corvo	R	2008	Oak Park, Illinois

Forwards
#		Player	Position	Shoots	Acquired	Place of Birth
8		Matt Cullen	C	L	2007	Virginia, Minnesota
11		Justin Williams	RW	R	2004	Cobourg, Ontario
12		Eric Staal – A	C	L	2003	Thunder Bay, Ontario
13		Ray Whitney – A	LW	R	2005	Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta
14		Sergei Samsonov	LW	R	2008	Moscow, U.S.S.R
15		Tuomo Ruutu	C	L	2008	Vantaa, Finland
17		Rod Brind'Amour – C	C	L	2000	Ottawa, Ontario
18		Ryan Bayda	LW	L	2006	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
19		Trevor Letowski	RW	R	2006	Thunder Bay, Ontario
24		Scott Walker	RW	R	2006	Cambridge, Ontario
26		Erik Cole	LW	L	1998	Oswego, New York
28		Wade Brookbank	LW	L	2007	Lanigan, Saskatchewan
34		Joe Jensen	C	L	2008	Plymouth, Minnesota
37		Keith Aucoin	RW	L	2005	Waltham, Massachusetts
44		Patrick Eaves	RW	R	2008	Calgary, Alberta
51		Jeff Hamilton	C	R	2006	Dayton, Ohio
59		Chad LaRose	RW	R	2003	Fraser, Michigan

Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Cameron Ward (born February 29, 1984 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) is a professional Canadian ice hockey goaltender. ... The 2002 NHL Entry Draft was held June 22-23 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Saskatoon is a city located in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... John Grahame (born August 31, 1975) is a goaltender in the National Hockey League. ... Nickname: Location of Denver in the State of Colorado Location of Colorado in the United States Coordinates: , Country United States State State of Colorado City and County Denver[1] Founded 1858-11-22, as Denver City, K.T.[2] Incorporated 1861-11-07, as Denver City, C.T.[3] Consolidated... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Fagboy Named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1988. ... Jarome Iginla wears the C on his jersey as captain of the Calgary Flames. ... For other uses, see Red Deer. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Dennis Seidenberg(born July 18, 1981 in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany) is a professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL. Seidenberg was drafted in the 6th round, 172nd overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. ... Villingen-Schwenningen is the largest city of the Schwarzwald-Baar district located in the middle of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Czech_Republic. ... Frantisek Kaberle (born November 8, 1973 in Kladno, Czech Republic) is a Czech Republic professional ice hockey defenseman who plays for the Carolina Hurricanes in the National Hockey League (NHL). ... Kladno is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Bret Hedican (born on 10 August 1970 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA) is an American NHL hockey player, married to figure-skater Kristi Yamaguchi. ... State capitol building in Saint Paul Saint Paul is the capital and second-largest city of the state of Minnesota in the United States of America. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sweden. ... Niclas Wallin born February 20, 1975 in Boden, Sweden is a professional ice hockey player who plays for the NHLs Carolina Hurricanes. ... The 2000 NHL Entry Draft was held from June 24 to 25 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta following the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft on June 23 for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild. ... Boden is a Municipality in Norrbotten County, in northern Sweden. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Farmington is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Professional hockey player for the Los Angeles Kings from Clawson, Michigan. ... Clawson is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... David Tanabe (born July 19, 1980 in White Bear Lake, Minnesota) is an American professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays with the Carolina Hurricanes. ... White Bear Lake is a city in Ramsey County, with a small portion in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Joe Corvo (born June 20, 1977, in Oak Park, Illinois, USA) is a professional hockey player who currently is signed to the Ottawa Senators. ... Oak Park is the name of some places in the United States of America: Oak Park, California Oak Park, Georgia Oak Park, Illinois Oak Park, Michigan Oak Park, Minnesota There is also an Oak Park in Australia. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Matthew Matt Cullen (born November 2, 1976 in Virginia, Minnesota, United States) is a professional ice hockey center who currently plays for the New York Rangers of the NHL. Cullen graduated from Moorhead Senior High School in 1994. ... Virginia is a city located in St. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Largest metro area Minneapolis-St. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... For the basketball player, see Justin Williams (basketball). ... Cobourg (2001 population 17,172) is a town some 75 km east of Toronto. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Eric Staal (born on 29 October 1984 in Thunder Bay, Ontario) is a Canadian ice hockey player who currently plays for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. ... Jarome Iginla wears the C on his jersey as captain of the Calgary Flames. ... The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee. ... Nickname: Motto: Superior by nature Location of Thunder Bay, Ontario Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Ontario Region Northwestern Ontario District Thunder Bay District CMA Thunder Bay Settled 1679 as Fort Caministigoyan See histories of Port Arthur and Fort William Amalgamation 1 January 1970 Government [1][2]  - Type Municipal Government  - Mayor Lynn... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Ray Whitney (born May 8, 1972 in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta)