Andersen didn't play - or dress - in the last three games as Brandon Bussi started and excelled for three consecutive wins. But the Hurricanes would not have reached the final without the play of Andersen, who went 12-1, with a 1.44 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage in the first three rounds.
"He's the reason we're here," Bussi told ABC. "He's a workhouse. I only got 3 1/2 games. He obviously deserves more of the credit. He's worked so hard for this and grinded so long."
Both Andersen and Vegas' Carter Hart had a tougher time in the final than in earlier rounds. Bussi went into the net in Game 3 with the Hurricanes trailing 4-0 in an eventual 5-4 double-overtime loss.
Coach Rod Brind'Amour told ABC on Sunday that Andersen was "a little nicked up" and "not 100 percent."
"I so proud of the team we have here," said Andersen, who has battled injuries in his 13-year NHL career. "It's shown throughout many years, but this year specifically. There's been so many guys stepping up at certain times and it just really shows how good of a team we've been."
One of those stepping up was Bussl.
The Hurricanes also used two goalies in their 2006 run as Cam Ward replaced Martin Gerber in the first round. Bussi's arrival happened later.
His arrival to the league also happened later as he picked up 31 wins at age 27 in 2025-26 when the Hurricanes gave him a chance at his first NHL action.
Bussi, now a household name, hugged Andersen and also Brind'Amour after the clinching shutout win.
"He believed in me," he said of Brind'Amour. "He gave me that shot. I'll always be forever grateful."
The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Taylor Hall alongside Nick Foligno on June 26th, 2023. The point of this trade was to surround Connor Bedard with solid veterans in his rookie year.
In the case of Hall, a former number one pick himself, he had experience being a mentor for high draft picks at previous NHL stops.
The idea was nice, but it didn't go according to plan due to injuries to Hall. In his first year with the Blackhawks, he played just 10 games before going down for the year.
In year two, Hall played in 46 games with Chicago before he was traded away to the Carolina Hurricanes. He was part of a three-team trade that also sent Colorado Avalanche superstar Mikko Rantanen to the Hurricanes.
This deal broke Rantanen's game for a while. He never fit in and made it clear that he didn't want to be there. Before the season was even over, they shipped him to the Dallas Stars in a trade that landed them Logan Stankoven.
The Blackhawks retained Rantanen's contract in the three-team deal, which is what allowed Dallas to get him under their salary cap.
As a result of this initial deal, the Hurricanes ended up with Hall and Stankoven in the end, who both played a key role in them winning the Stanley Cup on Sunday night.
These two ended up playing on a line together alongside Jackson Blake, which turned out to be the best trio for any team during the playoffs.
Stankoven had 11 goals and 5 assists for 16 points, Hall had 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points, and Blake had 7 goals and 13 assists for 20 points. Over the course of the 19 playoff games that the Hurricanes played over 58 days, these three were spectacular.
If the Blackhawks don't facilitate this deal for the Avalance and Hurricanes early in 2025, Carolina may have never won the Stanley Cup in 2026.
For Hall, it was a long time coming. After the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, a game in which the Blackhawks were blown out on national TV, he was physically disturbed. He needed to get to a winning situation, which is what happened when he went to Carolina a few weeks later.
The Hurricanes play a brand of hockey that is difficult to succeed in. You need to be strong mentally and physically in order to make an impact in that system, and Hall did after an off-season to get used to it. Once the playoffs rolled around, they took it to another level.
As a part of this deal, the Blackhawks ended up with a third-round pick in 2025, which turned out to be Nathan Behm. After a handful of years with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL, Behm is going to attend Arizona State University with the hopes of eventually becoming a pro hockey player.
It would be nice for the Blackhawks organization if Behm turned into a good NHL player, but they did Hall and the Hurricanes a major favor by being a part of this deal. Kyle Davidson has some built up good will around the league, and this is a reason why.
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When it's all said and done, nobody can argue that the Philadelphia Flyers don't do right by their players, and especially the veterans who grind away and put their time in.
On March 6, prior to the NHL trade deadline, the Flyers made a somewhat surprising trade, sending veteran tough guy Nick Deslauriers to the Metropolitan Division rival Carolina Hurricanes.
All the Flyers got in return for that trade was a conditional 2027 seventh-round pick, which they won't receive as Deslauriers did not play in half of the Hurricanes' playoff games.
So, the Hurricanes got Deslauriers for free, and three months later, Deslauriers was rewarded with the first Stanley Cup of his NHL career.
Even though they made the playoffs themselves, the Flyers gave Deslauriers, 35, a true chance at a championship, and inadvertently helped him along the journey after getting swept by Carolina in the second round.
At the end of the day, though, this trade worked out perfectly for both sides, even if it appears to be a nothing deal on paper.
The Flyers showed the NHL world and their younger players that, if you are a good teammate and work hard, you will be rewarded in this league.
Of course, not everyone does that, and the NHL is a business, but the Flyers did the right thing.
By extension, by trading Deslauriers, the Flyers opened up a roster spot and lineup spot for those younger players, such as Alex Bump, Nikita Grebenkin before his injury, and Denver Barkey.
The Hurricanes assuredly benefitted from Deslauriers' experience, toughness, and locker room presence down the stretch; even an analytics maven like Eric Tulsky went out of his way to pick up the enforcer for a reason.
Deslauriers, alongside former Flyers teammate Sean Walker and ex-Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, is now a Stanley Cup champion, reaching hockey's pinnacle after a long ride.
It was a magical run for a former Pittsburgh Penguin en route to a second-career Stanley Cup Championship.
Carolina Hurricanes center and captain Jordan Staal - who was drafted second overall by the Penguins in 2006 and helped lead them to the franchise's third Stanley Cup championship in 2009 - celebrated with teammates on the ice Sunday as the Canes hoisted the Cup for the first time in 20 years.
Staal, 37, also became the oldest player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe after recording six goals and seven points in 6 Stanley Cup Final games. He also amassed the second-fewest playoff points, 12, to secure a Conn Smythe in history.
The Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 2-0 in Game 6 to win the franchise's second Stanley Cup, with the last being in 2006. They finished their impressive playoff run with only three losses - two of which came at the hands of Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final - with two series sweeps to begin their 2026 run.
Coach Rod Brind'Amour won as a player in 2006 and, now, as a coach in 2026.
This capped off Staal's 14th season with the Hurricanes after being dealt to Carolina from Pittsburgh in the summer of 2012 during his wedding. Carolina missed the playoffs for the first six seasons of Staal's tenure in Raleigh, and they haven't missed the playoffs in the eight seasons since.
Rod Brind'Amour celebrates with the Stanley Cup on Sunday.Photograph: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Rod Brind’Amour is made for the playoffs. The Carolina Hurricanes coach made his NHL debut in the postseason in 1989, filling in for the St Louis Blues in a game against the Minnesota North Stars. He scored on his first shot. Still, it took him 17 seasons in the NHL before he hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2006 as captain of the Carolina Hurricanes, the team he has now led to another Cup win as head coach. “The fear of losing motivates you a lot of times,” he told reporters after that 2006 Cup win.
Wherever the motivation came from this year, the result is the same. The Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6 on Sunday to win the Stanley Cup for the second time in franchise history, exactly 20 years since they did it last.
Back in 2006, the Hurricanes were a semi-surprise entrant into the Final, having failed to qualify for the playoffs in each of the two seasons preceding the 2004-05 lockout (their prior trip to the postseason, in 2001-02, took them to the Final, which they lost to Detroit in five games). The history of the 2026 Hurricanes was different. Carolina’s Metropolitan division is a weird one, with the teams’ geographic proximity typically reflected in the tight standings. Season to season it’s difficult to predict exactly who will make the postseason (other than maybe Columbus). It’s a knife fight every time.
Except for the Hurricanes. In recent years, they’ve floated above the gyre but simultaneously drawn skepticism about whether they are actually any good, or just good versus the Metro. It was an earned reputation, as they lost in the Eastern finals in 2019, 2023, and 2025. The Hurricanes seemed to have enough gas to dominate the Metro and squeeze through a couple of postseason rounds, but that was where it always ended. What made 2026 different was then maybe not the fear of losing – how could they be? Part of what changed for the 2026 Hurricanes was a decision one of the Vegas Golden Knights made in the spring of 2025.
It’s weird to call Mitch Marner a breakout star of the playoffs since he’s been in the NHL for a decade, but that is essentially what he was. In this, his first season with Vegas, Marner posted 10 goals and 19 assists in the playoffs. His next closest total playoff point tally was 14 in 2023 when the Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Florida Panthers in the second round. Last spring, the Leafs offered to trade Marner to Carolina, but he declined. Missing out on Marner, Carolina pivoted and sent Mikko Rantanen to Dallas for Logan Stankoven. In the process, Carolina banked picks and cap space and ultimately secured Nikolaj Ehlers from Winnipeg. As good as Marner was for Vegas, he didn’t quite outdo Stankoven and Ehlers, who combined for 15 and 17 points respectively, giving Carolina more offensive depth than they had before. On Sunday night in Vegas, Stankoven’s line gave Carolina the 2-0 lead and the insurance they ultimately needed to win.
But that the Hurricanes of all teams might be taken seriously at all by someone like Marner – an offensive talent with options – would have been a surprise to most people who saw the team land in Raleigh in 1997. One of the few remaining World Hockey Association franchises, the Hartford Whalers left Connecticut in 1997 after plummeting revenues and a dispute with the local government over a stadium (a familiar NHL tale). As with other moves to infiltrate the Southern US markets, many saw the relocation as a major gamble, made riskier by the fact that North Carolina’s affinity for college basketball all but ruled out, it was assumed, much room for too many other sports.
Sure enough, when the Hurricanes hit the ice in North Carolina, it was to a half-empty Greensboro Coliseum, which was a 90-minute drive from Raleigh, making the Hurricanes first season “one long, strange 82-game road trip,” as Sports Illustrated put it at the time. The Hurricanes “are like some down-on-its-luck country band playing in front of small crowds, in a small city, with no home and no hope.” The team’s name was the only thing about it that made sense, the magazine continued, “because thus far the NHL’s incursion into tobacco country has been a natural disaster.”
Brind’Amour changed that. The Hurricanes had been looking at Brind’Amour for a while – his name was floated as early as October 1997 as a possible trade for goalie Sean Burke, even as he had another two-and-a-half years in Philadelphia as a Flyer. Brind’Amour’s first few months with the Hurricanes were rocky, but he gradually became a fit. And post-lockout, he brought a renewed sense of purpose to his game. “I’ve been fortunate, so I’ve never taken a day for granted in this league,” Brind’Amour said back in 2006. At 35, he likely knew then that the window to win a Cup was closing, compounded by the lockout. “That has been the approach I’ve always had … We’re pretty fortunate to play this game for a living and we all know the importance of it.”
This year, it was captain Jordan Staal who hoisted the Cup first for the Hurricanes. Staal, 37, has been with the organization since 2012 and his relationship with Brind’Amour is credited as key to Carolina’s ongoing success. Staal had the best postseason of his career this spring, notching eight goals and four assists – good enough to earn him the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP. In a post-game interview, Staal coincidentally [or maybe not] echoed Brind’Amour’s sentiment from 20 years ago. “Good time to get hot, eh?” he said when asked to explain how to account for his playoff performance. “I just wanted to win. I just wanted to win so bad.”
LAS VEGAS — Carolina spent the first part of the Stanley Cup Final surviving, finding ways to overcome deficits and play a high-scoring game that didn’t fit the Hurricanes’ typical style.
But when it came down to doing what it takes to win the Cup, the Hurricanes’ defense put its stamp on this series, shutting down the Vegas Golden Knights and not letting up.
The Hurricanes held Vegas to five total goals in Games 4 and 5 and used a suffocating defense in a 3-0 shutout in Sunday night’s clinching Game 6 to win their first championship in 20 years.
“That’s a lot of years,” said Carolina center Jordan Staal, who received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. “It’s amazing. This is something I’ve been going after ever since we got the first one. You want to win it again and again and again. What a feeling, what a battle. The boys were grinding today, my goodness. So many individual efforts just to keep the puck out of our net. It was an amazing ride. I’m just so proud of these guys.”
The Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after a win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. AP Photo/John Locher
Brandon Bussi, who entrance late into Game 3 helped turn around the series for Carolina, recorded his first career playoff shutout in stopping 22 shots. Jackson Blake had a goal and assist, and Taylor Hall scored just 3:47 into the game to set the tone. Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal.
“Your mind wanders the last couple of days and wonder what it may be like out here (on ice after winning) and it’s better than I could have expected,” Hall said. “My career has taken a lot of different turns, but to end up here with this group of guys and to do this is amazing.”
The Golden Knights, who made an unlikely run just to reach the final, struggled badly to muster any kind of offense in Game 6 and went 18:37 between shots on goal in the second and third periods. Playing in their third Cup final, this is the first time they have been shut out.
This clinching game was what many observers expected the series to be like between the defensive-minded teams, but each side watched leads of two-plus goals disappear in the first three games.
Now, the Cup belongs to the Hurricanes, led by coach Rod Brind’Amour, who also captained Carolina to its 2006 title.
This was the first game of the series that Vegas goalie Carter Hart didn’t allow four goals in a game. He finished with 20 saves.
The Hurricanes began to assume control of the series after falling behind by the score of 4-0 in Game 3. They came back force overtime, and though the Canes lost, they outplayed the Golden Knights from there on out.
Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour celebrates holding the Stanley Cup after the win against the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Reflecting the do-or-die situation for the Golden Knights, they made several lineup changes, with Brett Howden replacing the injured William Karlsson at second-line center. Mitch Marner could have moved there, but remained at right wing.
Original Golden Knight Reilly Smith made his Cup final debut at third-line right wing, and Braeden Bowman made his playoff debut at fourth-line right wing. Kaedan Korczak replaced Dyland Coghlan on the third defensive pairing.
This title is a testament to Carolina’s resilience as a franchise that kept coming close to winning the Eastern Conference, but couldn’t quite get through until now.
Brind’Amour made sure the Hurricanes kept getting back up after losing in the conference final twice in the past three years and three times in their current eight-year playoff run. The talent was clearly there, but there was always a stumbling block.
Not anymore.
Carolina Hurricanes left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) celebrates after scoring an empty-net goal during the third period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. AP Photo/John Locher
After dispatching Montreal in five games to make the final, the Brind’Amour-led Hurricanes then faced perennial power Vegas and took care of business there, too. Now, he will get his name on the Cup for the second time.
So will 37-year-old Staal, who also won the title in 2009 with Pittsburgh. He planted himself in front of Hart and dared the Golden Knights to knock him out of the way. Staal scored in each of the first five Cup final games, the first time that has happened.
The Hurricanes got off to a fast start with a goal just 25 seconds into Game 1, only to lose 5-4 on a late goal from Tomas Hertl. And the Golden Knights were on the verge of taking complete control as minutes ticked down in Game 2 while holding a 2-0 lead and appearing as if they would take a two-game advantage back home.
Then, it all changed. Carolina showed a fight that not only brought the Hurricanes back into the series by rallying to win 4-3 in overtime on Seth Jarvis’ one-timer, but would serve as their signature throughout the series.
The Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after a win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. AP Photo/Candice Ward
That was especially true the following game when the Golden Knights took a 4-0 lead into the third period and the Canes seemed to have no answers. Brind’Amour even appeared to wave the white flag by removing goalie Frederik Andersen and replacing him with Bussi.
But the Hurricanes weren’t simply trying to get to Game 4. They sent a message, going on a remarkable rally to force overtime. Though Carolina lost, it was inflection point, with Bussi backstopping a team that was only growing stronger. Carolina then went on to win the next two games and moved within a victory of the championship.
The Hurricanes got it done against the Golden Knights team that was on a heater after John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season. Vegas then went from third in the Pacific Division to first, knocked off Utah and Anaheim in six games apiece in the playoffs and shockingly swept Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado to win the West.
Now, the Golden Knights have some notable questions to ask, including at the top of the list whether to make Tortorella a full-time coach. He didn’t have any guarantees of coaching in Vegas beyond this season, but getting to the Cup final is a good argument to run it back.
Golden Knights management will make the final call on that, and they don’t always follow league norms.
At age 37, Staal became the oldest player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Beyond the goal streak and the record, Staal was a defensive stalwart in the playoffs, shutting down Vegas star Jack Eichel among others.
Staal's streak, which ended in Game 6, tied him with Hall of Famers Yyan Cournoyer, Jean Beliveau, Maurice "Rocket" Richard and Fred "Cyclone" Taylor.
Staal picked up the second Stanley Cup title in his career. He also won with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, setting the mark for longest stretch between championships at 17 years. The previous mark of 16 years was held by Chris Chelios (1986 to 2002).
He got to lift the Stanley Cup first this time as Hurricanes captain. He handed off to Frederik Andersen, who helped the Hurricanes reach the final with stellar play in the first three rounds.
Former Calgary Flames first-round pick Mark Jankowski is now a Stanley Cup champion, winning the game's grandest prize with the Carolina Hurricanes. On Sunday night, the visiting Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in six games, winning the finale 3-0.
Jankowski played four seasons with Calgary, making his NHL debut at 22 in 2016-17. Moreover, his first NHL goal came on a pass from the legendary Jaromir Jagr. Eventually, he left the club via free agency, signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins.Â
After that one season in Pittsburgh, Jankowski took turns with the Buffalo Sabres and Nashville Predators before settling in with the Hurricanes in 2024-25.Â
During the 2025-26 season, he played 68 games with 11 goals and 21 points. In Carolina's run to the championship, he tallied one goal with four assists in 19 playoff games. Through 10 seasons in the NHL, Jankowski has 79 goals and 145 points in 482 career games.
Meanwhile, Jankowski beat two of his former Calgary teammates, Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin, who were members of the Golden Knights.Â
Jun 14, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Carolina Hurricanes celebrate the win against the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Lucas Peltier/Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
LAS VEGAS — The Carolina Hurricanes won their first Stanley Cup championship in 20 years on Sunday night, using a suffocating defense in Game 6 to shut down the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 and winning three straight games of a thrilling final filled with momentum swings and spectacular offense.
Brandon Bussi, whose entrance late into Game 3 helped turn around the series for Carolina, recorded his first career playoff shutout in stopping 22 shots. Jackson Blake had a goal and assist, and Taylor Hall scored just 3:47 into the game to set the tone. Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal.
The Golden Knights, who made an unlikely run just to reach the final, struggled badly to muster any kind of offense in Game 6 and went 18:37 between shots on goal in the second and third periods. Playing in their third Cup final, this is the first time they have been shut out.
This clinching game was what many observers expected the series to be like between the defensive-minded teams, but each side watched leads of two-plus goals disappear in the first three games.
Now, the Cup belongs to the Hurricanes, led by coach Rod Brind’Amour, who also captained Carolina to its 2006 title.
This was the first game of the series that Vegas goalie Carter Hart didn’t allow four goals in a game. He finished with 20 saves.
The Hurricanes began to assume control of the series after falling behind by the score of 4-0 in Game 3. They came back force overtime, and though the Canes lost, they outplayed the Golden Knights from there on out.
Reflecting the do-or-die situation for the Golden Knights, they made several lineup changes, with Brett Howden replacing the injured William Karlsson at second-line center. Mitch Marner could have moved there, but remained at right wing.
Original Golden Knight Reilly Smith made his Cup final debut at third-line right wing and Braeden Bowman made his playoff debut at fourth-line right wing. Kaedan Korczak replaced Dyland Coghlan on the third defensive pairing.
The Winnipeg product completed a lifelong dream on Sunday night, helping lead the Carolina Hurricanes to the top of the hockey world with a four-games-to-two Stanley Cup Final victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.
Game Six concluded by way of a 3-0 final for Carolina on the road.
Photo by Nathan Seebeck/USA Today
For the 24-year-old forward, the championship marks the crowning achievement of what has already become one of Manitoba’s most impressive hockey stories.
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Jarvis has quickly developed from a promising local talent into one of the NHL’s brightest young stars. After starring with the Winnipeg Monarchs and the RINK Hockey Academy, Jarvis moved west to continue his development with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks.
Selected 13th overall by Carolina in the 2020 NHL Draft, the former Assiniboine Park Ranger wasted little time establishing himself as a key piece of the Hurricanes’ core.
Known for his relentless motor, competitiveness and ability to produce in big moments, Jarvis has become exactly the type of player teams need to win in the postseason — and this spring, he proved it.
After years of knocking on the door, Carolina finally broke through.
The Hurricanes had been one of the NHL’s most consistent contenders in recent seasons, but repeatedly fell short of the ultimate goal. With Jarvis playing a major role, Carolina finally pushed past that barrier and captured the franchise’s first Stanley Cup since 2006.
He concluded the postseason with four goals and 11 points, including a huge overtime, game-winner in the second game of the Stanley Cup Final.
For Manitoba hockey fans, the victory adds another name to the province’s long list of Stanley Cup champions.
Jarvis joins a proud group of Winnipeg-born players who have lifted hockey’s greatest prize, adding his name to the most famous trophy in sports.
From playing minor hockey in Winnipeg to skating a Stanley Cup lap on the NHL’s biggest stage, Jarvis’ journey represents another major success story for Manitoba’s hockey community.
And at just 24 years old, there may still be plenty more to come.
Nikolaj Ehlers’ first season away from Winnipeg ended exactly the way every NHL player dreams.
After spending the first decade of his career chasing a Stanley Cup with the Winnipeg Jets, Ehlers finally reached hockey’s summit in his first season with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The former Jets forward became a Stanley Cup champion Sunday night, helping Carolina defeat the Vegas Golden Knights four games to two and capture the franchise’s first championship since 2006. The Canes picked up a shutout win in Game 6 in Vegas on Sunday.
For Ehlers, it was the easiest goal of the playoffs, but the most important. He pumped the puck into the empty net with 1:08 remaining, as he finished off the Golden Knights by way of the 3-0 final.
Photo by Lucas Peltier/USA Today
It was a storybook ending to a whirlwind year for the Danish winger.
Originally selected ninth overall by Winnipeg in the 2014 NHL Draft, Ehlers spent 10 seasons as one of the most dynamic offensive players in Jets history.
With his elite skating ability, creativity and game-breaking speed, Ehlers became a fan favourite in Manitoba and one of the most productive players to ever wear a Jets 2.0 jersey.
During his time in Winnipeg, Ehlers appeared in more than 600 regular-season games and recorded more than 500 points, placing himself among the franchise’s all-time leaders in several offensive categories.
But despite multiple strong Jets teams, playoff success proved difficult to find.
Winnipeg advanced to the Western Conference Final in 2018 and remained competitive throughout Ehlers’ tenure, but the group was never able to take the final step.
"I loved being in Winnipeg," an emotional Ehlers said post-game. "This was the dream there. I'm obviously sad I wasn't able to do that with the guys in Winnipeg and the city of Winnipeg. They hold a special place in my heart. They're family."
"The whole organization gave me a shot at playing in the NHL. I couldn't be more thankful. Like I said, it was a hard decision this summer. I loved my 10 years in Winnipeg. It was a special time."
Following his departure from the Jets, Ehlers joined a Hurricanes team built around speed, pressure and depth - a system perfectly suited for his skill set.
The fit was immediate.
Carolina’s aggressive style allowed Ehlers to thrive, while his offensive creativity gave the Hurricanes another dangerous weapon as they pushed toward a championship.
For Jets fans, the moment is likely bittersweet.
Ehlers spent years trying to bring a Stanley Cup to Winnipeg and remained one of the organization’s most beloved players throughout his time with the franchise. While the championship did not come in a Jets uniform, one of the most popular players in team history finally got his moment.
Ehlers concluded the postseason with eight goals and 18 points for the Hurricanes.
After years of playoff heartbreak, injuries and near misses, Ehlers’ wait is over. The Dashing Dane is a Stanley Cup champion.
We're less than two weeks away from the start of the 2026 NHL Draft, and one player who could be on the Pittsburgh Penguins' radar is defenseman Tommy Bleyl.
Bleyl played for the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL during the 2025-26 season and put up some ridiculous numbers, finishing with 13 goals and 81 points in 63 games. His season was so impressive that he won the Defenseman of the Year Award in the QMJHL.
He was also fantastic in the playoffs, compiling six goals and 28 points in 21 games. This was his first season with the Wildcats, and he made sure it was a memorable one.
The first thing that jumps out about his game is his shoot-first mentality. He loves to shoot from the point and look for deflections from his teammates. However, when he has time, he can really rifle the puck, and one of my favorite examples came from a Wildcats game against the Cape Breton Eagles. Bleyl took a pass at the center of the blue line, skated in a little bit, and absolutely sniped the puck to give his team a 2-1 lead.
Bleyl's also an exceptional skater and can get going on a dime. A great example of this was also from a game between the Wildcats and Eagles when Bleyl corralled the puck in his own zone and started skating down the left side. He gained the red line with ease before skating into the offensive zone and made a beautiful power move to the front of the net while protecting the puck on his backhand. At the last second, he moved the puck to his forehand and rifled it top shelf to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Another example of this came during a Wildcats' game against the Val-d'Or Foreurs. He started behind his own cage and came across his own blue lines before skating through the entire penalty kill by himself. The play ended with Bleyl going to his backhand for a beautiful goal.
These two plays are just a taste of what he can do as a skater. The skating mechanics are great and they allow him to do things with the puck that others can't.
Bleyl quarterbacked the top power play throughout the year and did an excellent job. He has great vision from the point, allowing him to find passing lanes as soon as they open. He can make players miss with some really smooth moves and knows when to activate deeper in the offensive zone.
The offensive game is all there, whether it's his release, skating, playmaking, or stickhandling. Heck, his transition game is also spectacular to watch.
Defensively, he has an active stick in his own zone, allowing him to win some battles along the boards. His gap control is also solid and helps disrupt players as they try to come into the zone with control. He could still be better at defending in front of his own net, but that will probably come as he gets bigger and puts on more muscle. For reference, he's listed at only 170 lbs, but that should change when he plays for Michigan State.
Michigan State is a great place for Bleyl to go to since it's one of the top college hockey programs in the country and has a history of developing some really good NHL players.
Like a few of the other players I have profiled, I'd be more than comfortable with the Penguins taking Bleyl with the No. 22 pick if he's still on the board.
The NHL All-Rookie team was announced by the league on Friday.
For Senators fans, it was hard not to notice that the rival Montreal Canadiens are continuing to produce excellent entry-level players, even as they were emerging this spring as Stanley Cup contenders.
Fresh off a surprising run to the NHL Eastern Final that included playoff series victories over elite teams like Tampa Bay and Buffalo, the Canadiens had three players receive All-Rookie Team votes in 2025-26.
THN's The Wrap Around show discusses the idea of a trade between the Sens and Canucks.
Ivan Demidov finished first in voting among forwards with 195 points, Oliver Kapanen received six votes, and goaltender Jakub Dobes led all rookie netminders with 151 points.
2025-26 NHL All-Rookie Team
G, Jakub Dobes, MTL D, Alexander Nikishin, CAR D, Matthew Schaefer, NYI F, Ivan Demidov, MTL F, Beckett Sennecke, ANA F, Jimmy Snuggerud, STL
2025-26 NHL All-Rookie Team Voting (by points)
Goaltenders
1. Jakub Dobes, MTL, 151 2. Jesper Wallstedt, MIN, 44
Defensemen, Points
1. Matthew Schaefer, NYI, 194 2. Alexander Nikishin, CAR, 184 3. Zeev Buium, VAN, 9 t-4. Cole Hutson, WAS, 1 t-4. Yan Kuznetsov, CGY, ,1 t-4. Axel Sandin-Pellikka, DET, 1
ForwardsÂ
1. Ivan Demidov, MTL, 195 2. Beckett Sennecke, ANA, 191 3. Jimmy Snuggerud, STL,136 4. Ryan Leonard, WSH, 19 5. Fraser Minten, BOS, 16 6. Ben Kindel, PIT, 14 7. Justin Sourdif, WSH, 7 8. Oliver Kapanen, MTL, 6 9. Linus Karlsson, VAN, 1
Meanwhile, the all-rookie voting continues to shine an annual light on the tumbleweeds that roll through the Senators' farm system. This is the third straight year that the Senators have failed to get even a single vote.Â
The last Ottawa players to receive a vote for the All-Rookie Team came in 2022-23. Jake Sanderson finished second among defencemen behind Owen Power with 179 voting points, while Shane Pinto picked up a single vote among forwards.
Since Steve Staios took over as GM, he's been a better steward of the club's future assets. He did trade Detroit's first-round pick (from Alex DeBrincat deal) to Boston to acquire Linus Ullmark, but he held on to the club's own first-round picks in each of the last two summers, selecting defensemen Carter Yakemchuk and Logan Hensler.Â
The jury is still out on both players, and the same is true for a prospect like Stephen Halliday, who played just 30 games this season. Not enough to get votes this year, and too many to qualify as a rookie next year.
The prospect pool starts to get pretty shallow after those three.
Not that fans need convincing, but the recent voting is further proof that the club's asset management and drafting over the past five years have generally failed to provide any sort of real organizational depth, let alone contenders for the NHL all-rookie team.
The Hurricanes took down the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6 Sunday night to win the Stanley Cup.
It’s the second championship in Hurricanes history, ending a 20-year drought with the last triumph coming in 2005-26.
After the first four games of the series featured the two sides exchanging wins, Carolina stamped its authority with a 4-2 victory in Game 5 to make it two straight wins — and one away from the title.
But doing so in the Vegas atmosphere wouldn’t be easy. Now it’s been done.
Just about four minutes into the opening period, Taylor Hall found himself open on the break for a 1v1 shot. He drilled it home.
HALL OR NOTHING!
Taylor Hall opens the scoring for the @Canes in Game 6!
The second goal came with about six-and-a-half minutes to go in the second period. With the Golden Knights camped in their defensive box, Jackson Blake smacked it home with force. Logan Stankoven recorded the assist.
JACKSON BLAKE!!
THE @CANES NOW LEAD 2-0 HERE IN THE SECOND PERIOD!
The Hurricanes now see their 20-year wait for the title come to a close. They topped the Metropolitan Division with a win-loss-overtime loss record of 53-22-7. The 113-point total trailed only the Colorado Avalanche’s 121, though Colorado could not optimize its tag as favorites.
Carolina last won the Stanley Cup in 2005-06 after defeating the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 in Game 7. The franchise also made the final in 2001-02, its only other appearance, but lost 4-1 to the Detroit Red Wings despite taking the opening game on the road.
The Golden Knights, which started play in 2017, made its third appearance in the final — still a remarkable feat despite two losses. Vegas first made it in its debut campaign before falling short to the Washington Capitals 4-1 — also after winning Game 1, but at home.
Vegas then claimed its first championship in 2022-23 after a brilliant 9-3 Game 5 win against the Florida Panthers, right before their dominant stretch.
Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour also put himself in the history books by winning a title with the franchise as both a player (captain, too) and head coach. He’s made the playoffs in each of his eight seasons leading the team, finally breaking through this year.
From one Stanley Cup-winning captain to another ❤️
He made the conference finals three times, including his debut head-coaching season.
Only six other players have achieved the feat of winning a title as a player and a coach for the same team. The last example transpired in 1956 with Montreal Canadiens’ Toe Blake.
Brind’Amour will be tasked with the tough ask to repeat as champions, though his resume indicates his side will likely be back in the mix.
Carolina is the latest example of a major professional league team ending a championship drought this season. The New York Knicks just claimed the NBA title after 53 years, while Arsenal ended a 22-year Premier League title wait.
