Hurricanes core rewarded with Stanley Cup after years of playoff heartbreak

Before Brind’Amour was named coach, Carolina hadn’t certified for the playoffs for 9 consecutive seasons.

Once Brind’Amour took over, the Hurricanes reached the playoffs and received a minimum of one sequence in every of their eight seasons since, together with 4 journeys to the Eastern Conference Final (2019, 2023, 2025, 2026).

But earlier than this season, it all the time ended early and painfully.

They have been throttled within the Eastern Conference Final by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in 5 video games final season, and swept by Florida in the identical spherical in 2023.

In 2024, they misplaced within the second around the New York Rangers, and in addition to 2022, once they blew a 2-0 and 3-2 sequence lead.

But this 12 months, they might not be denied, sweeping the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers within the first two rounds, then defeating the Montreal Canadiens in 5 video games within the Eastern Conference Final earlier than successful the ultimate three video games of this sequence after falling behind 2-1.

“It’s unbelievable,” stated Aho, who was chosen by Carolina within the second spherical (No. 35) of the 2015 NHL Draft and made his debut in 2016-17. “It’s such a long wait. We’ve been knocked down there and it’s not always easy to get up, but now it feels pretty good to be a champion.”

Besides Staal, who got here to the Hurricanes on June 12, 2012, the longest-tenured Hurricanes participant is Slavin, who was chosen by Carolina within the fourth spherical (No. 120) of the 2012 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut within the 2015-16 season.

Staal has performed 972 regular-season video games for Carolina, Slavin 784, adopted by Aho (756), Svechnikov (557) and Martinook (550). It was a mixed whole of three,619 regular-season video games and not using a championship earlier than Sunday.

“I couldn’t imagine a more deserving group,” stated ahead Seth Jarvis, who made his debut with Carolina within the 2021-22 season. “They have been right here throughout a number of the darkish instances in our group’s historical past they usually introduced us out of it.

“They’re the backbone of this team and to win it with them now, it’s incredible.”