Jeff Slavin

Lore & Background

The franchise was formed in 1971 as the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Whalers saw success immediately, winning the Eastern Division in the WHA's first three seasons and becoming the inaugural Avco World Trophy champions at the end of the 1972–73 season. The Whalers again competed for the World Trophy in 1978, this time falling short to the Winnipeg Jets in a rematch of the 1973 Avco Cup Final. The franchise joined the NHL in 1979 as part of the NHL–WHA merger, renaming themselves the Hartford Whalers. The team relocated to North Carolina in 1997, rebranding themselves as the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes have won the Stanley Cup once, in 2006. They are not the only professional team from North Carolina to have won a major sports championship; the North Carolina Courage of the NWSL have won multiple titles.

In Their Own Story

The PNC Arena lights hummed their low electric buzz as the third period wound down. The score was tied, the crowd a low roar of anticipation, and Slavin was in the corner, back to the net, shoulders squared against a bigger forward who kept trying to muscle him off the boards. He didn't budge. He never did. The puck squirted loose, a defenseman scooped it up, and the horn sounded. Slavin peeled off the boards, chest heaving, helmet fogged, and let out a short grunt that the arena swallowed. In the tunnel, a teammate slapped his back. No words. You didn't need words. You'd held the line. That was the job. That was always the job.

Reader's Guide

The Hurricanes play home games at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh. The team's history includes the Whalers era in New England and Hartford, followed by the move to North Carolina in 1997. The franchise won the Stanley Cup in 2006 and 2026.

Did You Know?

• The franchise was originally the New England Whalers, winning the first Avco World Trophy in 1973.
• The team relocated from Hartford to North Carolina in 1997.
• The Hurricanes are not the only professional team from North Carolina to win a major sports championship; the North Carolina Courage (NWSL) have won multiple titles.