Story perspectives

Hurricanes Put Owner’s Wife, Kids on Cup, Sparks Outcry

7/10/2026

Summary

Hurricanes Engrave

The Hurricanes engraved Tom Dundon’s wife Veruschka and their five children on the Stanley Cup on July 9, 2026.
Six of the 55 spots were used, excluding equipment manager Bobby Gorman.
Defenseman Joel Nystrom, who played 38 games, was omitted because NHL rules require 41 regular-season games or a final-game appearance.
Fans called the move greedy and selfish after minority owners Brett Jefferson, Marc Grandisson and Bobby Farnham were also left off.

Summary

Hurricanes Clinch

The Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6, clinching Stanley Cup series 4-2 with goaltender Brandon Bussi’s shutout.
Captain Jordan Staal won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP.
Owner Tom Dundon sold a 12.5 % Hurricanes stake at $2.66 billion valuation, after buying a majority for $420 million in 2021.
Hurricanes re-signed defenseman Aleksi Heimosalmi to a contract for $850,000 NHL and $85,000 AHL after his 52-game AHL season with 17 points.

History

Historical Context

The 1972 Boston Bruins victory forced the NHL Board of Governors to set a 41-game minimum for Stanley Cup engraving after star Phil Esposito was left off the trophy. Since then the league has relaxed the rule—Vegas added names immediately in 2023 and teams routinely include non-players. The 2026 Carolina Hurricanes now face another dispute, omitting defenseman Joel Nystrom and several owners, despite the Cup allowing 53 names.

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Hurricanes Engrave

The Hurricanes engraved Tom Dundon’s wife Veruschka and their five children on the Stanley Cup on July 9, 2026.
Six of the 55 spots were used, excluding equipment manager Bobby Gorman.
Defenseman Joel Nystrom, who played 38 games, was omitted because NHL rules require 41 regular-season games or a final-game appearance.
Fans called the move greedy and selfish after minority owners Brett Jefferson, Marc Grandisson and Bobby Farnham were also left off.

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