The Carolina Hurricanes‘ recent Stanley Cup victory has brought attention to the names engraved on the trophy, particularly the inclusion of owner Tom Dundon‘s family members. Dundon’s wife and five children are listed on the Cup, preceding members of the front office, coaches, and players. This practice, while sometimes a subject of discussion, has become more common in recent years.
The Hockey Hall of Fame, responsible for the care of the Cup, stated it is not directly involved in the engraving process. The Hurricanes organization chose not to comment on the matter through a team spokesperson.
Family Inclusions on the Cup
Dundon is not the first owner to include family members on the prestigious trophy. For instance, Teresa Viola, wife of Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola, and their three children—John, Michael, and Travis—are engraved on the Cup twice, following the Panthers’ consecutive championships in 2024 and 2025.
In 2021, Penny Vinik, then-wife of Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeffrey Vinik, was also included. However, she was not listed in 2020 during divorce proceedings between the couple, who later reconciled before finalizing a split years afterward.
The names of Tom Dundon, Veruschka Dundon, Caden Dundon, Dax Dundon, Drew Dundon, Blake Dundon, and Tagan Dundon occupy the first two lines of the engraving for the Hurricanes’ 2025-26 championship.
Engraving Rules and Notable Omissions
Inclusion on the Stanley Cup typically requires participation in 41 regular-season games, or dressing in one game during the final series. This explains why all three Hurricanes goaltenders, Brandon Bussi, Frederik Andersen, and Pyotr Kochetkov, made the list. Teams can also submit petitions for exemptions, as was the case for enforcer Nicolas Deslauriers, who played in eight games after being acquired before the trade deadline, including playoffs.
Despite playing in 38 regular-season games for Carolina, player Joel Nystrom was not among the 53 names added to the Cup, nor were some off-ice support staff. The Hurricanes’ 2025-26 Stanley Cup championship marks the second time the franchise has been etched into NHL history.
The names of the 2025-26 champions were engraved this week. The list begins with owner Tom Dundon, followed by CEO Brian Fork, general manager Eric Tulsky, and head coach Rod Brind’Amour. Brind’Amour’s name appears on the trophy for a second time, having captained the team to their first Stanley Cup in 2006. Captain Jordan Staal also made his second appearance on the Cup, having previously won it with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.
The Stankoven name has also been officially engraved on the Stanley Cup. The Hurricanes shared an image on social media on July 7, displaying the 53 names of players and staff, along with owner Tom Dundon’s family members, commemorating the 2025-26 championship season. Players are listed alphabetically by last name, placing Stankoven’s name visibly on the bottom row alongside Andrei Svechnikov and Sean Walker.
Past Controversies and Removals
Controversies surrounding engravings on the Stanley Cup are not new. In 1984, during the Edmonton Oilers‘ first of five titles, owner Peter Pocklington had his father’s name, Basil Pocklington, added. This name was later removed with X’s because Basil Pocklington had no direct involvement with the championship, an incident Peter attributed to a clerical error.
Another instance of a name being removed from the trophy occurred in 2021. Brad Aldrich, a video coach for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010 when they won the first of three championships, had his name covered after allegations of sexual assault against player Kyle Beach came to light. This incident led to an independent investigation and several resignations.
The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights last month to secure their second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
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Source: sportsnet.ca
