The Carolina Hurricanes‘ recent Stanley Cup victory has brought attention to the engraving of names on the trophy, particularly the inclusion of owner Tom Dundon‘s family members. His wife and five children’s names appear on the Cup before those of the front office, coaches, and players. This practice of owners adding family members to the Cup is not unprecedented and has become more common in recent years.
The Hockey Hall of Fame, which is responsible for the care of the Cup but not its engraving, has noted that this is not a new phenomenon. For instance, Penny Vinik, then-wife of Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeffrey Vinik, was included in 2021. However, she was not on the Cup in 2020 during divorce proceedings, before a reconciliation and later a finalized split. Similarly, Vincent Viola‘s wife, Teresa, and their three children, John, Michael, and Travis, are listed twice on the Cup following the Florida Panthers‘ consecutive championships in 2024 and 2025.
The names engraved for the Hurricanes’ 2025-26 championship season begin with Tom Dundon, followed by Veruschka Dundon, Caden Dundon, Dax Dundon, Drew Dundon, Blake Dundon, and Tagan Dundon, occupying the first two lines of the engraving. Following Dundon’s family, the list includes CEO Brian Fork, general manager Eric Tulsky, and head coach Rod Brind’Amour.
Rod Brind’Amour‘s name appears on the trophy for a second time with the team, having previously captained the franchise to their first Stanley Cup championship in 2006. Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal also made his second appearance on the Cup, 17 years after winning it with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.
Inclusion and Exclusions
A total of 53 names were added to the Cup for the 2025-26 season. Players who participate in 41 regular-season games, or dress for one game in the final, are guaranteed inclusion. This rule explains why all three Hurricanes goaltenders—Brandon Bussi, Frederik Andersen, and Pyotr Kochetkov—made the list.
The winning team also has the option to petition for exemptions. For example, enforcer Nicolas Deslauriers, who played in eight games after being acquired before the trade deadline, including playoff games, had his name added through this process. However, player Joel Nystrom, who skated in 38 regular-season games for Carolina, was not among the names added, nor were some other off-ice support staff.
The Stankoven name is also officially engraved on the Stanley Cup, easily visible as the first name on the bottom row, alongside Andrei Svechnikov and Sean Walker. The Hurricanes secured their second franchise Stanley Cup by defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in the final series.
Historical Engraving Controversies
The practice of engraving names on the Stanley Cup has seen controversies in the past. In 1984, during the Edmonton Oilers‘ first of five titles in seven years, owner Peter Pocklington had his father’s name, Basil Pocklington, engraved. This name was later chiseled over with X’s because Basil Pocklington had no direct involvement with the championship, an incident Peter Pocklington 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 in six years, had his name covered. This decision followed revelations that he sexually assaulted player Kyle Beach, which led to an independent investigation and several resignations within the organization.
The Carolina Hurricanes declined to comment on the recent engravings through a team spokesperson.
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Source: sportsnet.ca
