Carolina Hurricanes History
The Carolina Hurricanes were established in Raleigh in 1997 after relocating from Hartford, Connecticut, where the National Hockey League franchise was originally founded in 1979. Since their arrival in North Carolina, the Hurricanes have made the playoffs ten times, captured six division championships, two Eastern Conference titles and the 2006 Stanley Cup Championship.
The team also hosted the 2004 NHL Draft and the 2011 NHL All-Star Game at PNC Arena, where they play their home games. When the Hurricanes made the playoffs in 2001, against the defending Stanley Cup Champions New Jersey Devils, they lost the series but came back from a 3-0 deficit to force a sixth game -- marking what many believed to be the start of real hockey in the Research Triangle.
The 2005-2006 season marked the best in the Hurricanes' history, as the team finished with 112 points, beating the previous franchise-best record of 94 points. They ended up beating the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final, marking the first time in NHL history that two former World Hockey Association teams faced off in the Final.
Carolina Hurricanes Team Info
Conference: Eastern
Division: Metropolitan
Year Founded: 1997
Team Colors: Grey, Red, Black
Team Rivals: Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals
Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena
Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, PNC Arena opened its doors in October 1999. On opening night, the arena played host to Raleigh's first-ever NHL game when the Hurricanes hosted the New Jersey Devils. The arena has hosted several NHL Stanley Cup Playoff and Final games, including on June 19, 2006, when the Hurricanes had the home advantage and won the Stanley Cup Final in game seven, deviating the Edmonton Oilers 3-1, bringing the Hurricanes their first Stanley Cup and the first major professional sports championship for North Carolina.
In 2019, the arena hosted the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 10 years and set a single-game record with 19,495 fans in attendance. That record was further extended on May 14, 2022, when the Hurricanes defeated the Boston Bruins 3-2 before 19,513 fans. PNC Arena welcomes more than 1.5 million guests every year.
