The Carolina Hurricanes opened their season at Lenovo Center with a familiar postgame-style ritual before the first puck even dropped — only this time, the Stanley Cup joined the Storm Surge at center ice.
Champions bring the Cup into the Storm Surge
Before Tuesday’s opener against the Florida Panthers, the defending champions assembled for their traditional center-ice celebration with the crowd. The Cup was placed in the middle of the Hurricanes’ circle as the players and fans built through the signature clap routine.
- Carolina staged the Storm Surge before facing Florida in its season opener.
- The Stanley Cup sat at center ice during the celebration.
- The Hurricanes entered the new campaign as reigning Cup champions.
Staal takes center stage
Captain Jordan Staal, the 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, skated into the circle as the celebration reached its peak. He lifted the Cup overhead while teammates closed in around the trophy, each getting a hand on it in front of the Lenovo Center crowd.
Staal then carried the Cup out of the group and raised it once more toward the stands, giving Hurricanes fans one more championship moment before Carolina turned its attention to trying to defend the title.
