Guide Note

The Carolina Hurricanes play in the Southeast division of the NHL's Eastern Conference. For a list of teams and their divisions, see NHL Teams.

The franchise was originally founded as the New England Whalers in 1971 in Boston, Massachusetts as part of the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Whalers won the championship their first season, earning the Avco World Trophy. The Whalers continued in the WHA until the league folded in 1979.

Following the WHA collapse, the Whalers were absorbed into the NHL as the Hartford Whalers. Despite the talent of current Hall of Famers Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull being on the team, the Whalers were less than successful in Hartford, making the playoffs only eight of the next 18 seasons. Peter Karmanos purchased the team in 1994, originally claiming to keep the team in Hartford for the following four seasons. After lacking ticket sales and poor seasons statistically, Karmanos was unable to come to terms for a new stadium and was forced to move the team.

Following the 1997 season, the team was moved to Raleigh, North Carolina where they became the Carolina Hurricanes. They made their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 2002 where they were defeated by the Detroit Red Wings in five games.

After missing the playoffs in 2003 and 2004, the Hurricanes returned from the 2004-2005 lock-out and returned to the playoffs. They defeated the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres to face the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Hurricanes defeated the Oilers in seven games to win their first Stanley Cup trophy in the history of the franchise.

Fast Facts

1. Inaugural season: 1972
2. Finals appearances: 2
3. Stanley Cups: 1 (2006)
4. Home: RBC Center Raleigh