- Carolina raised its 2026 Stanley Cup banner before hosting the Panthers on opening night
- Jordan Staal carried the Cup out and the Canes did one more Storm Surge
- Read below for the full ceremony and video of the banner going up
The Carolina Hurricanes have a second Stanley Cup banner hanging at Lenovo Center.
Carolina raised its 2026 championship banner Tuesday in front of a sold-out crowd before opening the season against the Florida Panthers. It now hangs next to the one from the franchise’s first title in 2006.
A six-game win over the Vegas Golden Knights got them here, capped by a 3-0 win in Game 6 at T-Mobile Arena. Carolina went 16-3 in the playoffs with a plus-27 goal differential.
Rod Brind’Amour got the first standing ovation of the night when he was introduced. Players then came out one at a time through the Zamboni entrance, and the loudest cheers went to Sebastian Aho, Brandon Bussi and captain Jordan Staal.
Bussi took over in goal during the Final after Frederik Andersen got hurt. Staal won the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP, and he skated out with the Stanley Cup over his head:
Once the Cup hit center ice, the players circled it for one more Storm Surge. Staal then set it on a pedestal while a playoff highlight reel played on the videoboard.
Everyone lined up on the blue line and tapped sticks as the white banner started its climb. It stopped partway so the 2026 champs could take one final team photo underneath it.
Take a look at the banner going up to the rafters:
Staal was asked after practice Monday about celebrating a title and starting a new season within a few minutes of each other.
“I’m excited to kind of put a bow on it and put it behind us a little bit. It’s going to be hard not to try to enjoy the moment and reminisce a little bit and enjoy having the Cup in front of our fans in our building, but at the same time, know you’re stepping into (the) fire of a big match.”
Florida made the moment a little more pointed. The Panthers won the Cup in each of the previous two seasons and beat Carolina in a hard-fought 2025 Eastern Conference Final. After missing the playoffs last spring, they came out of their room early and watched the whole 15-minute ceremony from their bench.
The banner night came a day after the players got their Stanley Cup championship rings.
Twenty of the 22 players who dressed in the 2026 postseason are still with the team. Andersen signed in Edmonton as a free agent, and defenseman Alexander Nikishin is still an unsigned restricted free agent. Seth Jarvis missed the opener as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
Now Carolina finds out if nearly the same group can do it again.
