The Carolina Hurricanes In Raleigh
Learn More About The Carolina Hurricanes In Raleigh
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They play in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). They joined the league as an expansion team in 1979 and won their first Stanley Cup championship in 2006.
The PNC Arena, formerly known as RBC Center, located in Raleigh serves as the headquarters for the Carolina Hurricanes.
History
The team was established in 1972 as the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association (WHA) and became one of the original teams when the WHA folded in 1979. They were initially intended to be one of two WHA teams admitted to the NHL as part of a planned league merger.
The Hurricanes originally played their home games at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, but have been playing at PNC Arena (formerly the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena) since 1999.
The Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes made their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 2002 but lost to the Detroit Red Wings. However, they won the Stanley Cup championship (2006), the first major professional sports championship in North Carolina history.
In 2018, Tom Dundon became the majority owner of the Hurricanes after buying out longtime owner Peter Karmanos. Dundon believes that he can turn around their fortunes by building a new arena and investing in better players, and he’s bringing along some familiar faces from his other sports ventures: The “Bunch of Jerks.”
While Carolina is one of the oldest teams in the NHL, they have had issues and struggled in recent years, which sparked relocation rumors before the new ownership. However, in an interview, Dundon dismissed the rumors. He said he’s focused on improving the fan experience at PNC Arena and ensuring the Hurricanes are competitive on the ice.
PNC Arena is an indoor arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The venue has hosted many concerts and other events over the years. It is home to the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the North Carolina State University men’s basketball team.
The arena opened in 1999 with a seating capacity of 18,680 for hockey and 19,072 for basketball. The City of Raleigh owns the arena and operates it through the local non-profit Centennial Authority Inc. The significant increase from their old home of Greensboro Coliseum, which held only 10,722 fans for hockey, has helped attract more sponsorships and advertisers, and ticket sales.
Jordan Staal is the current Carolina Hurricanes captain. He is one of the players in NHL history to score a hat trick in his first game with his new team. Staal is known for his leadership and hard work on the ice.
According to Statista, the Carolina Hurricanes are worth $640 million, an increase of 16% over the last year. The team is among the most valuable in the NHL.
The team’s colors have changed over time: initially blue, green, and white; then red, black, and gold; and finally red and black with white accents.
