no
NOVEMBER, 1971 — The World Hockey Association awards franchise to sports enthusiasts and businessmen Howard Baldwin, John Colburn, Godfrey Wood and William Barnes.
JANUARY, 1972 — Jack Kelley, a highly successful coach at Boston University, joins the New England WHA franchise as coach and general manager. Newly formed team is named “WHALERS” because it contains the letters of the new league and it carries with it a part of the New England heritage.
APRIL 19, 1972 — Larry Pleau becomes the first player to sign a Whalers contract. Later in the month, Brad Selwood, Rick Ley and Jim Dorey from the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tim Sheehy of Boston College/U.S. Olympic Team also join the club.
OCTOBER 12, 1972 — Whalers play their first WHA game. Rebounding from a 2-0 deficit, the Whalers defeat the visiting Philadelphia Blazers 4-3 before 14,442 spectators at the Boston Garden. Tommy Williams scores first Whalers goal and Larry Pleau collects first Whalers game-winning goal.
MAY 6, 1973 — Whalers defeat Winnipeg Jets 9-6 on national television (CBS) to gain World Trophy as the “Top Team” in the first season of the WHA. Jack Kelley is named later in month as the winner of the WHA’s Coach-of-the-Year Trophy while forward Terry Caffery is named the WHA’s Top Rookie.
APRIL 6, 1974 — Whalers play their first game in Springfield, Mass. by coming back from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Chicago Cougars in the first game of the 1974 playoffs 6-4.
JANUARY 11, 1975 — Whalers play first hockey game at new Hartford Civic Center before a sellout crowd of 10,507. After falling behind, they battle back to defeat the San Diego Mariners 4-3 in overtime, with Garry Swain scoring at 5:45.
JANUARY 18, 1977 — Hartford plays host to the 1977 WHA All-Star Game. The East Division defeats the West Division 4-2 as future Whalers goaltender Louis Levasseur is selected Most Valuable Player for the East.
MAY 23, 1977 — Whalers outduel the NHL to sign the entire Howe family (Gordie, Mark and Marty) to long-term contracts.
JANUARY 18, 1978 — At 4:30 a.m., under the weight of snow and ice, the Hartford Civic Center Coliseum roof collapses. Springfield, Mass., welcomes the Whalers back and the “91 Club” is born. Over the next two years, the Whalers ask their fans to remain loyal while the Hartford roof is repaired and the building enlarged. Fewer than 300 people cancel their season tickets. When the building reopens, the “91 Club” has 4,200 members.
JUNE 22, 1979 — Whalers join the National Hockey League with three other WHA clubs – Edmonton, Quebec and Winnipeg – as the NHL expands to 21 teams for the 1979-80 season. The World Hockey Association officially ceases operation.
OCTOBER 11, 1979 — Whalers play their first NHL regular-season game at Minnesota. The North Stars win 4-1 with Gordie Roberts scoring the first Whalers NHL goal at 14:15 of the third period.
FEBRUARY 6, 1980 — After an absence of two years and 19 days, the Whalers are “Home At Last.” The Whalers come back from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 7-3 before a capacity crowd of more than 14,000 at the Hartford Civic Center.
APRIL 6, 1980 — The Whalers defeat the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 to finish their first NHL season and qualify for postseason play for the eighth straight year of their eight- year existence. The Whalers set six expansion team records.
JUNE 6, 1980 — Gordie Howe announces his retirement as a player, ending a 32-year career. He joins the Whalers front office.
FEBRUARY 18, 1981 — Gordie Howe’s number 9 is officially retired.
MAY 2, 1983 — Emile Francis, after building winning teams in New York and St. Louis, joins the Whalers as president and general manager.
MARCH 24-APRIL 1, 1984 — Whalers collect seven points in their last six games and finish the season as the most improved team in the NHL. They total 66 points, 21 more than the previous season, and tie or break 57 club records.
FEBRUARY, 1985 — Ron Francis becomes first Whaler to play in two NHL All-Star Games. He also is named team captain on February 22 when the Whalers acquire Mike Liut and future considerations (Jorgen Pettersson) from St. Louis for veterans Greg Millen and former team captain Mark Johnson.
MARCH 10-29, 1985 — Whalers go on a nine-game unbeaten streak, including a club-record seven straight wins.
FEBRUARY 4, 1986 — The Whalers host the 38th NHL All-Star Game before a sellout crowd of 15,126. Bryan Trottier nets the game-winner in overtime to give the Wales Conference a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Campbell Conference All-Stars. Sylvain Turgeon records an assist in the game.
APRIL 12, 1986 — The Whalers complete a three-game playoff sweep of regular- season Adams Division champ Quebec with a 9-4 victory at the Civic Center. John Anderson leads the Whalers attack with six points.
APRIL 29, 1986 — Montreal’s Claude Lemieux scores at 5:55 of overtime to give the Canadiens a 2-1 victory over the Whalers in the seventh game of the Adams Division Championship series.
JUNE, 1986 — Emile Francis is named NHL Executive of the Year by both The Sporting News and The Hockey News.
DECEMBER 26, 1986 — Doug Jarvis supplants Garry Unger as the NHL’s Ironman by participating in his 915th consecutive NHL game. In a close-checking “Jarvis-style” contest, the Whalers skate to a 1-1 tie with Montreal.
APRIL 4, 1987 — The Whalers score three goals in less than four minutes during the third period, overcoming a 3-2 deficit to beat the Rangers 5-3 and clinch first place in the Adams Division.
FEBRUARY 7, 1988 — Larry Pleau is named head coach of the Hartford Whalers. Pleau, 40, replaces Jack Evans, who served as the Whalers coach since the 1983-84 season.
FEBRUARY 9, 1988 — Kevin Dineen becomes the first Whaler to start in an NHL All-Star Game, helping lead the Wales Conference over the Campbell Conference 6-5 with two assists, including the game-winner to Mario Lemieux in overtime.
MARCH 29, 1988 — The Buffalo Sabres defeat the Quebec Nordiques 3-1, thus eliminating the Nordiques from the playoff race and clinching a playoff spot for the Whalers for the third straight year. The Whalers trailed the Nordiques by three points on March 19, but made up 10 points in as many days to push Quebec out of the playoffs.
SEPTEMBER 7, 1988 — The sale of the Hartford Whalers by the team’s 16 partners to Donald Conrad and Richard Gordon is approved by the NHL Board of Governors.
JANUARY 20, 1989 — Gordie Howe, Rick Ley, Jack Kelley, Bob Schmertz, Frank Keyes and Ella Grasso are honored as charter inductees of the Hartford Whalers Hall of Fame.
MAY 11, 1989 — Ed Johnston is named vice president and general manager of the Whalers. Emile Francis retains position as team president (formally announced on June 6).
JUNE 7, 1989 — Former Whalers captain Rick Ley is named head coach of the Whalers, replacing Larry Pleau.
JUNE 18, 1989 — The NHL formally approves Richard Gordon and Colonial Realty as Whalers owners.
SEPTEMBER 6, 1989 — Whalers officially open their new training and practice facility at Avon Old Farms School.
MARCH 21, 1990 — Dave Keon and Howard Baldwin are inducted into the Whalers Hall of Fame at second annual induction ceremonies.
FEBRUARY 23, 1991 — Whalers clinch playoff spot for sixth straight season.
APRIL 1, 1991 — Pat Verbeek is only NHL player to lead team in goals scored and penalty minutes for second straight year.
JUNE 7, 1991 — Jim Roberts is named head coach of the Whalers, replacing Rick Ley.
NOVEMBER 26, 1991 — Defenseman Randy Ladouceur named the Whalers’ 10th team captain in their 20-year history.
APRIL 1, 1992 — NHL players stage a strike, suspending the season for 10 days.
MAY 2, 1992 — Whalers extend the Montreal Canadiens to the second overtime in Game 7 of the Adams Division Semifinals. Russ Courtnall’s goal at 12:02 a.m. (25:2 of OT) ends the Whalers’ first NHL season to extend into May.
MAY 26, 1992 — Whalers name Brian Burke general manager, replacing Ed Johnston, who had been relieved of his duties on May 12.
JUNE 2, 1992 — Whalers introduce new uniforms. The club changes to a predominant navy blue color scheme after 20 seasons in green.
JUNE 15, 1992 — Whalers hire Paul Holmgren to replace Jim Roberts as head coach.
APRIL 16, 1993 — Whalers finish the season with a 26-52-6 record and miss the playoffs for the first time since 1985.
JUNE 26, 1993 — Whalers flip first round draft picks with San Jose and select Chris Pronger second overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.
JUNE 30, 1993 — Emile Francis announces his retirement, ending a 47-year hockey career.
SEPTEMBER 1, 1993 — Brian Burke resigns as club president and general manager to join the NHL front office as executive vice president and director of hockey operations.
SEPTEMBER 8, 1993 — Paul Holmgren is named acting general manager. He remains as head coach. Assistant coach Pierre McGuire elevated to assistant general manager. Kevin Maxwell named director of player personnel. Paul Gillis moved from an assistant coach in Springfield to an assistant coach of Hartford.
NOVEMBER 17, 1993 — Paul Holmgren steps aside as head coach to concentrate on general manager duties. Pierre McGuire named head coach.
JUNE 28, 1994 — Whalers purchased by Peter Karmanos Jr., Thomas Thewes and Jim Rutherford (KTR) for $47.5 million. Jim Rutherford named president and general manager. Paul Holmgren named head coach. Whalers draft Jeff O’Neill fifth overall as they host the 1994 NHL Entry Draft in the Civic Center.
MAY 3, 1995 — Whalers complete the abbreviated 1994-95 season with an increase in average attendance for the first time since 1987-88 (12.8%). Though they miss the playoffs for the third straight year, the Whalers have the NHL’s best overtime record (4-0-5) for the second straight season.
JULY 27, 1995 — Whalers acquire Brendan Shanahan from St. Louis for Chris Pronger.
NOVEMBER 6, 1995 — Whalers replace head coach Paul Holmgren with Paul Maurice.
DECEMBER 28, 1995 — Whalers re-acquire Kevin Dineen from the Philadelphia Flyers for future considerations.
JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 11, 1996 — The Whalers win the last five games of a six-game road trip, the best road trip in club history (5-1-0).
APRIL 14, 1996 — Whalers complete the season with their best record (34-39-9) since the 1989-90 season (38-33-9). The team’s home record is 22-15-4, which is the Whalers’ best home-ice record since 1986-87.
OCTOBER 9, 1996 — Whalers acquire Keith Primeau, Paul Coffey and a 1997 first-round draft pick from Detroit in exchange for Brendan Shanahan and Brian Glynn.
DECEMBER 15, 1996 — Whalers acquire Kevin Haller, a first-round and a seventh-round draft pick in 1997 from Philadelphia in exchange for Paul Coffey and a third-round draft pick in 1997.
JANUARY 18, 1997 — Whaler’s head coach Paul Maurice serves as an assistant coach at the 47th All-Star Game. Geoff Sanderson represents the Whalers, scoring a goal.
MARCH 18, 1997 — Whalers complete four deals at the trading deadline. Acquired Derek King, Chris Murray, Bates Battaglia, a fourth-round draft pick in 1998 and an eighth-round draft pick in 1998 by the end of the day.
MARCH 26, 1997 — Whalers announce at a press conference that the team has signed an exit agreement with the Connecticut Development Authority to leave Hartford at the end of the season.
APRIL 13, 1997 — Kevin Dineen scores the game winner as Hartford scores a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the franchise’s final game in Hartford.
MAY 6, 1997 — Peter Karmanos announces that the team will relocate to Raleigh,N.C. The team will play in Greensboro, NC, for the first two seasons while a new arena is being built.
JUNE 2, 1997 — Hurricanes open office in Morrisville, NC, to prepare for first season in North Carolina.
JUNE 16, 1997 — Peter Karmanos and Jim Rutherford unveil logo.
AUGUST 25, 1997 — Carolina acquires Trevor Kidd and Gary Roberts from Calgaryfor Andrew Cassels and Jean-Sebastien Giguere.
SEPTEMBER 13, 1997 — Carolina plays its first preseason game against the New York Islanders at the Greensboro Coliseum.
OCTOBER 1, 1997 — Carolina opens the franchise’s 19th NHL season and first as the Carolina Hurricanes at Tampa Bay with a 4-2 loss. Kevin Dineen scores the first goal for the Hurricanes.
OCTOBER 10, 1997 — Carolina registers its first win with a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Steve Leach scores the game-winner.
JANUARY 3, 1998 — Carolina acquires Martin Gelinas and Kirk McLean from Vancouver for Sean Burke, Geoff Sanderson and Enrico Ciccone.
FEBRUARY 7, 1998 — The NHL shuts down for three weeks as NHL players compete at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Carolina’s Sami Kapanen plays for Team Finland, winning a Bronze Medal, and Keith Primeau completes the Olympic Tournament tied for third in scoring for Team Canada.
FEBRUARY 18, 1998 — Carolina tenders offer sheet to Sergei Fedorov. NHL disputes offer sheet, so it goes to an arbitrator, John Sands, who rules the offer sheet to be valid on Feb. 26, 1998. Detroit matches offer sheet shortly after ruling that same day.
MARCH 9, 1998 — Trevor Kidd named NHL Player of the Week after posting a 3-0-0 record with a .968 save percentage and a 1.00 GAA.
MARCH 24, 1998 — Peter Karmanos receives Lester Patrick Award, which is presented annually to those individuals who have performed “outstanding service to hockey in the United States.”
MARCH 30, 1998 — Keith Primeau named NHL Player of the Week after totaling eight points (4g, 4a) and a (+7) in a 3-1-0 week.
APRIL 14, 1998 — Carolina eliminated from playoffs during the final week of the season for the fourth year in a row.
JULY 13, 1998 — Hurricanes sign franchise all-time leading scorer Ron Francis to a free agent contract.
OCTOBER 28, 1998 — Carolina shuts out the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0 to take over the Southeast Division lead. The Hurricanes never relinquish the lead, remaining in first place for 173 consecutive days.
NOVEMBER 2, 1998 — Goaltender Arturs Irbe named NHL Player of the Week (October 26-November 1) and NHL Player of the Month for October.
DECEMBER 29, 1998 — Hurricanes acquire future Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Nelson Emerson.
JANUARY 24, 1999 — Arturs Irbe and Keith Primeau become the first Carolina Hurricanes to play in the NHL All-Star Game. It marks the first time since Kevin Dineen and Ulf Samuelsson participated in Rendez-Vous ‘87 that the organization has been represented by two players during all-star play.
FEBRUARY 9, 1999 — Ron Francis tallies a season-high five points (2g, 3a) in his 1,300th game as the Carolina Hurricanes defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5 in the team’s last visit to Maple Leaf Gardens.
FEBRUARY 18, 1999 — Paul Coffey plays in his 1,300th game, joining Ron Francis as the only teammates in league history to accomplish the feat in the same season.
FEBRUARY 21, 1999 — Ray Sheppard becomes only player in NHL history to score 20 goals in a single season for six different clubs by tallying two goals in Carolina’s 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders.
APRIL 9, 1999 — Carolina Hurricanes clinch the Southeast Division, marking the team’s first division title since 1987.
APRIL 24, 1999 — Ray Sheppard scores at 17:05 of overtime as the Carolina Hurricanes defeat the Boston Bruins 3-2, their first playoff win since April 29, 1992.
MAY 2, 1999 — The Boston Bruins shut out the Hurricanes 2-0 to win the best-of-7 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals 4-2.
MAY 3, 1999 — Hurricanes defenseman Steve Chiasson dies in a one-car accident.
JUNE 10, 1999 — Hurricanes agree to a three-year affiliation with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the International Hockey League (IHL).
OCTOBER 29, 1999 — Carolina Hurricanes host the New Jersey Devils in their home opener at the new Raleigh Entertainment & Sports Arena.
NOVEMBER 5, 1999 — Captain Ron Francis becomes the sixth player in NHL history to reach 1,500 points.
NOVEMBER 7, 1999 — Carolina defeats the Washington Capitals 3-2 to earn its first win at the Entertainment & Sports Arena.
DECEMBER 23, 1999 — Paul Coffey becomes the first defenseman in league history to total 1,500 points. Along with Ron Francis, Coffey becomes part of the first pair of teammates to reach the milestone during the same season.
JANUARY 23, 2000 — Hurricanes acquire forward Rod Brind’Amour, goaltender Jean-Marc Pelletier and a second-round pick in 2000 entry draft in exchange for Keith Primeau and a fifth-round draft pick in 2000.
FEBRUARY 5, 2000 — Competing in his first All-Star weekend, Sami Kapanen wins the fastest skater event during the Fed Ex/NHL Superskills contest with a time of 13.649 seconds.
APRIL 3, 2000 — Arturs Irbe named NHL Player of the Week for week ending April 2 by posting 3-1-0 record with a 1.75 goals against average, a .933 save percentage, and one shutout.
APRIL 8, 2000 — Head coach Paul Maurice becomes the franchise’s all-time winningest coach with a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers. The win surpassed Jack Evans total of 163.
JUNE 24, 2000 — Hurricanes acquire defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh and a second- round draft pick (Tomas Kurka) in 2000 from Colorado in exchange for Nolan Pratt, a first-round draft pick (Vaclav Nedorost) and two second-round picks (Jared Aulin, Argis Saviels) in 2000.
DECEMBER 18, 2000 — Hurricanes agree to a multi-year affiliation with the Lowell Lock Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL).
FEBRUARY 4, 2001 — Defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh becomes the first Carolina Hurricane to start in an NHL All-Star Game.
MARCH 14, 2001 — Ron Francis earns an assist against Atlanta to become to first player to total 1,000 points with the franchise.
APRIL 4, 2001 — Jeff O’Neill becomes the first franchise player to score 40 goals in a season since Brendan Shanahan in 1995-96.
APRIL 6, 2001 — The Hurricanes defeat Atlanta 3-2 in Raleigh to clinch their second trip to the playoffs in three years.
JANUARY 2, 2002 — Ron Francis, playing in his 1,000th career game with the franchise, beats Byron Dafoe of the Boston Bruins for his 500th career NHL goal.
JANUARY 16, 2002 — Carolina acquires defenseman Bret Hedican, forward Kevyn Adams and defenseman Tomas Malec from Florida in exchange for defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh and forward Byron Ritchie.
JANUARY 26, 2002 — Ron Francis assists on Jeff O’Neill’s goal at Philadelphia to pass Ray Bourque for second on the NHL’s all-time assist list.
MARCH 5, 2002 — The Hurricanes acquire goaltender Kevin Weekes from Tampa Bay in exchange for forwards Shane Willis and Chris Dingman.
APRIL 3, 2002 — The Hurricanes set a new single-season attendance record, breaking the franchise mark set in 1987-88. In all, 635,868 fans attend games during the 2001-02 regular season.
APRIL 10, 2002 — The Hurricanes defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 at the Entertainment & Sports Arena to clinch their second Southeast Division title in four years.
APRIL 27, 2002 — Kevin Weekes shuts out New Jersey 1-0 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at the Continental Airlines Arena as Carolina clinches the franchise’s first playoff series win since 1986 and first best-of-7 series win.
MAY 13, 2002 — Carolina breaks or ties 18 franchise records in its 8-2 Game 6 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at the Molson Centre to clinch the Eastern Conference Semifinals 4-2. The victory marks the first time the franchise defeats Montreal in a postseason series.
MAY 28, 2002 — Martin Gelinas scores at 8:05 of overtime to give the Hurricanes a 2-1 victory against Toronto in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Air Canada Centre. With the win, Carolina clinches the first Conference championship in franchise history and earns its first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals.
JUNE 8-9, 2002 — The Hurricanes host Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals against Detroit, marking the first Stanley Cup finals game at the Entertainment & Sports Arena. The game goes into triple-overtime before the Red Wings’ Igor Larionov scores at the 54:47 mark of overtime.
JUNE 20, 2002 — Ron Francis wins the Lady Byng Trophy and the King Clancy Trophy at the 2002 NHL Awards in Toronto.
SEPTEMBER 19, 2002 — A 20-year agreement with RBC Centura is announced to rename the Entertainment & Sports Arena as the RBC Center.
JANUARY 18, 2003 — Ron Francis plays in his 1,616th career NHL game, a 5-2 loss at New Jersey, moving past Larry Murphy (1,615) and into sole possession of third place on the NHL’s all-time games played list.
MARCH 18, 2003 — Damian Surma scores his first career NHL goal in his first game, becoming the fifth Hurricane to accomplish that feat during the 2002-03 season (Jeff Heerema, Tomas Kurka, Mike Zigomanis, Brad DeFauw). Surma was the eighth and final Hurricane to score his first NHL goal during the season.
APRIL 6, 2003 — The Hurricanes set a new single-season attendance record, breaking the franchise mark set the previous season. In total, 642,973 fans attend games at the RBC Center during the 2002-03 hockey season.
DECEMBER 15, 2003 — The Hurricanes name Peter Laviolette as the franchise’s 11th head coach. Kevin McCarthy is retained as an assistant coach and former Hurricane player Jeff Daniels is also named assistant coach. Paul Maurice, Randy Ladouceur and Don Edwards are relieved of their coaching duties.
MARCH 5, 2004 — Kevyn Adams beats Atlanta’s Pasi Nurminen with 0.4 seconds left in overtime against the Thrashers to break the franchise record for shorthanded goals in a season (5).
JUNE 26-27, 2004 — The Hurricanes host the NHL Entry Draft at the RBC Center, drawing 15,672 fans for day one – the largest draft crowd in more than a decade. Carolina makes noise on the floor as well, trading the eighth overall selection and a second-round pick for the fourth overall selection, taking top-rated North American skater Andrew Ladd.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2004 — NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirms that NHL teams will not play until the Collective Bargaining Agreement is replaced, delaying the start of the 2004-05 season.
FEBRUARY 16, 2005 — NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announces the cancellation of the 2004-05 season.
JULY 22, 2005 — NHL Board of Governors ratifies new six-year Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NHLPA.
AUGUST 25, 2005 — Rod Brind’Amour named Hurricanes team captain.
OCTOBER 7, 2005 — Cam Ward earns his first NHL win, stopping Ziggy Palffy, Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby in Carolina’s first shootout game and first win of 2005-06.
JANUARY 19, 2006 — Carolina wins its ninth straight game, marking the second nine-game win streak of the season and in franchise history. The Hurricanes become just the fifth team in NHL history to post two win streaks of nine games or more in a single season.
JANUARY 31, 2006 — Hurricanes win 8-2 at Montreal for their 13th win in January making Carolina the seventh team in NHL history to win 13 games in a month.
MARCH 31, 2006 — Hurricanes win their 48th game of the season to clinch their third Southeast Division title with a 3-2 win against Florida. Carolina would go on to a 52-22-8 overall record, finishing second in the Eastern Conference standings and setting franchise highs for wins and points (112) in a season.
MAY 2, 2006 — Cory Stillman scores 1:19 into overtime of Game 6 at Montreal for Carolina’s fourth-straight win against the Canadiens after falling behind 2-0 in the teams’ Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series.
MAY 5, 2006 — Cam Ward records his first NHL shutout as Carolina defeats New Jersey 6-0 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Hurricanes would go on to win the series 4-1.
JUNE 1, 2006 — Carolina defeats Buffalo 4-2 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, sending the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in four years and the second time in franchise history.
JUNE 19, 2006 — Justin Williams scores into an empty net with 1:01 remaining in the third period to give Carolina a 3-1 win in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The win marks the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history and the first major professional sports championship in North Carolina. Cam Ward wins the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ Most Valuable Player.
JUNE 22, 2006 — Rod Brind’Amour wins the Frank J. Selke Trophy at the NHL Awards in Vancouver.
FEBRUARY 8, 2007 — Ray Whitney sets a franchise record scoring three even- strength goals in a 1:40 span in the second period of Carolina’s 5-2 win at Boston. The feat marks the fastest three even-strength goals in the NHL since Bill Mosienko scored three times in 21 in his Blackhawks’ 7-6 win at NY Rangers, March 23, 1952.
MARCH 24, 2007 — Hurricanes establish a new single-season attendance record of more than 650,000 fans when they host an overflow crowd of 18,763 against San Jose. Carolina finishes the season having hosted 712,861 fans in its 41 home games, an average of 17,387 fans per game and 93.3% of the RBC Center’s capacity.
JUNE 14, 2007 — Rod Brind’Amour wins the Frank J. Selke Trophy at the NHL Awards in Toronto.
JUNE 5, 2008 — Glen Wesley announces his retirement as a player and is named director of defensemen development. President/General Manager Jim Rutherford announces that Wesley’s No. 2 jersey would be retired to the RBC Center rafters. Wesley retired as the Hurricanes’ all-time games-played leader, having played in 728 regular-season games since the team’s relocation to North Carolina in 1997. He played 913 games with the franchise, second only to Hall of Famer Ron Francis (1,186).
JULY 12, 2008 — Carolina Hurricanes and the Centennial Authority announce a five-year extension of the team’s lease of the RBC Center, making the final year of the lease 2024.
SEPTEMBER 10, 2008 — The Carolina Hurricanes unveil their alternate third uniform at a news conference on the ice at the RBC Center. Tim Gleason, Eric Staal and Cam Ward model the team’s newest look, which includes a primarily black jersey with the secondary flag logo on the chest, black pants and black helmets. The team announces that the new uniforms will be worn in a game for the first time when the Hurricanes host Detroit on October 13, and will be worn for 15 home games in 2008-09.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2008 — Hurricanes sign forward Eric Staal to a seven-year contract extension, which will begin in 2009-10 and will run through 2015-16.
DECEMBER 3, 2008 — Paul Maurice is named head coach and Ron Francis is named associate head coach; Peter Laviolette relieved of his head coaching duties.
MARCH 7, 2009 — The Hurricanes score a 9-3 win at Tampa Bay, marking the most goals in a game for the team since relocating to North Carolina. Eric Staal scores four goals marking the first time a player had scored four goals since relocation, and the third time the feat was accomplished in franchise history. Staal’s six points set a Hurricanes record and tied the franchise record for points in a game.
MARCH 28, 2009 — The Hurricanes finish March 2009 with a 10-1-2 record (22 points), making it the best March, and second-best month, in franchise history (January 2006: 13-1-0 – 26 points).
APRIL 7, 2009 — Cam Ward earns his 39th win of the season in Carolina’s 9-0 rout of the New York Islanders. For Ward, the win breaks Martin Gerber’s franchise record of 38 wins set in 2005-06, and marks his franchise-best tying sixth shutout of the season. The game marks Eric Staal’s fourth hat trick of the season, setting a new franchise mark in that category. For the Hurricanes, it marks their 45th win of the regular season – the second-best wins total in franchise history next to 2005-06.
APRIL 9, 2009 — The Hurricanes’ franchise-record 12-game home winning streak is snapped in a 5-1 loss against Buffalo. The 12-game home winning streak shatters the previous franchise-best nine-game home winning streak accomplished twice during the championship 2005-06 season.
APRIL 28, 2009 — “The Shock at the Rock” – Trailing 3-2 with 1:20 remaining in regulation, Jussi Jokinen scores the tying goal in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at New Jersey’s Prudential Center. Eric Staal then beats Martin Brodeur with 32 seconds remaining and the Hurricanes advance to the second round.
MAY 14, 2009 — Scott Walker beats Tim Thomas 18:46 into overtime of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Banknorth Garden to give the Hurricanes a 3-2 win. The Hurricanes become just the fourth team to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals three times in the first decade of the 2000s, joining New Jersey, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in that group.
SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 — Hurricanes sign goaltender Cam Ward to a six-year contract extension, which begins in 2010-11 and will run through 2015-16.
JANUARY 20, 2010 — Hurricanes name Eric Staal captain and Rod Brind’Amour alternate captain.
APRIL 8, 2010 — The National Hockey League announces that the Hurricanes will host the 2011 NHL All-Star Game at the RBC Center.
JUNE 30, 2010 — Rod Brind’Amour announces his retirement as a player.
OCTOBER 4, 2010 — The Hurricanes take on SKA St. Petersburg in an exhibition game. Carolina is the first NHL team to play in Russia in more than 20 years.
OCTOBER 7-8, 2010 — The Hurricanes take part in the 2010 Compuware NHL Premiere, playing two games against the Minnesota Wild at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland. Carolina wins both games.
JANUARY 28-30, 2011 — The Hurricanes host NHL All-Star Weekend. Team Lidstrom downs Team Staal by an 11-10 score in the All-Star Game. Jamie McBain, Jeff Skinner, Eric Staal and Cam Ward represent Carolina in the events.
JUNE 22, 2011 — Jeff Skinner becomes the first player in Carolina’s franchise history to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year.
NOVEMBER 28, 2011 — Kirk Muller is named head coach. Paul Maurice relieved of his coaching duties. John MacLean joins Carolina’s coaching staff three days later.
JUNE 20, 2012 — Justin Faulk is named to the 2011-12 NHL All-Rookie Team.
JUNE 22, 2012 — The Hurricanes acquire Jordan Staal from Pittsburgh in a draft- day trade that sends Brandon Sutter, Brian Dumoulin and the eighth-overall pick to the Penguins. Staal signs a 10-year contract extension with Carolina nine days later.
APRIL 27, 2013 — Hurricanes complete the abbreviated 2012-13 season, and set a franchise record for average, per-game attendance (17,560), eclipsing the previous record of 17,387 set during the 2006-07 season.
APRIL 28, 2014 — Hurricanes name Ron Francis general manager. Also name Mike Vellucci assistant general manager and director of hockey operations, and name Brian Tatum assistant general manager. Jim Rutherford to remain with the Hurricanes as team president.
MAY 5, 2014 — Kirk Muller, Dave Lewis and John MacLean relieved of their coaching duties. Greg Stefan reassigned to pro scouting staff.
JUNE 6, 2014 — Jim Rutherford resigns as Hurricanes president and accepts general manager position with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
JUNE 19, 2014 — Bill Peters is named head coach. Steve Smith joins the coaching staff as an assistant five days later, and David Marcoux as goaltending coach in July.
JUNE 20, 2014 — Ricky Olczyk named assistant general manager.
JULY 1, 2014 — Don Waddell named team president.
JULY 1, 2015 — Team buys out final three seasons of Alexander Semin’s contract.
FEBRUARY 28, 2016 — Team acquires Aleksi Saarela and second-round picks in the 2016 and 2017 NHL Drafts from the NY Rangers in exchange for Eric Staal.
OCTOBER 7, 2017 — The Hurricanes kick off their 20th season in North Carolina with a 5-4 shootout win over Minnesota at PNC Arena.
DECEMBER 7, 2017 — Tom Dundon signs an agreement to purchase a majority stake in the Hurricanes.
DECEMBER 12, 2017 — Cam Ward becomes the 32nd goaltender in NHL history to reach 300 career wins, making 22 saves in a 3-2 shootout win at Vegas.
JANUARY 12, 2018 — Tom Dundon is introduced as the new majority owner of the Hurricanes, with Peter Karmanos Jr. retaining a minority ownership interest.
APRIL 20, 2018 — Bill Peters resigns as head coach.
MAY 8, 2018 — Rod Brind’Amour is named head coach and Don Waddell is named general manager.
AUGUST 2, 2018 — Hurricanes trade forward Jeff Skinner to Buffalo for forward Cliff Pu and three draft picks. Skinner departs fifth all-time in franchise history in goals (204) and seventh in points (379).
SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 — Justin Williams named Hurricanes team captain.
OCTOBER 7, 2018 — Andrei Svechnikov scores his first career NHL goal, becoming the first NHL player born in the 2000s to score a goal.
OCTOBER 30, 2018 — Sebastian Aho tallies an assist for the 12th consecutive game in a 3-2 loss vs. Boston, establishing a new franchise record assist streak. He becomes just the third player in NHL history to record an assist in each of his team’s first 12 games in a season, joining Wayne Gretzky (1982-83 with Edmonton) and Ken Linseman (1985-86 with Boston). Aho also set a franchise record for the longest season-opening point streak and tied Eric Staal for the longest point streak in team history (since relocation).
NOVEMBER 21, 2018 — Justin Williams scores his 100th career Hurricanes goal in a 5-2 win vs. Toronto. He becomes the ninth player in NHL history to score at least 100 goals and win the Stanley Cup with two different franchises (Carolina and Los Angeles).
DECEMBER 29, 2018 — Hurricanes lose 2-0 at New Jersey to fall to 15-17-5 on the season, 10 points outside of a playoff spot. Carolina would go 31-12-2 the remainder of the season to finish at 99 points, the second-highest point total in franchise history.
JANUARY 17, 2019 — Hurricanes acquire Nino Niederreiter from Minnesota in exchange for Victor Rask. Niederreiter went on to record 30 points (14g, 16a) in 36 games with Carolina in 2018-19 after registering 23 points (9g, 14a) in 46 games with the Wild prior to the trade.
FEBRUARY 1, 2019 — Justin Faulk tallied a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win vs. Vegas to reach 242 career points, passing Dave Babych for the most career points by a defenseman in franchise history.
FEBRUARY 23, 2019 — Jordan Staal returns to the lineup and records an assist in a 3-0 win at Dallas after missing 32 of the previous 34 games due to injury. Staal would tally 17 points (6g, 11a) in 21 games after returning to the lineup, and Carolina went on to post a 14-6-1 record in those games.
MARCH 24, 2019 — Andrei Svechnikov scores the game-winning goal in a 2-1 overtime win vs. Montreal, becoming the youngest player in franchise history to score an overtime goal at 18 years and 363 days old.
APRIL 4, 2019 — Carolina earns a 3-1 win vs. New Jersey to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
APRIL 6, 2019 — Hurricanes win 4-3 at Philadelphia for their 22nd road win of the season, setting a franchise record.
APRIL 24, 2019 — Brock McGinn scores at 11:05 of the second overtime to give Carolina a 4-3 win in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Washington. The game marks the third-longest overtime and first double-overtime win in franchise playoff history.
MAY 3, 2019 — Carolina earns a 5-2 win in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Second Round vs. NY Islanders to complete the first sweep of a best-of-seven series in franchise playoff history. A franchise-record crowd of 19,495 is on hand at PNC Arena to watch the Hurricanes clinch a berth in the Eastern Conference Final for the fourth consecutive playoff appearance (2002, 2006, 2009).
SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 — The Hurricanes acquire Joel Edmundson, Dominik Bokk and a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft from St. Louis in exchange for Justin Faulk and a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. Faulk leaves Carolina as the franchise’s all-time leader in goals and points by a defenseman.
SEPTEMBER 29, 2019 — Jordan Staal named team captain.
OCTOBER 11, 2019 — The Hurricanes post a 5-2 win over the Islanders at PNC Arena to begin the season 5-0-0 for the first time in franchise history.
OCTOBER 29, 2019 — Andrei Svechnikov scores the first lacrosse-style goal in NHL history and adds the game-winning goal 3:22 later in a 2-1 win against Calgary at PNC Arena.
NOVEMBER 14, 2019 — Jordan Staal scores his 100th career Hurricanes goal in a 5-4 overtime win at Buffalo. He joins his brother, Eric Staal, as the ninth pair of brothers in NHL history to score at least 100 goals for the same franchise.
DECEMBER 19, 2019 — Carolina posts a 3-1 win at Colorado, marking the second time in franchise history that the Hurricanes won a game when trailing within the final three minutes of a game. Carolina wraps up their five-game road trip with a 4-0-1 record, earning nine points on a five-game road trip for the first time in franchise history.
JANUARY 7, 2020 — Justin Williams returns to the Hurricanes on a one-year contract.
JANUARY 24, 2020 — Jaccob Slavin wins the Accuracy Shooting event at the 2020 NHL All-Star Skills Competition in St. Louis.
FEBRUARY 22, 2020 — Following injuries to both James Reimer and Petr Mrazek, emergency backup goaltender David Ayres enters the game at 11:19 of the second period during Carolina’s first Hockey Night In Canada game in Toronto in nearly 17 years. Ayres makes eight saves over the final 28:41 as the Hurricanes beat the Maple Leafs 6-3. At 42 years and 194 days old, Ayres becomes the oldest goaltender in NHL history to win their NHL debut and the second-oldest player, regardless of position, to make their debut, trailing only Lester Patrick (43 years, 80 days old).
FEBRUARY 28, 2020 — Sebastian Aho registers a pair of assists in a 3-2 loss against the Avalanche at PNC Arena, extending his point streak to 14 games (1/21- 2/28: 12g, 9a). This marks the longest point streak in team history (since relocation) and the third-longest point streak in franchise history.
MARCH 10, 2020 — The Hurricanes post a 5-2 win at Detroit to improve to 38-25-5 in what ends up being their final game of the regular season. Two days later, the NHL season is paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the remainder of the regular season is eventually cancelled. Justin Williams ends the season with a five-game goal streak from 2/29-3/10 (6g), joining Brett Hull (DET) and Johnny Bucyk (BOS) as the only players in NHL history to score a goal in five straight games at age 38 or older.
MAY 28, 2020 — Carolina Hurricanes and the Centennial Authority announce a five-year lease extension to the team’s lease at PNC Arena, with the lease now running through the 2028-29 NHL season.
JULY 13, 2020 — Following a four-month break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hurricanes resume formal practices at PNC Arena.
AUGUST 1, 2020 — The Hurricanes and Rangers play the first game of the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, marking the first NHL game since the season was paused on March 12. Carolina earns a 3-2 win in Game 1.
AUGUST 3, 2020 — Andrei Svechnikov scores the first postseason hat trick in franchise history in a 4-1 Game 2 win against the Rangers.
AUGUST 4, 2020 — The Hurricanes post a 4-1 win against the Rangers to complete a three-game Qualifying Round sweep, marking the third series sweep in franchise history. Carolina becomes the only team to earn a sweep during the 2020 Qualifying Round. The Hurricanes win a playoff series in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history.
SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 — The Hurricanes announce a three-year affiliation agreement with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL).
OCTOBER 8, 2020 — Justin Williams announces his retirement as a player.
DECEMBER 20, 2020 — The National Hockey League announces that teams will play a 56-game regular season with exclusively divisional play in 2020-21. For the season, the Hurricanes join the Central Division, along with Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Florida, Nashville and Tampa Bay.
JANUARY 14, 2021 — The Hurricanes open the 2020-21 season with a 3-0 win at Detroit behind closed doors at Little Caesars Arena. Petr Mrazek makes 14 saves to earn the franchise’s first season-opening shutout since 1996.
JANUARY 28, 2021 — The Hurricanes play their home opener against the Lightning, marking the first game at PNC Arena since Carolina faced Colorado 335 days earlier (2/28/20) in their final home game before the 2019-20 season was paused. Martin Necas scores in overtime to earn a 1-0 win over Tampa Bay.
MARCH 4, 2021 — Carolina welcomes fans back to PNC Arena for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The Hurricanes post a 5-2 win over the Red Wings in front of a crowd of 2,924.
MARCH 27, 2021 — Dougie Hamilton tallies an assist in a 4-3 home win against Tampa Bay, extending his point streak to 14 games (2/27-3/27: 2g, 14a). This marks the longest point streak by a defenseman in franchise history and ties the longest point streak in team history (since relocation).
APRIL 12, 2021 — Jordan Staal skates in his 1,000th career NHL game, recording an assist in a 3-1 loss against the Red Wings.
MAY 7, 2021 — The Dallas Stars defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Hurricanes are named Central Division champions. This marks the fifth division title in franchise history and the team’s first since 2005-06.
MAY 17, 2021 — The Hurricanes post a 5-2 win over the Predators in Game 1 of the First Round. This is the first playoff game at PNC Arena since May 16, 2019, as all of Carolina’s games during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs were played at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
MAY 27, 2021 — Sebastian Aho scores at 1:06 of overtime in Game 6 of the First Round at Nashville as the Hurricanes win a playoff series for the third consecutive season. Jaccob Slavin registers a pair of assists, passing Dave Babych and Bret Hedican for the most assists by a defenseman in franchise playoff history.
JUNE 17, 2021 — Rod Brind’Amour agrees to a three-year contract extension to remain as Hurricanes’ head coach and hours later becomes the first head coach in franchise history to win the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year.
JUNE 19, 2021 — Jaccob Slavin becomes the second player in franchise history and the fourth defensemen in NHL history to win the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player who best combines sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct with a high level of playing ability.
JUNE 29, 2021 — Dougie Hamilton is named a Second-Team NHL All-Star, and Alex Nedeljkovic is named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team. Hamilton becomes the third player in franchise history to be selected to an end-of-season NHL All-Star team, while Nedeljkovic becomes the franchise’s first All-Rookie goaltender since 1988-89.
JUNE 30, 2021 — Tom Dundon purchases all remaining minority shares in the team to become full owner of the Carolina Hurricanes.
SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 — Tim Gleason is named an assistant coach.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2021 — Montreal declines to match Carolina’s one-year contract offer sheet to restricted free agent Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The Hurricanes become the first NHL team since 2007 to successfully acquire a player via an offer sheet.
OCTOBER 14, 2021 — The Hurricanes defeat the Islanders 6-3 in the season opener at PNC Arena, marking Carolina’s first 100%-capacity crowd of 18,680 since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
NOVEMBER 3, 2021 — Carolina kills off four third-period power plays by the Blackhawks to earn a 4-3 win at United Center. The Hurricanes begin the season 9-0-0 for the first time in franchise history.
FEBRUARY 4-5, 2022 — Sebastian Aho wins the Accuracy Shooting event at the 2022 NHL All-Star Skills Competition in Las Vegas. Aho, Frederik Andersen and Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour represent the Metropolitan Division the 2022 NHL All Star Game, winning the event.
APRIL 10, 2022 — Jordan Staal scores the third regular-season hat trick of his NHL career in a 5-2 home win against the Ducks. It’s his first hat trick since November 11, 2008 while playing for the Penguins, marking the longest span between hat tricks in NHL history.
APRIL 26, 2022 — The Hurricanes post a 4-3 win against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden to clinch the 2021-22 Metropolitan Division title. Carolina won their sixth-ever division title and won consecutive division titles for the first time in franchise history.
APRIL 28, 2022 — Carolina registers a 6-3 win against the Devils at PNC Arena to finish the season with a 54-20-8 record for 116 points. This marks the most wins and points in a season in franchise history. The Hurricanes hold their opponents to 202 goals on the season, clinching the William M. Jennings Trophy for the first time in franchise history, awarded to Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta.
MAY 14, 2022 — The Hurricanes earn a 3-2 win over the Bruins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round in front of a franchise-record crowd of 19,513. Carolina ties an NHL record with their sixth consecutive Game 7 victory.
MAY 24, 2022 — Sebastian Aho records an assist in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at NY Rangers to become the franchise leader in career playoff points (44) and assists (26).
