Hurricanes abstain from touching Prince of Wales trophy ahead of Stanley Cup Final
The Carolina Hurricanes secured their first Eastern Conference title in two decades with a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, but chose not to touch the conference trophy following guidance from their head coach.
The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 to win the Eastern Conference Finals, securing their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 20 years. Following the match, the team chose not to touch the Prince of Wales trophy, a decision influenced by head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s advice to avoid tempting fate. Brind’Amour, who captained the 2006 championship squad, noted that while he did not mandate the action, he advised players to refrain from touching the trophy. The Hurricanes will next face the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final.
Brind’Amour, a former player who spent 10 seasons with the franchise, addressed the superstition during his post-game press conference. When asked if he had any input on the decision, he stated it was “not really,” but confirmed he offered blunt advice to players who sought his opinion. “I had a few guys ask me what I thought, and I said, ‘Do what you want, but don’t touch it,’” Brind’Amour said.
The decision carries historical weight for the organisation. In the team’s only other Eastern Conference Finals win in 2002, captain Ron Francis picked up the trophy, and Carolina went on to lose the Stanley Cup Final to the Detroit Red Wings. Conversely, the Florida Panthers lost the 2023 final after touching the conference trophy but won the subsequent two championships after not touching it. According to NHL.com data, four of the 10 teams that touched the trophy over the past 20 years failed to win the Cup.
Carolina’s path to the Final has been marked by exceptional efficiency. According to league records cited by SportRadar, the Hurricanes are the first team to reach the Stanley Cup Final with only one loss since the National Hockey League adopted best-of-seven series for all four postseason rounds in 1987. This victory ends a period of near-misses under Brind’Amour, during which the team lost three previous conference finals series, all by three or four games.
Brind’Amour acknowledged the shift in perspective between his playing and coaching careers, admitting he was “a lot more excited as a player.” He noted the relief of reaching the final after years of falling short, but emphasised his desire to enjoy the current accomplishment before focusing on the final stretch. The series against the Vegas Golden Knights begins with Game 1 on Tuesday.
