Twenty years later, Canes bring Stanley Cup back to a transformed Triangle

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — When the Carolina Hurricanes last won the Stanley Cup in 2006, Raleigh was still an up-and-coming city—and hockey was far from a fixture in the South.

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Twenty years later, the Canes are champions again, and lawmakers say the victory is resonating in a much larger and much different North Carolina.

“I think it goes to show that Raleigh really is a hockey town. I was thrilled to see the result and to see our Hurricanes pull it off,” said State Rep. Tim Longest (D-Wake).

The championship comes as North Carolina’s population has boomed since the Canes last lifted the Stanley Cup. The state has added more than 2.5 million new residents since 2006, according to N.C. Office of State Management and Budget.

“We’re talking 20 years of change,” Longest said. “Both North Carolina and Raleigh have really come onto the national stage. I think you can sort of map the rise of North Carolina and national prominence alongside the Canes’ rise. And it’s sort of been vindicated, last night with the Stanley Cup win.”

Gov. Josh Stein (D) joined fans celebrating Sunday night’s victory and shared a playful letter on social media excusing North Carolinians from any lingering effects of a late night of celebrating.

In a state known for its college basketball rivalries, Stein said all North Carolinians can rally around the Canes.

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“It’s just tremendous and it brings people together in a joyous way,” Stein said. “We’ve got our sports allegiances: Carolina, Duke, State, ECU, Wake Forest. But we are all Carolina Hurricanes fans and it’s just part of what makes North Carolina special.”

Stein is also expected to host the team at the Governor’s Mansion in the coming weeks.

Longest said the championship run is another sign of the region’s growth and the increasing prominence of professional sports in North Carolina, including an effort to bring a Major League Baseball team to the Triangle that has intensified in recent years.

“North Carolina has shown that it can handle hosting large sports teams and programs. And so I expect that we’ll see more interest in that in the future,” he said.

The celebration is far from over.

The Canes’ Stanley Cup victory parade is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday in downtown Raleigh, where thousands of fans are expected to celebrate.

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