Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon has drawn widespread criticism for engraving the names of his wife and five children on the Stanley Cup. Hockey fans have labeled the decision "disrespectful and shameful."
Dundon's name, along with those of his wife, Verushka, and their children Caden, Dax, Drew, Blake, and Tagan, now occupy the first two lines of the newly engraved section of the trophy beneath the "Carolina Hurricanes 2025-2026" banner. The team posted on X, "Forever etched in history," alongside a photograph of the cup.
Stanley Cup champions are allotted space for a maximum of 55 names. The Dundon family's seven names account for 90 characters, the first seven spots on the trophy. Following the Dundons were CEO Brian Fork and General Manager Eric Tulsky, before head coach Rod Brind’Amour and his staff. The final 24 names belonged to players, led by Conn Smythe winner and team captain Jordan Staal.
Under NHL rules, players who appeared in at least 41 regular-season games or dressed for a Stanley Cup Final game are guaranteed a spot. Joel Nystrom, who played 38 regular-season games for Carolina and spent time with the AHL's Chicago Wolves, did not have his name engraved. Several off-ice staff members also did not receive engraving, including Equipment Manager Bobby Gorman, who had been with the franchise since its time as the Hartford Whalers and was included on the Cup in 2006.
While many celebrated the championship etchings, Dundon's prominent placement of his family drew ire. "Tom Dundon putting his whole family on the Cup instead of players & staff who actually did things to win the Stanley Cup is one the most selfish & gross things I’ve ever seen. It’s so disrespectful and shameful," one user posted on X. Another comment read, "Dumb Tom Dundon wasted so much space on the Stanley Cup by adding his useless children to it. Children who contributed nothing to the success of that team. What a self serving prick. Shameful."
Dundon, whose net worth is estimated at $2.3 billion by Forbes, purchased a majority stake in the Hurricanes for $420 million before acquiring full ownership in 2021. In March, he sold a 12.5% stake to investors at a $2.66 billion valuation.
This instance echoes a similar decision by Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola, whose relatives' names were engraved on the Cup after their back-to-back championships in 2024 and 2025. Viola's relatives all serve as alternate governors on the Panthers' executive board.
Historically, exceptions have occurred. In 1984, Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington had his father's name added, a move later attributed to a clerical error by Pocklington and subsequently crossed out by the Hockey Hall of Fame. More recently, the name of former Chicago Blackhawks video coordinator Brad Aldrich, added after the 2010 championship, was covered with Xs following allegations of sexual assault.
