Precisely 3,542 names have been engraved on the Stanley Cup since 1907, a record that commemorates careers and sacrifices across generations, according to the article. The list includes Hall of Fame figures such as Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux alongside role players who rose in championship moments.
After last month’s title, the Carolina Hurricanes added 53 new names to the Cup, including captain Jordan Staal, defenseman Jaccob Slavin and coach Rod Brind’Amour, the article reports. Not included were longtime equipment manager Bobby Gorman and forward Joel Nystrom, who appeared in 38 regular-season games — three fewer than the 41-game threshold that traditionally guarantees a spot.
The first seven new names listed on the Cup this year, the article notes, include owner Tom Dundon and, unusually, his wife and five children. The piece says none of Dundon’s family members hold official roles with the franchise, and none played, coached, scouted or worked in operational positions.
The article places the move in the context of past exceptions and league actions. It notes that previous owners have put spouses and adult children on the Cup when they held titles such as co-owner or alternate governor. Earlier anomalies include a 1945 Toronto listing of a coach’s 11-year-old son as a team mascot and, in 1984, the inclusion of the father of owner Peter Pocklington — a name the NHL ordered crossed out.
Reaction has been strong, the article says, with many fans calling the inclusion of children “ridiculous” and “arrogant” and describing the backlash as “nuclear.” The piece also reminds readers of the Cup’s long history: it was first awarded in 1893 by Lord Frederick Stanley, the original bowl is preserved in the Hall of Fame and the same trophy the Hurricanes hoisted is the one Bobby Orr lifted decades ago, according to the article.
