Hurricanes owner is getting Stanley Cup engraving criticism. He’s not the first to do it

The engraving of names into the Stanley Cup is getting extra attention this summer because of six of the names included.

The names of Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon’s wife and five children follow his before getting to members of the front office, coaches and players.

He is not the first team owner to include family members on hockey’s hallowed silver chalice. At times a matter of controversy, it has become commonplace in recent years.

Penny Vinik, the then-wife of Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeffrey Vinik was on it in 2021. She did not make the cut in 2020 when the couple was going through divorce proceedings before reconciling and then finalizing a split years later.

Vincent Viola’s wife, Teresa, and the couple’s three children, John, Michael and Travis, are all on it twice from the Florida Panthers’ back-to-back championships in 2024 and ’25.

Tom Dundon, Veruschka Dundon, Caden Dundon, Dax Dundon, Drew Dundon, Blake Dundon and Tagan Dundon take up the first two lines. Player Joel Nystrom, who skated in 38 regular-season games for Carolina, was not among the 53 names added, along with other off-ice support staff.

Taking part in 41 regular-season games — half, which could become 42 as the NHL goes to an 84-game schedule — or dressing in one in the final guarantees inclusion. That explains why all three Hurricanes goaltenders, Brandon Bussi, Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, made it.

The winning team can also petition for exemptions. Nicolas Deslauriers, the enforcer who played in eight games after getting acquired ahead of the trade deadline counting the playoffs, got his name on that way this time.

The Hockey Hall of Fame said it is not directly involved with the engraving, just the care of the Cup. The Hurricanes declined comment through a team spokesperson.

In 1984, the Edmonton Oilers’ first of five titles in seven years included an engraving controversy. Owner Peter Pocklington had his father’s name put on, and it was later chiseled over with X’s because Basil Pocklington had nothing to do with the championship. Peter attributed it to a clerical mix-up.

Basil Pocklington is not the only name scratched out of the trophy. Brad Aldrich, a video coach for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010 when they won the first of three championships in six years, had his name covered in 2021 after it came to light that he sexually assaulted player Kyle Beach, the coverup of which triggered an independent investigation and a series of resignations.

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The Canadian Press contributed to this story.

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