Stanley Cup Engraving Controversy
Carolina Hurricanes owner ignites Stanley Cup engraving debate by including entire family.
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Key Points
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The Stanley Cup engraving roster is capped at 55 names, and Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon used his place in the lineup to include his wife Veruschka and his five children—Caden, Dax, Drew, Blake, and Tagan—sparking criticism about family members being memorialized alongside players and staff.
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The engraving order places Dundon’s name first, followed immediately by his wife Veruschka, then his five children, illustrating a highly visible family block at the top of the trophy.
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Beyond hockey, Dundon’s broader ownership approach is noted in coverage of his NBA franchise, including having the nickname “El Cheapo” and making lower-cost coaching moves such as hiring Micah Nori at below-market rates after parting with interim coach Tiago Splitter.
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Rod Brind’Amour’s name appears on the Cup for a second time with the Hurricanes, adding to his earlier 2006 championship legacy.
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Captain Jordan Staal’s engraving on the Cup also marks a second appearance (he won with the Penguins in 2009), strengthening the roster’s veteran engraving track record.
Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon sparked a fierce debate after using his share of the Stanley Cup engraving to honor not just himself, but his wife Veruschka and five children — Caden, Dax, Drew, Blake, and Tagan — taking up the first two lines of the trophy, according to TSN. The move drew sharp criticism online, with many fans and commentators calling it an overreach of one of hockey's most sacred traditions.
The Cup has a hard cap of 55 names. That makes every spot precious. Dundon used seven of those spots on family members alone, leaving fewer openings for players and staff who won the championship on the ice, Daily Hive reported.
Dundon Family Fills the Top of the Trophy
The engraving order places Dundon's name first, then his wife, then all five children in a single visible block at the top of the Cup. QC News reported the Hurricanes released a new photo of the engraving showing the full 2025-2026 championship roster. The family block comes before any player, coach, or executive name appears.
Below Dundon's family, the list includes CEO Brian Fork, general manager Eric Tulsky, and head coach Rod Brind'Amour. Players follow after that. Critics pointed out that the owner's family section is larger than the space given to any individual department of the team that actually won the games.
Historical Precedents Exist But Remain Controversial
Family inclusions on the Cup are not entirely new. The Detroit Red Wings' late owner Mike Ilitch had family names engraved during his tenure. But Daily Mail noted that past family inclusions were typically tied to relatives who held defined roles within the franchise, not simply as family members of the owner.
The Hockey Hall of Fame told CKPG Today it is not directly involved in the engraving process. That means the team controls who gets included. With no formal rules beyond the 55-name cap, owners have broad discretion — which is exactly what critics say is the problem here.
Veterans Staal and Brind'Amour Add Repeat Engraving Milestones
Amid the controversy, the engraving also captures real hockey history. Captain Jordan Staal appears on the Cup for the second time. He first won with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009. Head coach Rod Brind'Amour also earns his second Cup engraving, having first appeared on the 2006 Hurricanes championship trophy as a player.
TSN noted that these repeat appearances add lasting weight to the Hurricanes' 2025-2026 roster. Still, the overall conversation has been dominated by the ownership debate rather than these on-ice milestones — a sign of how deeply the engraving decision landed with hockey fans.
Dundon's Ownership Style Faces Broader Scrutiny
The Cup controversy is not Dundon's first brush with criticism as an owner. In his NBA role, he earned the nickname "El Cheapo" for cost-cutting moves, including hiring coach Micah Nori at below-market rates. Daily Hive noted that critics see the engraving decision as part of a broader pattern of putting personal interests ahead of tradition.
Defenders of Dundon argue that owners have always had latitude on Cup engravings and that celebrating family is a personal choice. But with 55 names as a hard ceiling, every family slot is one fewer honor for a player, coach, or staff member who helped bring the Cup to Carolina.
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