​Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon has sparked controversy by having the names of his wife and five children engraved on the Stanley Cup. The children’s ages span from their early 20s down to a seven-year-old. Meanwhile, Equipment Manager Bobby Gorman, who has been with the franchise since its Hartford Whalers days, did not have his name engraved on the Cup, although his name did appear on the trophy in 2006. Joel Nystrom, who played 38 games for the team, also does not appear on the Cup.
Engraving rules for the Stanley Cup exist and are as follows: a player must have appeared in at least 41 regular-season games with the team, or play in one Stanley Cup Final game, to be eligible for engraving. A team can petition the NHL Commissioner for permission to include players who were unavailable to play due to extenuating circumstances. The decision over which managers and staff are engraved on the trophy is up to the team, within the overall limit. A maximum of 55 names may be engraved on a championship team’s Cup. All names submitted must be approved by both the NHL and the Hockey Hall of Fame. As long as a team stays within its engraving limit, includes all players who automatically qualify, and secures the necessary approvals, it retains substantial discretion over additional names. However, the League reserves the right to reject names; Commissioner Gary Bettman’s test is whether a request is reasonable and reflects the individual’s effort, contribution, and meaningful role in achieving the championship.
This is not the first time such engravings have sparked debate. There have been precedents with varying outcomes. In 2024 and 2025, Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola had the names of his wife, Teresa, and their sons engraved on the Cup, and the League accepted it. By contrast, in 1984, Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington had his father’s name, Basil Pocklington, engraved despite no official role with the team; the NHL later removed that name once discovered. There are also cases involving other owners who engraved family members; for example, Mike Ilitch of the Detroit Red Wings engraved several family members’ names on the Cup, including Christopher, Denise, Lisa, Carole, Michael, Atanas, and Ron, though all the children listed did work for the team.
Ultimately, the Stanley Cup is more than just a trophy. It is an enduring symbol of sacrifice, commitment, and achievement within the sport. The ongoing discussions about engraving reflect the tension between honoring personal or familial contributions and upholding the league’s principles, rules, and standards for recognizing those who truly earned a place on the Cup. The debates also underscore how fans and commentators interpret ownership choices and the meanings attached to the Cup’s legacy, especially when family ties intersect with professional success.