Jun 14, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) raises the the Stanley Cup after the win against the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Jun 14, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) raises the the Stanley Cup after the win against the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
As the Carolina Hurricanes clinch victory at the 2026 Stanley Cup finals, their coach reveals a drill he incorporated without the players knowing its significance. Canes head coach Rod Brind’Amour had the roster perform his special “Blue Collar Presses”, without any idea what they were training for.
Canes' strength coach, Bill Burniston, spoke to the media about this practice, per an X post by B/R Open Ice on June 15. He stated that the roster was made to do a single press-up with a 35-pound cinderblock every day. Turns out, Brind’Amour and Burniston were training the boys to lift the heavy Stanley Cup!
“We call that our ‘Blue Collar Press’... basically, what we ask guys to do is do one press, and think about the blue collar moments that got them here, and somebody that’s helped you get here, " he said.
What Burniston means by “blue collar moments” is the difficult times that the players have faced in their journey to the very top of the NHL. Burniston drew on his own background to elaborate on this.
“I grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood. Maybe one of the most important blue-collar jobs is the mason. The mason builds the foundation of buildings, your homes, and what have you.”
The coaches had a clear idea of what they wanted: player intent. The coaches planted an idea. They wanted the Hurricanes roster to think about the fundamentals of their game and find the intent to win the Stanley Cup.
The regular lifting of the cinder block forced the players to take a second to focus on their fundamental principles.
The result was their lifting the Stanley Cup this season.
Hurricanes’ HC Coaching Style Draws on Personal Experience
Brind’Amour is no stranger to NHL locker-room culture; in fact, he’s been in the very thick of it. The Canes' head coach has played for 21 seasons in the NHL, from 1989 to 2010.
Brind’Amour captained the Hurricanes to the franchise's first-ever championship, as the left-handed center led from the front in 2006.
The 2005-06 regular season saw Brind’Amour play 78 games. He scored 31 goals and 37 assists, with a total of 70 points.
Having played for the Hurricanes for a decade (2000-2010), the HC is well-versed with what it takes to coach a team to victory. He has created a team spirit amongst his players and has promoted a winning culture in the locker room.
Brind’Amour has clearly been successful in riling up his players. His secret exercise and work ethic worked. The Canes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in a 4-2 series win on June 14, 2026.
Do you think the Blue Collar Press helped the Carolina Hurricanes win the 2026 Stanley Cup? Let us know in the comments.
