Mar 12, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour look son from behind players bench against the St. Louis Blues during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Mar 12, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour look son from behind players bench against the St. Louis Blues during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
As the Carolina Hurricanes lift their second Stanley Cup ever in 2026, their head coach added another feather to his already decorated hat. Rod Brind’Amour became the first coach in 70 years, since Toe Blake, to win a Stanley Cup both as a player and as a coach for the same franchise.
The Hurricanes added another championship to their books, alongside their 2006 Stanley Cup win. Brind’Amour has been at the helm for both wins. The head coach captained the Canes to a win over the Edmonton Oilers in a thrilling seven-game series in 2006. The Canes won 4-3 that year.
In 2026, Brind’Amour’s Canes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in a hard-fought finals series. The Golden Knights were able to win Games 1 and 3. But the Hurricanes came back with fury, sweeping Games 4, 5, and 6 to clinch the Championship on June 14, 2026. Front Office Sports posted about this achievement on the same day.
Prior to Brind’Amour coaching the Canes to their 2026 win, Toe Blake won the Stanley Cup as a player with the Montreal Canadiens in 1944 and 1946.
Blake went on to coach the Canadiens in 1955 and led them to five consecutive Stanley Cup titles from 1956 to 1960.
His ingenious playbook led to another three Montreal championships in 1965, 1966, and 1968. Blake ended his coaching career with eight coaching titles under his belt.
Since then, Brind’Amour is the very first coach to win a championship for the same franchise he won with as a player. He is also only the seventh ever to win the Stanley Cup with the same franchise as player and coach.
How Rod Brind’Amour Captained the Carolina Hurricanes to the 2006 Victory
Rod Brind’Amour’s 2006 campaign with the Canes led the franchise to its very first championship. The current HC played a total of 78 games in the 2005-06 regular season, bagging 31 goals and 37 assists, with a total of 70 points.
The left-handed Brind’Amour led the Canes from the front in the postseason as well.
Brind’Amour led Carolina past the Montreal Canadiens in a 4-2 victory in the Conference Quarterfinals. They performed even better in the Conference Semifinals, beating the New Jersey Devils 4-1.
After a close-fought Conference win against the Buffalo Sabres (4-3), Brind’Amour finally led the charge against the Edmonton Oilers.
The series was tied at 3-3 after Game 6, with both teams fighting hard to win the championship. The Hurricanes had grabbed an early two-game lead before the Oilers replied with a Game 3 win. Brind’Amour and the Canes won Game 4 to take a commanding 3-1 lead.
But the Oilers, captained by defenseman Jason Smith, brought it to a tie by winning Games 5 and 6.
Tuesday, June 20 saw the finals, where the Canes finally put the Oilers to rest in a 3-1 Game 7 victory to win the Stanley Cup.
Brind’Amour played 25 games that postseason, scoring 12 goals to go with six assists.
What do you think of Rod Brind’Amour and his career with the Carolina Hurricanes? Let us know in the comments.
