Hurricanes are a unique Stanley Cup champion with a style that is hard for rivals to replicate

Brady Tkachuk marvels at how the Carolina Hurricanes “give you no time and space.” He and the Ottawa Senators were swept by them last spring.

Jamie Drysdale called the 'Canes relentless, and teammate Trevor Zegras remembers wave after wave that “over a series, it wears you down.” The Philadelphia Flyers also got swept.

By the Eastern Conference Final, Cole Caufield figured, “They finally got to a point where they were kind of unbeatable.” He and the Montreal Canadiens won the series opener, then lost the next four.

Mitch Marner calls their style a “full-court press” where an opponent needs three good plays to get one good look at the goal. He and the Vegas Golden Knights led the Stanley Cup Final two games to one before losing three in a row and the series.

Carolina is the envy of the NHL after winning it all, but that does not mean other contenders can follow that blueprint. The NHL is a copycat league, but the Hurricanes play such a demanding brand of hockey under coach Rod Brind'Amour that it is nearly impossible to replicate without years of perfecting it and getting the mix of players just right.

“It takes time to get to that level,” said Tkachuk, who's now in place to challenge them with Cup-favorite Florida. “They play such a hard way and a tough way. ... You try different ways to beat them. But they’re just so good at what they do.”

Brind'Amour was a grind-it-out center during his two-decade playing career in the NHL, so it's no surprise a guy nicknamed “Rod the Bod” with a reputation for an intense workout regimen expects a lot from everyone he coaches. Predictability is at the center of Carolina making the playoffs in all eight of his seasons in charge.

“We really haven't changed much: little tweaks here and there," top defenseman Jaccob Slavin said. “It’s not a pretty game. It’s just pucks out of your zone into their zone, and it’s just high stress and high compete level.”

It works. Since Brind'Amour took over in 2018, no team has won more games than the Hurricanes.

“They just they have the right guys there,” said Tampa Bay's Jake Guentzel, who played 28 games with them after getting traded to Carolina at the deadline in 2024. “Rod sets the standard at a high level, and you’ve got to buy into the system.”

That means being aggressive and pursuing the puck all over the ice. The idea is to force mistakes and capitalize on them.

“It’s all about the pressure,” said Pavel Dorofeyev, who’s now with the New York Rangers after losing to Carolina in the final with Vegas. “You’re always under the pressure, no matter where you are at in the D-zone, neutral zone, O-zone."

Guentzel said he enjoyed playing for the Hurricanes, but it's not for everyone. Martin Necas got traded to Colorado in January 2025 despite producing at over a point-a-game clip, and the centerpiece of their return, Mikko Rantanen, was dealt to Dallas five weeks later when it was clear he did not want to sign long term.

Marner and others compare the Hurricanes’ style to that of the Panthers, who beat them in the East final in 2023 and ’25. In ’24, Carolina outshot the Rangers 223-156 in the second round but its goaltenders faltered and Igor Shesterkin shined.

One reason it's not easy to copy? Washington's Tom Wilson pointed out, “A lot of times it’s hard for Carolina to play that style.”

“Maybe against Florida the years prior, they play a team that may be a little bit healthier — (the Panthers) didn’t need to play quite that hard,” Wilson said. “You kind of live and die by the sword.”

The title run last spring showed what happens when everything from the net out comes together.

“They did it the right way,” Caufield said. “Obviously, nobody really plays like them, and I think anybody in the league will say that. But the way they do it, it’s detailed. It’s a certain way, and if they don’t do that the right way I don’t think it goes their way.”

With most of the core back, Carolina looks to be the class of the Metropolitan Division and right there with Florida and Tampa Bay at the top of the East. But the Hurricanes, replicating their own success is a challenge in itself.

“Their toughness is their pressure, their skating,” Wilson said. "But, like, will they be able to repeat it all year again and go into the playoffs and go on another run? Good for them if they can.”

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

This story has been updated to correct the game sequence in last year's Cup Final.

FILE - Carolina Hurricanes lead the crowd in a final storm surge with Jordan Staal (11) holding the Stanley Cup during Stanley Cup Celebration in Raleigh, N.C., June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker, File)

FILE - Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal celebrates after a win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

FILE - Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour, right, lifts the Stanley Cup after a win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward, File)

FILE - Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) lifts the Stanley Cup after a win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward, File)

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 21, 2026--

The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC), a leading global provider of solutions for the outdoor environment, today announced the election of David Huml, president and chief executive officer of Tennant Company (NYSE: TNC), to its Board of Directors, effective immediately.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260921669374/en/

“We are pleased to welcome Dave to The Toro Company’s Board of Directors,” said Richard Olson, chairman and chief executive officer of The Toro Company. “His broad leadership experience in global marketing, operations and product management, paired with his expertise in robotics and smart-connected technologies, will bring valuable perspective to our Board. We look forward to his contributions as we continue to advance our strategic vision and create long-term value for our customers and shareholders.”

Tennant is a global leader of solutions that helps create a cleaner, safer and healthier world. As president and chief executive officer, Huml also serves on its Board of Directors. Throughout his 12-year career at Tennant, he has served as chief operating officer, senior vice president for the APAC and EMEA businesses, and senior vice president of global marketing. Before joining Tennant, Huml held several executive leadership positions with Pentair plc, a leading manufacturer of water and fluid solutions, values and controls. Huml received a Bachelor of Arts in business management and marketing from Wittenberg University, and an MBA from the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management.

About The Toro Company

The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) is a leading global provider of solutions for the outdoor environment including turf and landscape maintenance, snow and ice management, underground construction, rental and specialty construction, and irrigation and outdoor lighting solutions. With net sales of $4.5 billion in fiscal 2025, The Toro Company’s global presence extends to more than 125 countries through a family of brands that includes Toro, Ditch Witch, Exmark, BOSS, Ventrac, Tornado, HammerHead, American Augers, Spartan, Subsite, Radius, Hayter, Perrot, Unique Lighting Systems, Irritrol, and Lawn-Boy. Through constant innovation and caring relationships built on trust and integrity, The Toro Company and its family of brands have built a legacy of excellence by helping customers work on golf courses, sports fields, construction sites, public green spaces, commercial and residential properties and agricultural operations. For more information, visit www.thetorocompany.com.

David Huml, president and CEO, Tennant Company