2006 Stanley Cup Final

Paths to the Finals

The Carolina Hurricanes entered the 2006 playoffs as the Southeast Division champions and the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Their playoff journey began with a six-game victory over the seventh-seeded Montreal Canadiens in the first round. They then dispatched the third-seeded New Jersey Devils in five games during the second round. The Eastern Conference Final proved to be a tough seven-game battle against the fourth-seeded Buffalo Sabres, which the Hurricanes won to advance to their second Stanley Cup Final in five years.

The Edmonton Oilers' path was a historic underdog story, as they qualified as the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference. They immediately shocked the hockey world by upsetting the Presidents' Trophy-winning Detroit Red Wings in six games in the first round. Trailing two games to none in the second round, they rallied to defeat the fifth-seeded San Jose Sharks in six games. The Oilers then secured their return to the Final for the first time since 1990 by beating the sixth-seeded Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in five games in the Western Conference Final. This made the Oilers the first eighth seed in NHL history to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

Series Context and Notable Facts

The 2006 Final was notable for several historical firsts and unique circumstances. It was the first championship series since the 2004-05 NHL lockout, and it featured the first ever Finals matchup between two teams that had both missed the playoffs in the previous completed season. It also marked the first time two former World Hockey Association franchises, which merged with the NHL in 1979, faced each other for the Stanley Cup. Due to a new scheduling format, the Hurricanes and Oilers had not met during the regular season. Carolina head coach Peter Laviolette joined a rare group by coaching in both the Stanley Cup Final and the Olympic Games in the same year, having led the United States team at the Torino Olympics.

These were the first ever finals contested by two teams that had both missed the playoffs the previous season. It was also to be the first finals contested by teams that would both go on to miss the following year's playoffs. Prior to these Finals, only the 1938-39 Chicago Blackhawks had ever missed the playoffs one year, then played in the Stanley Cup Final the following season, and then missed the playoffs again the season after that. Both the Hurricanes and Oilers have now accomplished this dubious feat. The Oilers entered the playoffs as the 8th seed in the Western Conference. This feat would also be accomplished by the Los Angeles Kings in 2012, the Nashville Predators in 2017, and the Florida Panthers in 2023.

The Series

The series opened with a stunning comeback in Game 1 in Raleigh. The Edmonton Oilers built a 3-0 lead, but the Carolina Hurricanes stormed back to tie the biggest comeback in Finals history, winning 5-4. The victory was marred for Edmonton by a series-ending knee injury to starting goaltender Dwayne Roloson late in the third period. Backup Jussi Markkanen started Game 2, but the Hurricanes dominated with a 5-0 shutout. Edmonton bounced back in Game 3 at home, with Ryan Smyth scoring the winner with just over two minutes left for a 2-1 victory.

Carolina regained control of the series with a 2-1 win in Game 4, capitalizing on a struggling Edmonton power play that failed on five chances. Back in Raleigh for Game 5 with a chance to clinch, the Hurricanes saw a 3-2 third-period lead vanish when the game went to overtime. In the extra period, Fernando Pisani scored a historic short-handed goal to give Edmonton a 4-3 win and extend the series. The Oilers carried that momentum into Game 6 in Edmonton, delivering a commanding 4-0 shutout to force a decisive seventh game.

The series returned to Raleigh for Game 7. The Hurricanes built a 2-0 lead through defencemen Aaron Ward and Frantisek Kaberle. Pisani scored early in the third period to cut the lead to 2-1, setting up a tense finish. With the Oilers' net empty in the final minute, Justin Williams sealed the 3-1 victory and the Stanley Cup for Carolina with an empty-net goal. This concluded a back-and-forth series filled with dramatic turns and historic individual performances.

Championship Achievements and Records

Carolina goaltender Cam Ward, a rookie, was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. He became the first rookie goaltender to win the Stanley Cup since Patrick Roy in 1986 and the first rookie to win the Conn Smythe since Ron Hextall in 1987. At 21 years and eight months old, Hurricanes centre Eric Staal became the youngest player to lead the playoffs in scoring since Gordie Howe in 1949. Peter Laviolette became the second American-born head coach to win the Stanley Cup, adding to the unique accomplishments of the championship team.

The victory ended an 18-year personal drought for defenceman Glen Wesley, who had played nearly 1,500 regular season and playoff games before winning, the longest such wait in NHL history. Wesley was the last remaining player from the franchise's days as the Hartford Whalers. Veteran forwards Rod Brind'Amour, Doug Weight, and Ray Whitney also won their first Cups, while Cory Stillman earned a title for the second straight season with a different team. The Hurricanes became the third former WHA franchise to win the Stanley Cup, following the Edmonton Oilers and the Quebec Nordiques, who won as the Colorado Avalanche.

This was the first professional sports championship won by a team from North Carolina. Until the Hurricanes' second Stanley Cup win in 2026, this was also the only Big 4 championship by an active North Carolina, based team in any of the four major league sports. The Hurricanes made it to the 2002 Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Detroit Red Wings in five games. This was Carolina's last Stanley Cup championship until 2026.

Stanley Cup Engraving and Rosters

The Stanley Cup was presented to Hurricanes captain Rod Brind'Amour by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman after Game 7. The engraving of the Hurricanes' roster included several notable exemptions and one error. Defencemen Anton Babchuk and Andrew Hutchinson, who did not automatically qualify by playing in the Finals, were added after a team request. Eric Staal's name was initially misspelled as 'ERIC STAAAL' but was later corrected by the engraver, Louise St. Jacques. Frantisek Kaberle became the first player to win an Olympic bronze medal and the Stanley Cup in the same year, having done so with the Czech Republic.

Nine players remained from the Carolina team that lost the 2002 Final to Detroit. The ring covering champions from 1940-41 to 1952-53 was retired to make room for the new champions, and the phrase '2004-05 season not played' was engraved due to the lockout. Several players and medical staff who were on the roster but did not qualify for engraving still received championship rings, participating in the team's celebration. This included players like Keith Aucoin and medical professionals such as head physician Dr. Douglas Martini.

Broadcast and Viewership

The 2006 Stanley Cup Final marked a shift in American television coverage, becoming the first Final broadcast on NBC and the OLN cable network, which later became Versus and then NBC Sports Network. Games one and two aired on OLN, with the remainder of the series on NBC. NBC's broadcast of the decisive Game 7 drew a 3.3 rating, which represented a 21 percent drop from ABC's rating for Game 7 in 2004. Some NBC affiliates did not air the game live, which affected the overall audience numbers for the network's coverage of the championship.

Overall, NBC averaged a 2.3 rating for its five telecasts, down 12 percent from ABC's 2004 average. In Canada, the CBC's broadcast of Game 7, including pre-game and post-game coverage, attracted 4.739 million viewers. The game itself drew an audience of 5.553 million viewers, underscoring the significant national interest in the series, which featured a Canadian team from Edmonton. These figures highlighted the enduring popularity of the Stanley Cup Final in Canada despite the lockout that preceded the season.

Historical Significance and Aftermath

The 2006 Final was a landmark event for the Carolina Hurricanes franchise and its region. It cemented the team's place in the league and provided a lasting memory for its fan base, which would wait two decades for another championship. For the Edmonton Oilers, the series represented a thrilling but ultimately unsuccessful return to the championship stage after a long absence, highlighting the difficulty of a Cinderella run from the eighth seed. The Oilers' Game 6 victory turned out to be the final playoff game at Rexall Place, as the team did not return to the postseason until 2017, by which time they had moved to Rogers Place.

The 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs marked the second time in a row that an Alberta-based team had made it to the finals only to lose in seven games to the Southeast Division champions, as the Calgary Flames were defeated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2004 Stanley Cup Final. The Hurricanes returned to the RBC Center defeating the Oilers in Game 7, 3-1, to win the Stanley Cup. The Hurricanes were the last team to win Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final at home until the Florida Panthers did so in 2024, coincidentally against the Oilers as well. The Oilers were not able to complete their Cinderella run, having entered the playoffs seeded eighth, denying General Manager Kevin Lowe and Head Coach Craig MacTavish from joining Lester Patrick and Frank Boucher as the only duos to win the Stanley Cup together as players and then as a coach-managerial team.

Questions about 2006 Stanley Cup Final

Who won the 2006 Stanley Cup Final?

The Carolina Hurricanes won the 2006 Stanley Cup Final, defeating the Edmonton Oilers four games to three in the best-of-seven series. The Hurricanes secured the championship with a 3-1 victory in Game 7 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. This was the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship since entering the NHL. The win gave the state of North Carolina its first major professional sports championship.

Why was the 2006 Stanley Cup Final significant?

The 2006 Final was significant as it was the first Stanley Cup playoffs and championship series after the 2004-05 NHL lockout. It featured the Edmonton Oilers making history as the first eighth seed to ever reach the Final. It was also the first Final contested between two former World Hockey Association teams. The Carolina Hurricanes' victory provided the first major professional sports title for the state of North Carolina.

What was a key moment in the series?

A major moment occurred in Game 1 when Edmonton Oilers starting goaltender Dwayne Roloson suffered a series-ending knee injury in a collision late in the third period. The Oilers, who held a 3-0 lead earlier in the game, lost 5-4. Backup Jussi Markkanen was forced into action for the remainder of the series. This injury dramatically altered Edmonton's goaltending and is often cited as a major turning point in the series.

What records were set in the 2006 Final?

Several records were set or matched during the 2006 Final. The Edmonton Oilers became the first eighth seed in NHL history to reach the Stanley Cup Final. In Game 1, the Carolina Hurricanes tied the record for the biggest comeback in Finals history by overcoming a three-goal deficit. In Game 5, Edmonton's Fernando Pisani scored the first short-handed overtime goal in Stanley Cup Final history.

How many games did it take for the Carolina Hurricanes to win the 2006 Stanley Cup Final?

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven games to win the 2006 Stanley Cup Final. The series concluded with a 3-1 victory for the Hurricanes in Game 7 at the RBC Center. This win secured the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship. It was a hard fought series that went the full distance.

Which goaltender was injured in Game 1 of the 2006 Stanley Cup Final?

Edmonton Oilers starting goaltender Dwayne Roloson suffered a series ending knee injury late in the third period of Game 1. The injury occurred during a collision and forced him to leave the game. He was replaced by backup Ty Conklin for the remainder of that contest. Roloson did not play again in the series, with Jussi Markkanen taking over as the starter.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-21.