Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon has drawn significant criticism after choosing to engrave the names of his wife, Veruschka, and their five children—including a 7-year-old—on the Stanley Cup following the team’s 2026 NHL championship. Traditionally, while owners’ family members who hold formal roles within the organization often appear on the Cup, the Dundons do not hold any official positions, making their inclusion highly unusual. Their names occupy the first two lines of the engraving, taking up a substantial character count that contributed to the exclusion of some key personnel from the final list.

Due to a maximum of 55 names allowed on the Stanley Cup, the presence of the Dundon family led to the omission of notable figures such as longtime equipment manager Bobby Gorman, defenseman Joel Nystrom, and the team’s three minority owners. The NHL and the Hurricanes declined to comment on the engraving decisions, but voices from the hockey community, including TSN legal analyst Eric Macramalla, have condemned the move, emphasizing the Stanley Cup should primarily honor players and team staff rather than owners’ family members, especially children.

Stanley Cup engraving rules involve strict oversight to ensure players and essential team personnel meet specific criteria, like a minimum number of games played. While teams have discretion over including non-playing personnel, Dundon appears to have pushed these boundaries by including family members without organizational roles. Historical engraving controversies have occurred before, such as the erroneous inclusion of Basil Pocklington’s name on the Edmonton Oilers’ 1984 Cup and crossed-out names related to misconduct allegations involving the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks.

This incident adds to a series of controversies surrounding Dundon, who also owns the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers. In Portland, Dundon has faced backlash from fans and politicians for cost-cutting measures and disputes over funding renovations to the Moda Center arena. Despite criticism, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has publicly defended Dundon’s commitment to hockey, acknowledging his unconventional approach while affirming his value to the league.