How the Hurricanes assembled a Stanley Cup champion: Lessons for the NHL’s other 31 teams

The Carolina Hurricanes won the 2025 Stanley Cup, becoming the latest champions to potentially inspire imitation across the NHL. Their success is built on a distinctive man-to-man defensive system, heavy investment in analytics led by general manager Eric Tulsky, and a roster built without a traditional superstar, top defenseman, or elite goaltender. The article examines whether rival franchises can realistically replicate Carolina's unconventional path to a championship.