The Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup run delivered a major economic boost to the Raleigh area, generating $13.4 million in total impact for Wake County.
The team, along with Visit Raleigh and the National Hockey League (NHL), released new figures tied to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, which marked the franchise’s first championship in 20 years.
Three sold-out home games at Lenovo Center, along with watch parties for away games, drew more than 112,000 fans combined.
Those events generated:
- $13.4 million in total economic impact
- $255,024 in tax revenue
- More than 6,700 hotel room-nights in Wake County
The watch parties allowed Caniacs to stay engaged while the team played on the road in Las Vegas.
“We are proud to be Stanley Cup Champions, but we are just as proud of the way this community has rallied around our team,” Brian Fork, CEO of the Carolina Hurricanes, said. “We’ve had sold out arenas for home and away games, packed watch parties throughout the state and had thousands of fans traveling to the Stanley Cup Final on the other side of the country. Our fans, partners and government leaders have shown the strength of this market and its passion for hockey and professional sports. We share this championship with all of them.”
Local leaders say the Stanley Cup Final will have a lasting impact on the region.
“The Stanley Cup Final will go down as one of the most unforgettable events in Raleigh’s history,” said Scott Dupree of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance. “It proved to be a massive economic engine for our region.”
Officials noted the economic impact could have been even higher if Raleigh had hosted a Game 7.
Fans traveled to Raleigh from all 50 states and two counties for the games, boosting hotel stays, restaurant traffic and national visibility in the area.
The momentum from the Canes’ championship run could continue to benefit Raleigh and Wake County for years to come, according to local leaders.
