RALEIGH, N.C. — After 20 years, it’s time to raise another Stanley Cup banner.

The Carolina Hurricanes will do that Sept. 29, hosting the Florida Panthers in a 5 p.m. game at Lenovo Center in the home opener of the 2026-27 season, the NHL announced Wednesday. The Canes’ full season schedule — this year expanded to 84 games — will be unveiled Thursday by the league.

The Hurricanes will have much to celebrate in their home opener. Their eighth straight trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs with Rod Brind’Amour as head coach ended June 14 in Las Vegas with the Canes and Brind’Amour lifting the Cup in triumph.

The Canes swept through the 2026 playoffs, losing just three games, before beating the Vegas Golden Knights in six games in the Cup Final. A sold-out crowd gathered at Lenovo Center to watch as Game 6 was being played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and thousands more gathered at watch parties in the NC Triangle.

Brind’Amour was the Hurricanes captain in 2006 when the franchise’s first Cup was won. The deciding game, a Game 7 thriller against the Edmonton Oilers, was played June 19 and the banner-raising held Oct. 4, 2006, in Carolina’s home opener against the Buffalo Sabres.

Three banners, in fact. In addition to the Stanley Cup banner, there also was one that celebrated winning the Southeast Division and another for the Eastern Conference title.

The festive affair, which had a 20-minute pregame ceremony, was attended by commissioner Gary Bettman, who drew cheers as did then-Carolina owner Peter Karmanos.

The only downer for the Hurricanes: the Sabres won the game on a Daniel Briere shootout goal.

Brind’Amour will be behind the bench on Sept. 29 as the Canes, who won the Metropolitan Division last season, begin the long road in pursuit of a third Cup championship. The home opener features the last three Stanley Cup winners as Florida won back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025 before missing the playoffs last season.

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