Alves Carrying Canes' Equipment Torch

RALEIGH, N.C. - Equipment managers are the hardest-working men in hockey. It's a fact.

No one works the hours they do. From meticulously preparing the locker room hours before players arrive for morning skate to unloading the gear at 3 a.m. in a third road city in four days, it's a role that requires sacrifice and selflessness, atop unparalleled attention to detail.

It's not glamorous, and their work isn't always noticed by the eye of the casual fan, but it is one of the most important jobs in an organization.

Fortunately, even prior to the franchise's first season in the NHL in Hartford, the position has been in good hands. Between Skip Cunningham, Wally Tatomir, and Bob Gorman, only three men had served in the role from 1972 to 2025, carrying the Whalers from their WHA days all the way to the present times.

And after leading the charge for the last five years and amassing 37 seasons in total, Gorman has started the transition to the next chapter of his life.

The departure left sizeable shoes to fill, but some that Jorge Alves is ready to embrace.

On a day-to-day basis, Alves has been an irreplaceable part of the team for many years.

The now 47-year-old is known around the hockey world for his seven-second appearance in goal for the Canes on New Year's Eve 2016, but behind the scenes, there's much more to know.

Growing up in Massachusetts, Alves, the son of Portuguese immigrants, was led to North Carolina when he was stationed at Camp Lejune for four years while serving in the Marine Corps. Following those four years, he enrolled at North Carolina State University and got back into hockey, going on to be one of the best players in program history.

Playing with the Icepack from 2001-03, he was named ACCHL MVP, ACCHL Playoff MVP, ACCHL Goalie of the Year and NC State Team MVP in his final season. His #35 was retired by the club in 2023.

Spending the next few years suiting up for teams in the ECHL and Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), Alves joined the Hurricanes in 2005 as an Assistant Equipment Manager and has climbed the ladder over the last 20 years.

As reliable as they come, Alves has seemingly always been there when the organization is in need.

Skates to be sharpened? Jorge is on it.

Need an extra goalie at practice because someone needs a light day or the recall won't make it in time? Jorge can lace them up.

Want a helmet custom-designed for a gift or for a player just acquired by the organization? Jorge can do it.

"What he's meant to this organization, what he's done (is immeasurable). You know MacGyver? That's Jorge Alves," Rod Brind'Amour said. "Literally, anything you need done... (he can do it). 'Hey, something's not right with my car?' 'Okay, I got it.' Then he's got the equipment. Then you need a guy to go skate and be a goalie. He's maybe one of the most valuable guys around in this organization."

"Then, to boot, he's just an awesome guy," Brind'Amour continued. "I'm happy that he gets that bump. I've always thought of him as a head guy because he did so much for us. We lost Bobby (Gorman), and I hate to see that. We lost Skip (Cunningham) a couple of years ago. They're really special people. But when you have guys like Jorge replacing them, you don't miss a beat."

Alves' impact is not only noticed by the head coach, but also by the players whom he has taken great care of for many years.

"He's the epitome of what a Hurricane should be. He's hard-working, consistent, and cares. That's what you want in any person in this room, and he's a great example of that," Captain Jordan Staal preached. "He'll do anything for you with a smile on his face. He's always ready to work, always in a good mood, and just a good dude."

His role may just be one piece of the puzzle, but his can-do attitude is infectious.

"Jorge is the hardest working man in this organization, there's no question about it," Staal continued. "His character on a day-to-day basis is great, and he's always just good vibes."

But why?

Why did Alves work 20 years before getting an opportunity as the head equipment manager? Why does he continue to suit up in net when that falls very outside of the normal job description?

“It’s a passion. It’s funny to me when someone says ‘Your job.’ It’s my life. I don’t really look at it as a job," Alves started with a smile.

Good perspective.

"It’s something I didn’t really know about growing up or even in my younger adult years. I didn’t know anything about an equipment manager or what they did. It wasn’t until after I started skating with the guys and being around it that I learned that there’s a guy who takes care of you, and you have the equipment you need. There’s someone who makes sure you’re protected and safe. That’s interesting. That’s something that I might be interested in doing. To me, that doesn’t seem like work. That’s just my life and what I do.”

Admitting he was initially surprised when Gorman started his transition this summer, and he was subsequently offered the head role, the ensuing decision did not require much thought.

"(Becoming a head equipment manager) is something you shoot for. I don’t know if it was a single goal of mine to become a head equipment manager, but when you start working in this business, it becomes the top role, and you always want to succeed and get to the top, right?"

While Gorman still remains around the team, just operating in a little bit of a lesser role, the leadership responsibility is on Alves, who is leaning on his past experiences as he claims the helm.

"There are different aspects of the job and the position that I’m not used to or hadn’t done before, but at the same time, it’s like being in the military and when you’re leading other Marines. Now, in this role, I have other people to lead, and I have to look out for them," he said.

Always team first, whether that's the team on the ice or his team of equipment managers, which includes Nick Roy, Patrick Budds, C.J. Reif, and technically, Gorman, Alves doesn't take the responsibility of his position lightly. Ensuring that he and his group are capable of providing a service that allows the players to compete at the highest level is what it's all about.

"Those are the little things that, when we talk about self-gratification, are like, ‘Okay, I got the skate change done in time, he’s back out there and doing what he does best.’ There are little hidden gems throughout the day," Alves said. "Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of long days and a lot of hard work, and times where you’re like, ‘this is a tough one’, but those little victories outweigh those tough days. Those are what you look forward to.”

One task at a time, Alves plays his role.

“I’m not a player, and I’m not in the trenches with the guys during the game, but there is a layer of involvement. Someone comes off the ice, and they need their blade changed, or a repair on their equipment, we've got to be on it," he said with appreciation. "If someone needs a stick quickly, or their blades changed so they can be out there for their next shift, that's our job to do."