The Stanley Cup Season: Media Memories

RALEIGH, N.C. - There were glamorous goals, superb saves, performances that stood out amid a special season, and moments that will stick with us for years to come.

The Carolina Hurricanes were the best of the best on the ice this season, and when the microphone was in front of them, they may have been the best there too.

Some moments made us laugh. Some moments had us on the verge of tears.

Here are some of the most memorable things said by players and coaches shared with the media this season.

January 10: Martinook's Way With Words

An early-January win over Seattle was a notch in the win column and maybe nothing else. Off the top of your head, can you remember who scored that game? Was there any stand-out event from the game?

Perhaps the lasting impression from that contest was post-game, when Jordan Martinook, ever the showman, got rolling.

Calling Jaccob Slavin "The General" and Seth Jarvis "the gasoline that makes our car go", the alternate captain had a laughable description for everyone.

February 5: Jarvis Gets Emotional Talking Team Canada

Although he'd helped his country to a gold medal at the inaugural 4 Nations Faceoff a year prior, Seth Jarvis was left off Hockey Canada's initial roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics. It stung on multiple levels. You felt for him, especially when you remembered that he'd been putting off major shoulder surgery to repair an injury that took place during the 2023-24 season just for this opportunity.

But on the afternoon of Carolina's final game before the break, and just one day before players were set to fly to Italy for the event, the phone rang for the fan favorite.

With Brayden Point unable to compete due to injury, Doug Armstrong and Canada's staff elected to go with the 2020 first-round pick, leading to a "dream come true" moment for Seth.

During the first intermission of the team's battle against the Rangers that night in New York, he spoke to the TV broadcast about it all, and it was easy to see just how much it all meant to him.

May 30: "Do What You Want... But Don't Touch It"

After the Carolina Hurricanes finally broke through the glass ceiling and ousted the Montreal Canadiens in five games during the Eastern Conference Final, as is tradition, all eyes were on the team to see if they'd buck the superstition of not touching the Prince of Wales Trophy.

Erring on the side of caution, the team decided not to.

NHL.com's Tom Gulitti asked Rod Brind'Amour post-game if he had any input on that decision, given that Brind'Amour had been in the position before as a player. Initially saying he had no input on it, the ultimately honest head coach then spilled the beans for a moment that made the entire media room burst out laughing.

As it turns out, it was the right call.

The Honorable Mentions...

• Rod Brind'Amour's “I Don’t Care Who Scored” on May 25 | WATCH
• Seth Jarvis Calling Jordan Staal "Old" on May 26 | WATCH
• Rod Brind'Amour's Nod To The Raleigh Community Following The ECF Win on May 29 | WATCH