Deslauriers got 'chills' seeing name engraved on Stanley Cup

NORTH WILDWOOD, N.J. -- Nicolas Deslauriers believes he played a small role in the Carolina Hurricanes winning the Stanley Cup.

But one phone call from Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky told the 35-year-old forward just how much his contributions were appreciated.

Players have to play 41 regular-season games or one game in the Stanley Cup Final to earn the right to have their name engraved on the Cup.

Deslauriers played seven regular-season games for Carolina and one game during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, against the Ottawa Senators in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round.

However, there is a stipulation, added in 1994, that allows a team to petition the Commissioner for permission to have a players’ name put on the Stanley Cup.

The Hurricanes did just that, understanding that Deslauriers earned the honor of having his name alongside teammates such as Jordan Staal, Sebastian Aho and Jaccob Slavin.

"I got a call I think on the day before the (championship celebration) parade talking about what I did for the organization," Deslauriers said Friday. "It was a long, 15-minute talk with me and Tulsky, and then he said that they petitioned for my name and that it was actually not hard and asked me how I wanted to write it on.

"Still thinking about it gives me chills."

Deslauriers only joined the Hurricanes on March 6 after being acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. But all the things he brought both on and off the ice clearly resonated throughout the organization.

"Carolina was a place that just picked me up, and the amount of respect I had on and off the ice was just phenomenal," Deslauriers said. "Fit right in right away. I never had issues of fitting into a new team, but that was one of the easiest transitions I've ever made. Just thinking about all this run, I was only able to play one game, but when you get the staff and the owner talking to you about that game, Game 4 against Ottawa, it kind of makes you feel special."

Tulsky felt it was an easy decision.

"Nic was there in the room with the guys every single day from April to June," he said. "And regardless of how many games he played, he was part of the team."

Deslauriers said he approached each day with the Hurricanes the same way he had with any of the other five teams he's played with during his 13 NHL seasons.

"I think it's just the whole scenario of what I've done off the ice that they kind of caught on," he said. "Which I didn't change at all throughout my whole career. I just think that they had more of a specific knowing of what I've done. I didn't change who I am, I didn't change what style of player I am. I think that's one thing that they saw in me, which other organizations might have not seen as much."

Deslauriers got to see his name in person when he celebrated with the Stanley Cup here on Friday, starting at a home in the city he and his wife, Joanie, closed on June 30. 

North Wildwood became a favorite vacation spot for Deslauriers and his family during his four seasons with the Flyers.

"We started coming down here quite a bit with the kids (Payton, Madison, Jaxon, Colton), and got kind of really in love with it," he said. "Been looking for three years to buy a place, and ... was able to settle on the house two weeks after winning the Cup. Kind of made it a special place.

"Just great people around here. They always supported me, even if I wasn't playing or you know those things. It made it easy to kind of make that decision to come here."

After taking family photos at home and at the beach, Deslauriers and his family spent most of the day taking more photos with fans at Seaport Pier.

Among the more than 1,100 fans in attendance was North Wildwood Mayor Salvatore Zampirri, who read a proclamation declaring it Nicolas Deslauriers Day in the city.

"It's unbelievable," Zampirri said. "How many places got to have a chance to have Lord Stanley here in their hometown?"

The day also allowed Deslauriers to spend time taking in the enormity of having his name engraved on the Stanley Cup alongside his hockey heroes.

"It's surreal," he said. "The whole petition ... it's kind of a plus for the whole career, the way I worked and everything. And seeing it on it, I took some time this afternoon to kind of look at it when we did some family pictures, and now a lot of people here are asking me where it is. It's surreal, to be honest.

"It's just so special to have your name on it, and just looking at how many are there, it seems like a lot when you look at it, but there's a lot of NHL players that don't have the chance to have it, and I'm fortunate enough."

He feels fortunate, but those who spent time around Deslauriers know the honor is well-deserved.

"He was getting on," said Hurricanes special adviser to the GM Justin Williams, who spent time with Deslauriers on Friday. "There would have been a mutiny if we didn't let him on.

"When you see guys who you care about and who you just want to see win, and he's one of those guys, it's fulfilling."