Since 2018-19, the Carolina Hurricanes’ road jerseys had a diagonal “Canes” word mark on the front. Now six seasons later, the Hurricanes have changed it up and brought a twist to an iconic look from 2023. What are the biggest takeaways and initial thoughts from the new road uniforms from the Hurricanes?
New Road Threads
The Hurricanes, on their Twitter/X account, released a video unveiling their new road jerseys for the upcoming 2025-26 season, and it was a perfect nod to the Stadium Series atmosphere back in Feb. 2023. From the bright lights to the band to the iconic details, there was a clear path that the Hurricanes took to establish their new road identity. It’s a road twist on their 2023 Stadium Series, when they faced the Washington Capitals at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium, winning the game 4-1.
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Compared to the initial 2023 versions that were all black with red stripes and numbers on the black (black numbers on the sleeves), the road versions are somewhat the same, but with some minor tweaks. The North Carolina flag on the left shoulder is now red and black instead of an all-blackout look. Instead of the Stadium Series patch on the right shoulder, it is the iconic “Strutting Stormy” that fans loved.
When asked about the “Strutting Stormy”, Hurricanes President Doug Warf stated, “I also love ‘Strutting Stormy.’ I will be honest, before rejoining the team [in 2024], I was like most of our fans – constantly asking for this mark to be used more. It’s the perfect homage to our collegiate culture with a mark that is uniquely ours inside the NHL.”
The “Strutting Stormy” was an iconic logo from the event back in 2023, and it was a nice touch to bring it back. The previous road set was in effect for the last six seasons, just like the set before it, and there seemed to be a sense of change for the Hurricanes to go in a new direction. In the end, they did just that.
“We all enjoyed our previous road uniform set, but felt this was a great season for a change,” said Warf. “This is the fourth major redesign to the road jersey in team history, with the two previous sets each lasting six years [as well].” It makes sense to go with a new look, especially if the team has done it previously in six-year increments. It’ll be interesting to see how the fanbase will react to the new road uniforms. The original versions were a huge hit, and it seems like the Hurricanes want to embrace that for more than a one-off event.
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The Hurricanes will continue with the red helmets, gloves, and pants they’ve been wearing for the last few seasons. Obviously, the main difference is the design of the jersey, fonts, and logo compared to the previous set. Either way, it’s a fresh look that encapsulates the new direction the team has taken since Tom Dundon took over. From the seven consecutive playoff appearances and first-round wins to three Eastern Conference Final runs and the Stadium Series, this has been a different era of Hurricanes hockey.
While we are still 36 days away from the start of the 2025-26 season, there is much excitement ahead for the Caniacs. After signing Nikolaj Ehlers and acquiring K’Andre Miller, there are some new jerseys to buy to add to their collections. If there was a time to get excited for a Hurricanes season, it’s the 2025-26 season, which is the 20th anniversary of the team winning the Stanley Cup back in 2005-26. Plus, the work that general manager Eric Tulsky and the staff have put into forming the roster, recent stadium renovations, and now new road jerseys. There is a lot to like regarding the Hurricanes.
