Ontario Cup Tour
The Stanley Cup trophy could visit various Ontario towns this summer, sparking local excitement.
The Carolina Hurricanes won the 2026 Stanley Cup on June 14, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6. Now, the trophy is heading north. Several Ontario towns are set to host the Cup this summer, as Canadian-born Hurricanes players bring hockey's biggest prize home, according to Durham Region.
Captain Jordan Staal won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP at age 37 — the oldest in NHL history, St. Catharines Standard reports. Staal and his teammates are expected to tour Ontario communities from Thunder Bay to Hamilton starting in July.
Which Ontario Towns Could See the Cup
Four Hurricanes players with Ontario roots are expected to bring the Cup home. Jordan Staal is set to take it to Thunder Bay, his birthplace. Defenceman Sean Walker hails from Keswick, and local officials in the Town of Georgina are already planning security for a public viewing, according to Durham Region.
Hamilton-born Mark Jankowski is expected to host a public appearance at FirstOntario Centre. Taylor Hall, who spends off-seasons in the Windsor area, could bring a major celebration to that community as well. The tradition gives each champion 24 hours alone with the Cup — a custom that began in 1995.
Jordan Staal's Historic Run Drives Ontario Pride
Staal captained Carolina through the playoffs at 37 years old. He spoke on the ice after winning, saying: "Taking this back home to the lake is what keeps us going through the grind." His Conn Smythe win made him a historic outlier. No NHL captain his age has matched his postseason performance, St. Catharines Standard reported.
Nine Canadian-born players are on the 2026 Hurricanes roster — 36% of the team. That heavy Canadian presence on a U.S.-based champion adds to the bittersweet feeling for Ontario fans. Canada has not won the Stanley Cup since 1993.
Small Towns Stand to Gain Millions From Cup Visit
A Stanley Cup visit is more than a photo opportunity. Small Ontario towns with populations between 20,000 and 100,000 people can see a 15% to 40% spike in hospitality revenue during a Cup appearance. In Thunder Bay, the mayor's office is already preparing for large crowds. A similar hockey celebration in Victoria brought in an estimated $4 million in economic activity.
For context, the 2025 playoffs in Edmonton generated an estimated $266.7 million in total economic impact. Even a fraction of that buzz landing in smaller Ontario communities would be a major boost. Local businesses, hotels, and restaurants are the biggest winners when the Cup comes to town.
The Cup Tour Tradition May Be Changing Soon
This summer's Ontario tour could look different in future years. Reports suggest the NHL may introduce new rules around the Cup's summer travel — possibly including carbon-offsetting rules or centralized "hub" celebrations to cut the trophy's massive travel footprint, according to Durham Region.
Canadian policy analysts have also used the tour to highlight a broader tension. Ontario fans cheer when the Cup comes home in a player's hands. But their local teams — the Leafs and Senators — have not won in decades. Ontario's top income tax rate sits at 53%, a figure critics say pushes elite hockey talent toward U.S. markets. For now, the Cup is coming. How it arrives in future summers is an open question.
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