Preserve the Integrity of the Stanley Cup -Remove the Names of the 6 Dundon Family Members
The Issue
Petition to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Carolina Hurricanes Owner Tom Dundon.
The Stanley Cup was first awarded in 1893. It is one of the most respected traditions in professional sports. Every name engraved on it becomes a permanent part of hockey history and represents a championship earned through dedication, sacrifice, and direct contribution to a winning team.
Following the Carolina Hurricanes' 2026 Stanley Cup championship, the reported decision to engrave six members of the Dundon family on the Stanley Cup including Mr. Dundon's wife and their five young children, none of whom hold official roles with the organization represents a significant departure from that longstanding tradition.
For 133 years, that honour has been reserved for those whose direct contributions helped win a championship: the players who competed, the coaches who prepared them, the management who built the team, and the trainers, equipment managers, medical personnel, scouts, and other staff whose work made that success possible.
Our concern extends far beyond the six names of the Dundon family. It is about the precedent this decision sets. If owners, executives, or others begin adding spouses, children, relatives, or friends to the Stanley Cup, future championships could follow the same path. The Cup has limited engraving space. Every honorary name added is one less place available for someone who earned that distinction through years of dedication and service to a championship team.
The privilege of having a name engraved on the Stanley Cup has always represented extraordinary commitment and sacrifice. Players endure injuries, relentless training, and years away from their families. Coaches, trainers, equipment managers, medical staff, scouts, and countless others devote their careers to helping a team become champions. These are the individuals the Stanley Cup has traditionally recognized.
Families also make tremendous sacrifices and deserve to be celebrated. Fortunately, there are many meaningful ways to honour them including championship rings, private celebrations and lifelong memories without altering one of hockey's most cherished traditions.
This petition is not directed against the Carolina Hurricanes or the Dundon family. Our request is simply that the Stanley Cup continue to honour those who earned that privilege through their direct contribution to winning a championship.
The Stanley Cup belongs not only to one team or one generation but to the entire hockey community. Preserving its traditions protects the meaning of every name already engraved on the Cup and every name that will be earned in the future.
The NHL should establish clear, transparent guidelines outlining who qualifies to have their name engraved on the Stanley Cup. The honour should remain focused on the players, coaches, and active members of the championship team. Non-active family members should not be eligible for this distinction.
We respectfully urge Commissioner Gary Bettman and Tom Dundon to reconsider this decision and preserve the integrity of the Stanley Cup for future generations of players, coaches, staff, and fans.
If you believe the Stanley Cup should remain reserved for those who directly contributed to winning a championship, please add your name to this petition. Together, we can help preserve one of the greatest traditions in all of sport.
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This petition isn't just about six names on the Stanley Cup.
It's about every player, every parent, every sibling, every coach, and every volunteer who has sacrificed to chase a dream.
It's for the families who woke up before dawn for 6:00 a.m. practices. The parents who spent weekends in freezing arenas, surviving on coffee and vending machine snacks. The brothers and sisters who missed family time because there was always another game, another tournament, another road trip.
It's for the moms and dads who worked overtime to afford a new stick, a pair of skates, or one more season. For the holidays celebrated on the road. For the birthdays that were missed. For the countless hours and sacrifices made in pursuit of the game.
The Stanley Cup has always represented those who earned it through their commitment, dedication, and contribution to a championship team. Preserving that tradition honours not only today's champions, but every hockey family that has sacrificed for generations, and every family that will do so in the future.
Most importantly, it helps preserve the limited space on the Stanley Cup for those who have truly earned the honour of having their names engraved forever.
689
The Issue
Petition to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Carolina Hurricanes Owner Tom Dundon.
The Stanley Cup was first awarded in 1893. It is one of the most respected traditions in professional sports. Every name engraved on it becomes a permanent part of hockey history and represents a championship earned through dedication, sacrifice, and direct contribution to a winning team.
Following the Carolina Hurricanes' 2026 Stanley Cup championship, the reported decision to engrave six members of the Dundon family on the Stanley Cup including Mr. Dundon's wife and their five young children, none of whom hold official roles with the organization represents a significant departure from that longstanding tradition.
For 133 years, that honour has been reserved for those whose direct contributions helped win a championship: the players who competed, the coaches who prepared them, the management who built the team, and the trainers, equipment managers, medical personnel, scouts, and other staff whose work made that success possible.
Our concern extends far beyond the six names of the Dundon family. It is about the precedent this decision sets. If owners, executives, or others begin adding spouses, children, relatives, or friends to the Stanley Cup, future championships could follow the same path. The Cup has limited engraving space. Every honorary name added is one less place available for someone who earned that distinction through years of dedication and service to a championship team.
The privilege of having a name engraved on the Stanley Cup has always represented extraordinary commitment and sacrifice. Players endure injuries, relentless training, and years away from their families. Coaches, trainers, equipment managers, medical staff, scouts, and countless others devote their careers to helping a team become champions. These are the individuals the Stanley Cup has traditionally recognized.
Families also make tremendous sacrifices and deserve to be celebrated. Fortunately, there are many meaningful ways to honour them including championship rings, private celebrations and lifelong memories without altering one of hockey's most cherished traditions.
This petition is not directed against the Carolina Hurricanes or the Dundon family. Our request is simply that the Stanley Cup continue to honour those who earned that privilege through their direct contribution to winning a championship.
The Stanley Cup belongs not only to one team or one generation but to the entire hockey community. Preserving its traditions protects the meaning of every name already engraved on the Cup and every name that will be earned in the future.
The NHL should establish clear, transparent guidelines outlining who qualifies to have their name engraved on the Stanley Cup. The honour should remain focused on the players, coaches, and active members of the championship team. Non-active family members should not be eligible for this distinction.
We respectfully urge Commissioner Gary Bettman and Tom Dundon to reconsider this decision and preserve the integrity of the Stanley Cup for future generations of players, coaches, staff, and fans.
If you believe the Stanley Cup should remain reserved for those who directly contributed to winning a championship, please add your name to this petition. Together, we can help preserve one of the greatest traditions in all of sport.
--- --- --- ---
This petition isn't just about six names on the Stanley Cup.
It's about every player, every parent, every sibling, every coach, and every volunteer who has sacrificed to chase a dream.
It's for the families who woke up before dawn for 6:00 a.m. practices. The parents who spent weekends in freezing arenas, surviving on coffee and vending machine snacks. The brothers and sisters who missed family time because there was always another game, another tournament, another road trip.
It's for the moms and dads who worked overtime to afford a new stick, a pair of skates, or one more season. For the holidays celebrated on the road. For the birthdays that were missed. For the countless hours and sacrifices made in pursuit of the game.
The Stanley Cup has always represented those who earned it through their commitment, dedication, and contribution to a championship team. Preserving that tradition honours not only today's champions, but every hockey family that has sacrificed for generations, and every family that will do so in the future.
Most importantly, it helps preserve the limited space on the Stanley Cup for those who have truly earned the honour of having their names engraved forever.
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Petition created on July 22, 2026