by Anna Beth Adcock | Apr 3, 2024 | April 2024, Eat
Cane you dig in?
The Carolina Hurricanes are down bad with playoffs fever—and the odds are ever in our favor. Raleigh is already buzzing with excitement; so much so that even Gov. Roy Cooper is betting on the Canes victory—like, actually. The state official marked the arrival of legal sports betting in NC last month by wagering on the Canes to bring home the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup.
And straight from the depths of your fever dream as you look to live out all your Caniacs passions, now you can eat, sleep and breathe in the chaos via The Burnzie Bowl—aka wild and wonderful defenseman Brent Burns’ fire collab with Happy + Hale. Spoiler alert: It’s what victory tastes like. So, essentially, if you really wanna feel the burn and can’t spring for Playoffs tickets, now at least you can throw on your No. 8 jersey and fork into the hype. This is (hopefully) our year! happyandhale.com; nhl.com
You’ll definitely feel the ~burn~ via the fun, vibrant and wild Burnzie Bowl—on offer April 3 through June 30 at Happy + Hale—stacked with winning ingredients like BBQ steak, bacon, Brussels sprouts, onions, peppers, dill slaw, brown rice, arugula, scallions and chipotle BBQ sauce.
by Lauren Kruchten | Oct 30, 2023 | Buzz, November 2023
Both the Canes and PNC are shaking things up this hockey season.
True to their Bunch of Jerks nickname, the Carolina Hurricanes are poised to “cause chaos” this 2023–24 season—in the best way. The new tagline dropped ahead of the Canes’ first regular season game Oct. 11 and proved to be true following a 5–3 win over the Ottawa Senators. Not to mention our home hockey team is the consensus favorite to win the Stanley Cup among sportsbooks (!). Adding to the allure of the season are a bunch of updates at PNC Arena, including four new food and beverage concepts, three of which are local: The BBQ Lab (sections 105 and 120), Gonza Tacos y Tequila (section 112 stand and section 130 cart), The Optimist (section 105) and Chick-fil-A (section 120 and 325 carts). Needless to say, you’re gonna wanna Take Warning for one heck of a season. Go Canes!
by Anna Beth Adcock | Aug 29, 2023 | Buzz, September 2023
Raleigh through the eyes of a Hurricane
The Carolina Hurricanes are primed to blow through their schedule this year, thanks in part to Sebastian Aho. After spending the last seven years shredding the ice at PNC Arena in red and black, the 26-year-old Finnish hockey pro made his commitment to the Canes official with an eight-year, $78 million contract extension. Read: He’s locked in all the way to the 2031–32 season, so go ahead and buy that jersey (!). Ahead of what’s sure to be another exhilarating season for the Canes—and as our home team zones in on scoring the Stanley Cup—we tapped Aho for fun facts about the man behind the legendary No. 20. #CanesNation!
- 2 Age Aho donned his first pair of skates
- 3 Age Aho started kid’s hockey school
- July 26 Day it was announced Aho re-signed with the Canes… also his birthday!
- 36 Number of goals Aho scored in 2022–23 season
- 31 Number of assists from Aho in 2022–23 season
- ~9.75 million Average Aho will make per year after his contract extension
- Hockey hero My dad
- Pregame ritual A good nap, lots of pasta, pregame soccer and taping a stick
- Fave Raleigh restaurants Crawford and Son, Bida Manda, and Vivace
- Hobbies outside hockey? Golf, tennis and fishing
- What makes Canes fans the best in the league? They make a lot of noise in the building and offer continuous support on and off the ice.
- TV show select Ted Lasso
- Fave part about playing in PNC? Good loud crowd and it feels like home.
- Go-to NC destination Wilmington and Pinehurst
- Best advice Enjoy time while it lasts because it goes by so fast.
- Let’s talk Stanley Cup. Is this our year? Yes, it’s our year. It’s something I’ve been dreaming of forever. Being somewhat close to doing it makes it even more of an obsession to go and win that thing. It would mean a lot.
by Lauren Kruchten | Jun 29, 2023 | Buzz, July/August 2023
If there were ever a time to bet on the Canes—and PNC Arena—it’s now. Beyond making their fifth appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals and selling out 31 of 41 regular season games (ranking top five in league fan attendance), now the ink is dry on a bill legalizing sports betting in NC that changes everything—for the arena, and the district as a whole.
Especially because the Canes are here to stay. Post their Playoffs run, Canes President and GM Don Waddell announced a 20-year lease extension with PNC Arena in the works—signing as soon as late July to mid-August.
Once signed, the Centennial Authority board will approve selects from some 70 ideas on the table to reenergize the property, according to Jeff Merritt, executive director of the Centennial Authority. Not to mention Wake County is slated to distribute funds from the interlocal agreement this summer—which levies revenue from hotels and food/beverage taxes to support arts, culture, sports and convention facilities.
Add to that the legalization of sports betting—and “we will now have the opportunity to build a world-class sports-wagering facility to expand the entertainment options around PNC Arena,” Waddell said in a statement posted to the Canes’ Twitter account. “Our plans also include a restaurant and bar available to fans every day, helping to spur additional development in and around the arena district.”
Adds Merritt: “It will provide a revenue stream to the hockey team that doesn’t currently exist.” … And the timing could not be more perfect. Stay tuned.
by Anna Beth Adcock | Apr 25, 2023 | Buzz, May 2023
Take warning—see how you score on our quiz all about the Canes (!).
In honor of the Canes’ 25th year in NC—we sleuthed up some Qs all about our fave hockey team. Ready to rock this quiz like a Hurricane?!
1 “What’s in a name?” … And what was the Hurricanes’ initial name before blowing us away with its current moniker?
a. The Whalers
b. The Trailblazers
c. The Aviators
d. The Squirrels
2 Skating over to the rebrand—what year did the hockey team initially form before becoming the Carolina Hurricanes we know and love in ’97?
a. 1969
b. 1970
c. 1971
d. 1972
3 Believe in beginners’ luck? How about raw rookie skill? … Who was the first Canes player to earn the NHL Rookie of the Year award?
a. Alex Nedeljkovic
b. Jeff Skinner
c. Steve Yzerman
d. Andrei Svechnikov
4 Pucker up! What team did the Canes beat to earn their first Stanley Cup in 2006?
a. Edmonton Oilers
b. Boston Bruins
c. Pittsburgh Penguins
d. New York Islanders
5 There’s a Stormy brewing (!). Contrary to what you might assume, the Canes’ anthropomorphic mascot dubbed Stormy—is NOT a hurricane. Which animal is actually the team’s mascot?
a. Boar
b. Ice hog
c. Polar bear
d. Brown bear
6 Another mascot Q to add icing to the cake: What number does our marvelous mascot wear on his jersey?
a. 94
b. 95
c. 96
d. 97
7 Severe weather alert! What noisemaker sound does the team use to signify the puck drop each period?
a. Siren
b. Air horn
c. Cowbells
d. Fire alarm
8 “O Captain! My Captain!” Who was the first Canes team captain after the team’s rebrand?
a. Enrico Ciccone
b. Kevin Dineen
c. Kevin Brown
d. Kirk McLean
9 Put me in, coach! What was the name of the OG Canes coach who helmed the team through its first six seasons?
a. Peter Laviolette
b. Bill Peters
c. Kirk Muller
d. Paul Maurice
Answers: 1. A; 2. D; 3. B; 4. A; 5. B; 6. D; 7. A; 8. B; 9. D
