Rod Brind'Amour's first words after winning the Stanley Cup

Rod Brind’Amour won his first Stanley Cup as a head coach on Sunday. His first words afterward were truly emotional.
“It means so much to see how happy they are,” he said about his players.

The Carolina Hurricanes are the 2026 Stanley Cup champions. They defeated the Vegas Golden Knights four games to two to capture their first Stanley Cup since 2006.

Rod Brind’Amour’s historic accomplishment

Back then, Rod Brind’Amour was the captain of the championship-winning team. Now, in his eighth season as head coach of the Hurricanes, he once again gets to hoist the Stanley Cup. With the victory, Brind’Amour became just the seventh person in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup with the same franchise as both a player and a head coach. The last person to accomplish the feat was Toe Blake with the Montreal Canadiens in 1956.

Emotional words

After the game, Brind’Amour shared some heartfelt words about winning another championship, dedicating the victory to his players.
“I don’t know what to say right now. I’m so happy for these guys. I really wanted it as a player, but I really wanted it for these guys as a coach. It just means so much to see how happy they are. I’m an old guy now, and I already had my one. Trust me, I’m glad we got another one, but this one is for these guys. It’s what it’s all about. This is a team. That’s the thing I love — it’s not about one player. Hockey is a team sport,” Brind’Amour said before returning to his team to continue the celebrations.