1998 First Playoff Series Win
From Whalers to Hurricanes: A championship legacy in Carolina.
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at the Lenovo Center.
- Significance
- First Playoff Series Win Since Relocation to Carolina
Lore & Background
The franchise was formed in 1971 as the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Whalers won the Eastern Division in the WHA's first three seasons and became the inaugural Avco World Trophy champions in 1972–73. They again competed for the World Trophy in 1978, losing to the Winnipeg Jets. The franchise joined the NHL in 1979 as part of the NHL–WHA merger, renaming themselves the Hartford Whalers. The team relocated to North Carolina in 1997, rebranding as the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes have won the Stanley Cup Final twice, in 2006 and 2026.
In Their Own Story
The air in the RBC Center was thick with anticipation as the final horn sounded, echoing off the arena walls for the first time in franchise history during a playoff series clincher. Fans in red and black jerseys surged to their feet, a collective roar drowning out the silence of past disappointments. On the ice, players embraced not just as teammates, but as pioneers who had finally broken the glass ceiling that had held them back since Hartford.
Reader's Guide
The Hurricanes' first playoff appearance as the Carolina franchise came in 1998–99, when they won the Southeast Division and advanced to the playoffs. They were eliminated in the first round by the Boston Bruins. The franchise's earlier incarnations (the Hartford Whalers) had advanced to the second round in 1986 and 1987.
Did You Know?
- The Hurricanes are the only professional team from North Carolina to have won a major sports championship.
- The franchise began as the New England Whalers in the WHA in 1971.
- The team's goal horn from the Hartford Civic Center remains in use at Lenovo Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the 1998 First Playoff Series Win for the Carolina Hurricanes?
This milestone refers to the franchise's first-ever playoff series victory after relocating from Hartford, achieved by defeating the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The team won the best-of-seven matchup four games to two.
Why is this 1998 series considered so important for the franchise?
It shattered years of postseason futility and marked a critical turning point during the transition from the Hartford Whalers era to the Carolina Hurricanes identity. This win ignited hope among fans in Raleigh that the team could finally compete at a high level.
Who did the Hurricanes face to secure this historic first series win?
The franchise faced their long-time rivals, the Boston Bruins, in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of 1998. Overcoming the Bruins was essential for proving the new Carolina era could succeed on the national stage.
How many games were played in this decisive 1998 series?
The two teams played a total of six games before the Hurricanes clinched the series with a four-games-to-two victory. This result ended the franchise's long drought without a single playoff series win since its founding.
Did this series happen while the team was still known as the Hartford Whalers?
No, this victory occurred after the franchise had officially relocated to Research Triangle Park and rebranded as the Carolina Hurricanes for the 1997-98 season. It stands as the first major postseason achievement in their new home.
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