Three Former Spitfires Win 2026 Stanley Cup Title with Carolina Hurricanes
OHL Windsor Spitfires

Three Former Spitfires Win 2026 Stanley Cup Title with Carolina Hurricanes

Published on June 15, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Windsor Spitfires News Release


The Carolina Hurricanes are Stanley Cup Champions for the second time in franchise history, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6 on Sunday night to claim hockey's ultimate prize in six games.

Four former Ontario Hockey League players are part of the Stanley Cup-winning roster, while several more members of the Hurricanes' coaching and hockey operations staff have strong ties to the league.

Carolina entered the Stanley Cup Final seeking its first championship since 2006 and completed the task behind key contributions from OHL graduates Taylor Hall (Windsor Spitfires), Jalen Chatfield (Windsor Spitfires) and Tim Gleason (Windsor Spitfires) as Assistant Coach.

Hall opened the scoring in Game 6, continuing a strong postseason that saw the former OHL and NHL first overall pick play a leading role in Carolina's championship run. The Windsor graduate previously won back-to-back Memorial Cup titles and OHL championships with the Spitfires in 2009 and 2010, and now adds a Stanley Cup championship to his decorated resume.

Chatfield's championship run adds another chapter to one of hockey's great development stories. Undrafted to both the OHL and NHL, the former Windsor Spitfire Memorial Cup champion established himself as an important piece of Carolina's blue line, logging significant minutes throughout the postseason.

The Hurricanes' championship team was guided by several staff members with OHL roots. Assistant coach Jeff Daniels played four seasons with the Oshawa Generals from 1984-88, while assistant coach Tim Gleason starred with the Windsor Spitfires from 1999-2003.

Carolina's hockey operations department also features numerous OHL connections, including amateur scout Don Elland, who served with the Plymouth Whalers from 2010-15, amateur scout Ian Meagher, whose OHL experience includes roles with the Barrie Colts, Saginaw Spirit, and Hamilton Bulldogs, and director of professional scouting Mark Craig, a former head coach of the Windsor Spitfires and general manager of the Plymouth Whalers.

The Hurricanes finished the regular season among the NHL's top contenders before advancing through four playoff rounds to claim the Stanley Cup.

OHL Alumni crowned 2026 Stanley Cup Champions with the Carolina Hurricanes:

Forwards:

Jordan Staal (Peterborough Petes, 2003-06)

Taylor Hall (Windsor Spitfires, 2007-10)

Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts, 2017-18)

Defencemen:

Jalen Chatfield (Windsor Spitfires, 2014-18)

Hockey Ops./Front Office:

Assistant Coach - Jeff Daniels (Oshawa Generals, 1984-88)

Assistant Coach - Tim Gleason (Windsor Spitfires, 1999-2003)

Goaltending Coach - Paul Schonfelder (Ottawa 67's, 1999-2000; Goaltending Coach, 2014-17)

Amateur Scout - Don Elland (Plymouth Whalers, 2010-15)

Amateur Scout - Ian Meagher (Barrie Colts, Saginaw Spirit, Hamilton Bulldogs, 2011-22)

Director of Professional Scouting - Mark Craig (Windsor Spitfires, Plymouth Whalers)

Check out the Windsor Spitfires Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from June 15, 2026


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