Carolina Hurricanes Win Stanley Cup, Inspire Next Generation

The Carolina Hurricanes' Stanley Cup win is inspiring the next generation of hockey players. Monday was the first day of summer camp for the Queen City Royals, a youth travel hockey program based at the Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail. And with their favorite team now champions, the timing couldn’t have been better. Aiden Martin, an 11-year-old hockey player from Concord, says the win is very inspiring, and you just want to work harder to reach your goals. Martin's goal is to play in the NHL, just like the Hurricanes' star players. Mike Busto, the Royals' hockey director, expects the magical Hurricanes run will draw North Carolina families into the sport. Busto says there's enough interest in skating and hockey to support at least another couple of rinks in the Charlotte area. Hayes Phelan, a three-year-old taking skating lessons, loves the Hurricanes and the Checkers, and his mother Kameron Phelan says everything he wants to do at home is involved around hockey. Teigen Cain, a 9-year-old hockey player from York, says it's just a great team sport, you can get into all the action. The Hurricanes' win is also attracting new fans, including Phelan's husband, who recently joined an adult hockey league. So, the future of hockey in North Carolina looks bright, with the Carolina Hurricanes leading the way. The team's success is already having an impact, with more kids wanting to play hockey and more families attending games. Busto says he's heard a lot of people talking about the Canes at the gym or restaurants, and Martin says more of his classmates have become interested in hockey during the Hurricanes' playoff run.