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It’s been 20 years since the Carolina Hurricanes made a run like this toward the Stanley Cup, but the loyalty of one Greensboro fan never wavered. In fact, it grew stronger over those two decades.
Complete confidence in the Canes runs through the veins of superfan RJ Mehrer — and on his walls, couch and pretty much everywhere you look in his Cane's Room in Greensboro.
“This is the closest they’ve been in 20 years,” Mehrer said. “Carolina’s gonna win the Stanley Cup people… let’s go!”
Mehrer is also known as the Florida Caniac, as he played for the Florida Everblades, a former affiliate team of the Hurricanes.
A number of knee injuries led to Mehrer getting flown out for a game... but not just any game. It was that historic game 20 years ago when the Hurricanes took home the Stanley Cup.
“I’ve been loyal ever since,” Mehrer said. Since 2006, Mehrer has repped the Canes without shame, saying many people did not understand the loyalty.
RELATED: 'Think twice before you buy' | AG Jeff Jackson warns of fake ticket scams for Hurricanes Stanley Cup games
“A lot of people are looking at me like, ‘nobody cares about hockey in Greensboro’ and things like that,” Mehrer said. “Then, fast forward to October 2025, hey, the Greensboro Gargoyles are in town and all these Caniacs were coming out.”
Now, his love for the Canes is widely understood and growing every day.
“Now we see, not only the Triangle area, the Raleigh-Durham area blossoming, we’re seeing the Triad area blooming and blossoming all over the place with watch parties growing everywhere, with fans just kinda coming out of nowhere on Facebook and Instagram,” Mehrer said.
Not only does his Canes room hold pieces of memorabilia, it holds dear memories. He urged Canes fans to fight the good fight no matter what the scoreboard says.
“Never give up on this team,” Mehrer said. “Even if they’re down. As we’ve seen in these games so far in the Stanley Cup Final, they somehow just find a way in that third period to come back and nearly win it right then and there.”
RELATED: Golden Knights were the NHL's best 3rd-period team until 2 Hurricanes comebacks
Continue reading...
Complete confidence in the Canes runs through the veins of superfan RJ Mehrer — and on his walls, couch and pretty much everywhere you look in his Cane's Room in Greensboro.
“This is the closest they’ve been in 20 years,” Mehrer said. “Carolina’s gonna win the Stanley Cup people… let’s go!”
Mehrer is also known as the Florida Caniac, as he played for the Florida Everblades, a former affiliate team of the Hurricanes.
A number of knee injuries led to Mehrer getting flown out for a game... but not just any game. It was that historic game 20 years ago when the Hurricanes took home the Stanley Cup.
“I’ve been loyal ever since,” Mehrer said. Since 2006, Mehrer has repped the Canes without shame, saying many people did not understand the loyalty.
RELATED: 'Think twice before you buy' | AG Jeff Jackson warns of fake ticket scams for Hurricanes Stanley Cup games
“A lot of people are looking at me like, ‘nobody cares about hockey in Greensboro’ and things like that,” Mehrer said. “Then, fast forward to October 2025, hey, the Greensboro Gargoyles are in town and all these Caniacs were coming out.”
Now, his love for the Canes is widely understood and growing every day.
“Now we see, not only the Triangle area, the Raleigh-Durham area blossoming, we’re seeing the Triad area blooming and blossoming all over the place with watch parties growing everywhere, with fans just kinda coming out of nowhere on Facebook and Instagram,” Mehrer said.
Not only does his Canes room hold pieces of memorabilia, it holds dear memories. He urged Canes fans to fight the good fight no matter what the scoreboard says.
“Never give up on this team,” Mehrer said. “Even if they’re down. As we’ve seen in these games so far in the Stanley Cup Final, they somehow just find a way in that third period to come back and nearly win it right then and there.”
RELATED: Golden Knights were the NHL's best 3rd-period team until 2 Hurricanes comebacks
Continue reading...
