Former NHLer among new members of Hurricanes ownership group

Just over a week after news surfaced that Carolina Hurricanes majority owner Tom Dundon was selling a 12.5% stake in the team at a valuation of $2.66 billion, the Hurricanes have announced the identities of their new partial owners.

Joining investors Brett Jefferson and Marc Grandisson, who come from more traditional financial backgrounds, is former NHL forward Bobby Farnham, who appeared in 67 NHL games during a career that spanned from 2014 to 2017 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens.

“Brett, Marc and Bobby are accomplished business executives whose experiences and knowledge will help us continue to grow our team’s success and impact in the Triangle,” Dundon said via the team’s press release. “Brett lives in the Triangle and Marc will soon relocate to Raleigh, so their influence will be locally-based. As a former NHL player, Bobby is uniquely positioned to help our ownership group as we move forward.”

Farnham, who attended Harvard Business School after he retired from the NHL before co-founding the investment firm Fourth Line Capital, tallied eight goals and two assists for 10 career points in his 67 appearances. He played three games for the Stanley Cup champion 2015-2016 Penguins before moving on to New Jersey later that season.

Grandisson is a native of Chicoutimi, Quebec with a background in the insurance industry and a resumé that includes a stint at Berkshire Hathaway, while Jefferson is the Founder of Hildene Capital Management. He is also currently a Hurricanes season ticket holder.

Dundon purchased a controlling stake in the Hurricanes from Peter Karmanos Jr. in 2018 for $420 million before assuming full ownership of the franchise in 2021.

At the time Dundon purchased Carolina from Karmanos Jr, the team was in the midst of the longest playoff drought in the NHL. The Hurricanes have made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in every season since Dundon bought the team, and with a nine-point lead in the Metropolitan Division as of March 5, the Canes are a virtual lock to do so once again.