Hamilton the pig is back. Could he bring the Canes good luck in the playoffs?
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- Hamilton the 8-year-old Juliana pig made his first appearance since 2023.
- Hamilton attended three 2019 playoff games against Washington and the Canes won all three.
- Hamilton spent his hiatus roaming the yard at his Raleigh home.
The Carolina Hurricanes’ biggest animal fan — and perhaps the only pig — has made a return. Hamilton is back.
The 8-year-old pig, a Juliana breed, is famed among hockey fans for his iconic appearances at Canes games and the good luck he seems to bring. Hamilton attended his first Canes game in 2019 and quickly reached unofficial mascot status, although the team already has a porcine mascot named Stormy the Ice Hog.
To his fans’ surprise, Hamilton made his first appearance since 2023 at Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. The Canes won in a nail-biting overtime Eastern Conference finals thriller to move closer to winning the Stanley Cup. (They won again Wednesday and could clinch the series on Friday, sending them to the Stanley Cup Finals).
The Canes haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 2006. Kyle Eckenrode, Hamilton’s “pig dad,” said Hamilton may be able to help change that.
“Anything extra that a little pig in a wagon can do to help bring the enthusiasm to the fans (is) never going to hurt,” he said. “As long as people are still happy that he’s there and getting a kick out of it, we’ll probably continue taking him.”
Hamilton’s good luck
In 2019, Hamilton attended three games in the playoffs against the Washington Capitals. The Canes won them all. Even when Hamilton wasn’t at the game but was in the same city, the Canes reigned victorious.
“I took him out to tailgate and they won,” Eckenrode said. “And I was like ‘Well, I guess I have to take him back now. And then they won again, and then again and again, and again…”
The games Hamilton missed? The Canes faltered.
“We figured now would be a good time to bring him back out when we have the opportunity,” Eckenrode said.
Hamilton is escorted to games and tailgates by Eckenrode, his wife Karoline, or his friend Shawn Lorden in a red wagon. If his hairy brown and black spots aren’t enough to point him out, he’s usually adorned with a red and black Canes bandana. But hauling him around isn’t as easy as it used to be, Eckenrode said. He now weighs in at around 200 pounds.
When the Eckenrodes brought Hamilton to his first tailgate on a whim, a representative was pleased to see him and asked if they’d like to return to games frequently.
Eckenrode, a Raleigh native, has been a Canes fan since the team came to North Carolina in 1997, he said. So signing his pig to an NHL contract was a dream come true. Though the contract had no money attached — the family got game tickets — Eckenrode said that he and his family are being “paid in memories.”
The Canes have played two full seasons without Hamilton attending any games. But in the meantime, Hamilton was living his best porky life.
Hamilton has spent his days roaming around the yard at the Eckenrodes’ Raleigh home, eating fallen fruit from their trees or food scraps thrown out the kitchen window, and basking in the sunroom that he has all to himself. He’ll even indulge in some television from time to time.
Fans are happy that he’s returned from his hiatus, and they’re hoping he’ll bring the team some luck.
“The goat is back,” one commenter said on a post on Hamilton’s Instagram account. The pig has nearly 12,000 followers across Instagram and X.
Hamilton, who also goes by Hami, is a social pig, and draws attention from fans young and old, Eckenrode said.
“He’s done a really good job with connecting with the fans,” Eckenrode said.
He’d probably love each fan even more if they had his some of his favorite snacks, strawberries and carrots, in hand.
The family would love to bring Hamilton to more games this season, but balancing work, family and the pig’s public appearances can be time consuming, Eckenrode said.
The Eckenrodes are now a family of six, including Hamilton and their dog Remington. Kyle said that his 4-year-old daughter Parker, who recently attended her first Canes game, was shocked that everyone seemed to know who her pig was.
“They were all very excited to see him there,” Eckenrode said. “And then of course, winning with him there didn’t hurt at all.”
Fans should check Hamilton’s social media accounts to see if the pig will grace Canes fans with his presence at upcoming games. But until his next meet-and-greet, the Canes’ lucky, potbellied friend will be snacking in the sun.
This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 8:00 AM.
