Hurricanes Strike Gold with Viral “Beer Skate” as NHL Playoff Hype Explodes
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Buying beer at a professional sporting event is expensive, so you may as well pay a little extra if you can get a souvenir to boot. That's the idea behind the Carolina Hurricanes' new "beer skate," which they debuted over the weekend and has been going viral. Just in time for their second-round series with the Philadelphia Flyers, who they crushed 3-0 in their series opener.
If you're thinking the beer skate is just a gimmick that would never land with fans, think again.
According to a post by the Hurricanes' Twitter account, the skates were a huge hit and sold out within minutes of being available to the public.
Can confirm Beer Skates were a hit pic.twitter.com/DkPdyygWbn
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) May 3, 2026
An impressive 4,687 beer skates were sold on May 2, which amounts to one out of every four fans getting their hands on a highly coveted novelty cup.
Price Point: May 2nd vs Now
Concession stands were selling empty skate cups for $19 on Saturday night, but if you wanted one filled with ice-cold beer, you could get your hands on a 28-ounce beer skate for $31. For the sweet-toothed fan, you could also get a skate filled with candy for $22.
Fast forward just 48-hours, and those same skate cups are selling for hundreds of dollars on eBay.
Dozens of eBay listings have since come online with bids closing in on $200.
Buffalo Sabres or Carolina Skates... and a Playoff Preview?
The Bussin' With The Boys Instagram post asked the question, "Which is cooler, the Carolina Hurricanes beer skate or the Buffalo Sabers beer sword?" which sparked a heated debate.
The post drew over 1,700 likes and 65 (and counting) comments as fans debated their favorites. It looks like the majority prefer the saber, but there were still some die-hard defenders of the skate. In either case, both Buffalo and Carolina look to have created something special that fans clearly appreciate.
There's also a good chance that these two teams will meet in the Eastern Conference Finals, taking the skate vs. saber debate to a new level.
Positive Reaction from Canes Players
With the success the Hurricanes have seen since the skate's debut, it's no wonder that the players love it. Jackson Blake said it "looks awesome" and called it a "pretty cool souvenir," and rumor has it that the Hurricanes' captain Jordan Staal is looking to get his hands on one.
It's been 20 years since the Hurricanes beat the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 to win their first and only Stanley Cup in franchise history. Perhaps this new skate cup is a good omen that will help Staal and the top-seeded Canes secure their second Cup.
Should the Carolina Hurricanes make a deep run or even win it all, expect cards featuring key players like Jordan Staal and Sebastian Aho to shoot up in value. So far, no Staal or Aho card has topped $4,000, but all of that could change quickly.
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Conor is a life long sports card enthusiast who started collecting in the early ’90s, inspired by hometown heroes like Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, Tom Brady, and David Ortiz. Like many ’90s hoops fans, he also started building (and continues to build) a modest Michael Jordan collection.