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The Carolina Hurricanes have found different ways to celebrate with the Stanley Cup the past two months — from a rock concert to Legoland, all along sharing it with family, friends and fans.
Canes defenseman Jaccob Slavin will have his turn this weekend in Raleigh, and he’s using his “Day with the Cup” to help raise funds, in part, for the Grayson Murray Foundation.
Murray, a Raleigh native, was a two-time winner on the PGA Tour. An ardent Hurricanes fan, he was chosen to sound the warning siren before an April 2024 home playoff game against the New York Islanders, and did it with gusto before a Canes win.
Murray died a month later, taking his own life one day after suddenly withdrawing from a tournament in Texas. He was 30.
The nonprofit Grayson Murray Foundation, which has support from the PGA Tour, was launched in January 2025 to raise greater awareness and support for mental health and addiction challenges while advancing and funding innovative research and services.
With Slavin’s backing, the foundation was able to auction off a “VIP experience” that gives the highest bidder the opportunity to meet Slavin and his family, and pose for photos with the Stanley Cup.
“Grayson was an awesome guy who loved Jesus, so to be able to help the organization as part of his legacy is something I wanted to do,” Slavin said Tuesday. “It will be a special time.
“Grayson was a big Caniac. I know he would have been so excited about us winning the Cup. I know he loved the Canes and loved hockey, and that it was a part of his story.”
Jeff Maness, the Grayson Murray Foundation president, said more than $1 million has been raised since its inception. That includes the $5,100 online auction bid to be a part of the Cup experience, a bid total that Maness said was then doubled by the winner’s company.
“Jaccob has some charities close to his heart, and the Grayson Murray Foundation was one of several he invited to come,” Maness said this week. “It’s great. You can do whatever you want (with the Cup) and he’s using it to raise funds.
“It speaks to his generosity. He’s such a strong Christian (and) it’s just the kind of thing he does. He lives up to what his words are.”
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Slavin had gotten to know Murray, who had struggled with alcoholism and depression for years, and exchanged texts with him. He was among those who spoke at Murray’s funeral on June 3, 2024, at Providence Church in Raleigh.
Despite the challenges he faced away from the golf course, Murray’s talent on it was undeniable. He won three times on the Korn Ferry Tour and made the Sony Open in Hawaii his second PGA Tour win in January 2024.
Murray’s death left many of his tour peers shaken, Peter Malnati fighting back tears in a CBS Sports interview as he said, “As much as we want to beat each other, as much as we want to be competitive, we’re really one big family. And we lost one and that’s terrible.”
Eric Murray, Grayson’s father, will be on hand for the Cup celebration this week, Maness said. Grayson’s mother, Terry, and sister, Erica, will be in Kansas City presenting the “Grayson Murray Be Kind to One Another Legacy Award” at the AdventHealth Championship, a Korn Ferry Tour event.
The award recognizes a Korn Ferry Tour player or caddie, and a local community member or organization that “embodies Murray’s belief in spreading kindness and supporting those experiencing mental health and addiction challenges.”
Maness said the plans are in place for the second annual Grayson Murray Classic, a one-day golf event on Oct. 12. A celebrity pro-am will be played at Wakefield and a gala held that night at North Ridge Country Club that will have an auction to raise foundation funds.
Maness said he expects a number of golfers with Hurricanes ties to participate, naming former forward Justin Williams and former goalie Cam Ward. He said former PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was committed to playing this year.
“The PGA Tour has never left the side of our group and has supported us in a number of ways,” Maness said.
Maness said Scottie Scheffler, the sport’s biggest star and the No. 1 player in the world, had offered to help by donating items to be auctioned off. Maness said other PGA Tour pros such as Rory McElroy, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler offered to do the same.
“Any time you can create more awareness about mental health, it’s important for everybody,” Slavin said. “It happens with professional athletes, happens with children. The more people can talk about it and shove it into the light, it’s big.”
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