An alumnus of the BGSU hockey program, Sean Walker (17′), won the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina won the best-of-seven series in Game 6, winning their second-ever Stanley Cup.
Walker played in every game in Carolina’s run for the Stanley Cup, winning series against the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers, the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Finals and the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final. The ‘Canes lost just three games in the playoffs, one to Montreal and two to Vegas.
In the playoffs, he averaged over 22 minutes of ice time per game, taking a playoff-high 34:20 in Game 3 against Vegas. The defenseman scored three assists, 27 shots and skated a +11 rating in the 19 playoff games.
Walker scored 31 points on nine goals and 22 assists in the 2025-26 regular season, finishing with a career high in assists, points, even-strength goals, shots on goal, hits and time on ice. He and his normal defensive partner, K’Andre Miller, skated a combined average of 43 minutes per game, with their individual averages listing first and second, respectively.
The 31-year-old made his NHL debut in 2018 as a Los Angeles King. His NHL journey has taken him to Philadelphia and Colorado for short stints before his past two seasons with Carolina. He played 64 games in the AHL as an undrafted free agent in 2017-18, signed to the Ontario Reign of the Kings’ organization.
A native of Keswick, Ontario, Walker became a Falcon in the 2013-14 season, skating defense for Bowling Green and head coach Chris Bergeron. During his four seasons, he skated in 160 games, scored 22 career goals and 80 career points, was a two-time all-WCHA honor recipient and a two-year captain of the Orange and Brown.
As is NHL and Stanley Cup tradition, each player on the team who wins the final gains their name inscribed on the side. The last Falcon alumnus to earn his name on the cup as a player was Rob Blake when he won the Stanley Cup Playoffs with Colorado in 2001.
