RALEIGH, N.C. — The temperature was pushing north of 90 degrees before the start of the Eastern Conference final, with humidity on the rise and a storm about to roll in.That didn’t stop Carolina Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky from putting on his blue wool suit and brown loafers to take part in his regular pregame routine: an hour-long walk through the tailgate party in the parking lot outside of Lenovo Arena.“Eric, can I get a selfie?” yelled one middle-aged man wearing a sleeveless Hurricanes jersey and drinking a Bud Light. “You’re the best.”Tulsky happily obliged for this photo and dozens more Thursday evening, in the leadup to the Hurricanes’ 6-2 loss against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1. He posed with a crank siren next to a makeshift karaoke setup alongside fans dressed in Hurricanes-themed Elvis jumpsuits. He then stood next to a Stanley Cup made of Coors Light cans for another photo with two younger fans, including one who had thoughts about rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin’s next contract.Other Caniacs asked Tulsky about whether their ticket prices were going up, and if the ongoing construction around the arena might take over their favorite tailgate spot, wedged between NC State’s football stadium and the Hurricanes’ arena.Several also wondered whether the suit-clad GM needed a bottle of water — or a beer — to cool down.“It’s not that bad,” Tulsky said, smiling.Tulsky started these tailgate walkthroughs last year, in his first season atop the Hurricanes’ front office, and initially they only took place within the arena concourse during intermission breaks. But beginning with the 2024-25 playoffs, he now ritually ventures outside, where he’s mostly been treated with southern hospitality.It’s fair to say that Tulsky, whose Hurricanes will look to rebound in Game 2 on Saturday night, is the only NHL team executive so readily accessible to fans, especially up close and personal. Part of the reason why stems from Raleigh’s continued status as a nontraditional market, even with the franchise approaching its 30th year in the Raleigh area. But Tulsky’s openness with the fan base also comes back to his own background as an outsider.Originally from Philadelphia, Tulsky first entered the hockey world as an analytics writer on fan blogs 15 years ago, earning a reputation for unique, insightful articles and interacting with his readers. As a Harvard graduate with a PhD in inorganic chemistry from UC Berkley, Tulsky had never contemplated working in an NHL front office, let alone becoming a visible face of a franchise the way he has in Carolina.But then, while writing raised his public profile, he began to pick up behind-the-scenes freelance work as an in-house analyst for NHL teams, first with the Nashville Predators and then the Hurricanes.Tulsky was eventually hired as the Hurricanes’ full-time director of analytics nine years ago before rising to assistant GM in January 2021 and then taking over the GM duties four years later. Along the way, Carolina has become one of the NHL’s top franchises, posting the fourth-best regular-season record since the 2017-18 season and making four trips to the conference finals.Today, Tulsky is a household name among hockey fans here, who love that he embraces their tailgate culture before every playoff game.“To me it just really blows my mind,” said Daniel Sbrocco, a season-ticket holder who was wearing a Hurricanes hat and T-shirt and taking part in the parking lot festivities with his wife, Tina. “He’s a super nice guy … He’s stopped and talked to us several times, and we have gotten pictures with him.”“We know we’re going to be in the playoffs every year because of Tulsky,” added Nile Roberts, a jumpsuit-clad fan from nearby Kenly, N.C.Tulsky said he views these fan interactions as an important part of his role, although he admits to still finding it a bit surreal that so many people want to talk to him or get a photo.He also acknowledges that his routine meet-and-greets likely work better here than in other markets, where the reaction might be more hostile. So far, that hasn’t been an issue in Raleigh, even though he makes his rounds without any staff or handlers accompanying him.“It’s easier (in) some places than others, probably,” Tulsky said. “Here we have a fan base that’s been very welcoming and supportive and makes it easy for me to spend time with them and showing my appreciation for their support.“It’s just a way to welcome the fans in, make sure everyone’s having a good time. People are excited to get the chance to talk. If I have the chance (to) help 100 or 200 people go home happy, like, why shouldn’t I do that?”Tulsky, shown here in March 2025, started mingling among fans before Hurricanes games last season. (Jaylynn Nash / Getty Images)Tulsky was one of the NHL’s first analytics-driven GM hires two years ago, and at the time, many league observers suggested that he might struggle to deal with fellow executives and the hockey media.To date, however, little evidence suggests that has been the case. In fact, Tulsky has made a point of making himself highly accessible to not only Hurricanes fans but also reporters to show that, despite his unusual background, he’s not some ivory-tower egghead.“I remember reading things where people had opinions about what I’m like socially, who have never met me, never spoken to me,” Tulsky said. “I don’t know how they decided on those opinions. It’s not who I am. As they’ve gotten to know me, I hope they’ve figured it out, but ultimately I’m doing my job to the best of my ability and it’s been going OK so far.”Even the selfies are beginning to come more naturally.“It’s still weird for me that I am somebody who people want to go take pictures with,” Tulsky said. “That’s just strange. I never expected that to happen in my life, but I am happy to give people the chance to go home with a souvenir that they’ll enjoy.”