NHL The Whalers return for 2 games this season and many in Hartford are angry

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

I feel for the Whaler fans that lost their team. I HATE when teams move, and the only two relocations I ever liked were the Raiders moving back to Oakland where they belong, and the Thrashers moving to Winnipeg. Moving teams SUCKS.

I have to ask: when did the Whalers get so popular? I went to a university less than an hour away from the Hartford Civic Center, and knew a grand total of one Whalers fan. To this day he’s the only Whalers fan I ever knew in person. I know they had their fans, but I never saw anyone wearing Whalers gear anywhere ever. I see more hats and T-shirts now than I ever did in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Well, this was the biggest crux of the Whalers fanbase.

Which direction did you go?
If you went an hour northeast is Bruins territory. And hour southwest, you are in Rangers/Islander territory.

 

[Mathews28]

I grew up and still live a little south of Hartford. Hartford was lucky to have a team for the time they did...second rate city and not a long-term option for a professional club.

Why can't the fans/residents just be happy with the Yard Goats? That's about the city's capability from a support perspective.

 

[Spanky185]

I grew up and still live a little south of Hartford. Hartford was lucky to have a team for the time they did...second rate city and not a long-term option for a professional club.

Why can't the fans/residents just be happy with the Yard Goats? That's about the city's capability from a support perspective.

I agree about the whalers. My parents would get lots of free tickets and couldn't give them away.

About the Goats, I can't support a team with that ridiculous name.

 

[Jaguar God]

Apparently sucking as a franchise wasn't an homage enough, they are now going to wear the Hartford colours as well.

 

[Over the volcano]

I feel for the Whaler fans that lost their team. I HATE when teams move, and the only two relocations I ever liked were the Raiders moving back to Oakland where they belong, and the Thrashers moving to Winnipeg. Moving teams SUCKS.

I have to ask: when did the Whalers get so popular? I went to a university less than an hour away from the Hartford Civic Center, and knew a grand total of one Whalers fan. To this day he’s the only Whalers fan I ever knew in person. I know they had their fans, but I never saw anyone wearing Whalers gear anywhere ever. I see more hats and T-shirts now than I ever did in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

If you grew up in or near Hartford you would have known plenty. I went back to visit family a year or two ago and there was a guy with a table outside stop and shop, he was covered in old school memorabilia and had people signing a petition to return the team to Hartford. It’s still very much a thing for old school locals.

Think R Kelly was one of the first to start adopting whaler gear as a fashion statement rather than one of a fans loyalty.

 

[rfournier103]

I wonder if they’ll be announced over the PA as the “Hartford Whalers?”

“Hartford Whalers penalty to number...”

 

[northeastern]

I think the jerseys are cool and the truth is Hartford isn't close to getting an nhl team back so that sucks for their fans but it is what it is

 

[roflstomper]

It's okay, whatever city Carolina moves to in a few years will probably do the same thing. Useless fanbase to be honest.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

I feel sorry for the mindless droves that will buy these jerseys

 

[HuskyBruinPride]

I feel sorry for the mindless droves that will buy these jerseys

Why? They're nice jerseys .

 

[ON3M4N]

I live in CT and it was funny that starting during the 2010-2011 season they change from the Wolf Pack to the CT Whale. 3 years later they dropped the Whale and went back tot he Wolf Pack.

 

[Mount Kramer Cameras]

Perhaps Bettman wants Carolina moved, and this is a coded message to the interdimensional lizard overlords that secretly run the NHL. It's the only explanation that I can come up with.

Some things should just stay locked up in the archives. It is a legendary logo though.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Why? They're nice jerseys .

So is a $30 candle at Yankee Candle. Doesn’t mean I am going to be suckered into buying one.

 

[chizzler]

Best colors & logo after Boston's of course.

Bring back the Whale!!!!!!

Blue jersey was sick also.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

@Mathews28 Hartford does not have to corporate support to offset the bruins/Rangers/islanders/devils anymore Another fleeing corporate giant: Connecticut is facing a business migration crisis plus with JJ running the NHL they would never consider the market again

 

[HuskyBruinPride]

So is a $30 candle at Yankee Candle. Doesn’t mean I am going to be suckered into buying one.

I mean I won't be getting one but if I was a Hurricanes fan I would. I just love those jerseys.

 

[GarbageGoal]

I grew up and still live a little south of Hartford. Hartford was lucky to have a team for the time they did...second rate city and not a long-term option for a professional club.

Why can't the fans/residents just be happy with the Yard Goats? That's about the city's capability from a support perspective.

This. So much this.

I have friends who are Wolf Pack fans that a number of years ago set up a table down the hall from the Bring Back The Whalers Booster club (who hated the Pack) at the XL Center asking they bring back the Dodgers to Brooklyn. They got more signatures in one night than the Whaler dudes.

 

[Fenway]

This. So much this.

I have friends who are Wolf Pack fans that a number of years ago set up a table down the hall from the Bring Back The Whalers Booster club (who hated the Pack) at the XL Center asking they bring back the Dodgers to Brooklyn. They got more signatures in one night than the Whaler dudes.

Harold Baldwin told me years ago he should have moved the Whalers to Providence instead of Hartford but Atmea Insurance put up the money.

Connecticut was not a hockey hotbed in the 70's as the state liked basketball. Rhode Island, however, had a hockey culture.



Even this recent news shows how Connecticut thought of the Whalers. News coverage of what Carolina was doing got major coverage on the Hartford based stations but was ignored by the New Haven outlets.

Honestly, the Whalers never should have been part of the WHA/NHL merger but the Houston Aeros owner gave up and Hartford wound up with the Howe family. Coleen Howe then demanded she would take control of the Whalers PR department and Bill Rasmussen was fired. Rasmussen then started the Connecticut Sports Network based in Bristol, CT - so indirectly the Whalers are the reason ESPN exists.

 

[smithformeragent]

I went to the Canes board and saw zero acknowledgement that this had even been announced. Not a lot of activity on that team’s HF page.

 

[MustardStew]

Tough to be a fan here... No sustained success and no real stars to speak of. I tried to adopt them moving down here, and there's just so much other going on that you're not going to get interest in a college environment, as a rather poorly run franchise in a (far distant, here) 4th/5th sport.

But hey, tickets are cheap and I only gotta drive half and hour to see the B's come to town. Though the prices for the 'Whalers event' seem, well, higher haha

 

[KrejciMVP]

I fully support a team going back to Hartford. Move Carolina back to Hartford and Florida to Quebec city. It would make the conference very interesting and nobody will miss the hurricanes or the panthers.

 

[Gee Wally]

I dont have strong opinion on this promo either way. What I will say is I still miss that old Adams Division. The Whalers and Nords.
Man, there was some intensity and hate. It was great.

 

[wintersej]

wonder the reaction if the Nats had 2 day Expos jersey day, or Oklahoma wore Seattle Supersonics Jerseys. Still some bitter fans I imagine.

Seattle would rightfully freak out.

 

[wintersej]

Harold Baldwin told me years ago he should have moved the Whalers to Providence instead of Hartford but Atmea Insurance put up the money.

Connecticut was not a hockey hotbed in the 70's as the state liked basketball. Rhode Island, however, had a hockey culture.



Even this recent news shows how Connecticut thought of the Whalers. News coverage of what Carolina was doing got major coverage on the Hartford based stations but was ignored by the New Haven outlets.

Honestly, the Whalers never should have been part of the WHA/NHL merger but the Houston Aeros owner gave up and Hartford wound up with the Howe family. Coleen Howe then demanded she would take control of the Whalers PR department and Bill Rasmussen was fired. Rasmussen then started the Connecticut Sports Network based in Bristol, CT - so indirectly the Whalers are the reason ESPN exists.

Great read thank you

 

[Oates2Neely]

I love it. Those Whalers jerseys are awesome