The Hartford Whalers were a small market team that played in Hartford Connecticut from 1979-1997. Their average attendance rate ranged from 10,000 to 13,000 people. The team began life as part of the WHA. The WHA merged with the NHL in 1979, the Hartford Whalers were one of only four WHA teams that joined the NHL. In their 1997-1998 season The Hartford Whalers moved to Carolina and were reborn as The Carolina Hurricanes.
Were they objectively a good hockey team?
Yes and No!
Yes: The Hartford Whalers in their previous life as the New England Whalers won the WHA championship in the 1972-1973 season. They had multiple playoff appearences during their tenure in the WHA. They lost in the WHA Championship finals in the 1977-1978 season.
No: During their 18 years in the NHL, the Hartford Whalers never won a Stanley Cup championship. They only made the playoffs eight times, and won only one playoff series. However, if you define success as cultivating a small, intense fanbase the Hartford Whalers succeeded. They are still remembered and missed within CT.
Notable Players:
- Ron Francis
- Michael Nylander
- Gordie Howe
Brand:
In my opinion the Hartford Whalers had some of the best branding of a hockey team, which is part of the the cultural nostalgia for the Whalers. The Whalers logo was designed by Peter Good, who worked at a CT design agency: the logo is a green w with a blue whale’s tail framing a grey H formed by negative space. The other piece of genius branding is the gloriously cheesy and peppy goal song, the Brass Bonaza!