The Whalers

The Rise, Fall, and Enduring Mystique of New England's (Second) Greatest NHL Franchise

By: Patrick Pickens

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Paperback | 9 October 2023

At a Glance

Paperback
280 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.0

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More than twenty years after departing Hartford, Connecticut, for Raleigh, North Carolina, the NHL's Whalers continue to inspire passion among fans. As HartfordBusiness.com reported in 2015, "Whalers merchandise...still has a cult following not only among fans in Connecticut but around the country." But Whalers devotees aren't just clamoring for jerseys, hats and t-shirts. They're nostalgic for a team that had New England roots for nearly 25 years--in Boston, Springfield, and Hartford--and featured some of the greatest players in NHL history, including Gordie Howe (with his sons Mark and Marty), Bobby Hull, and Ron Francis.

Pat Pickens's book details the Whalers' origin in Boston in 1972, the team's WHA championship in 1973, the roof collapse of their home arena that indirectly led to their entrance to the NHL in 1979, their stunning NHL playoff-series win against the top-seeded Quebec Nordiques in 1986, the 1986-87 season when they claimed their first division championship, and their relocation south in 1997 as the Carolina Hurricanes. Pickens imagines a Stanley Cup delivered to hockey-crazed Hartford in 2006, when the Hurricanes instead brought it home to North Carolina. The book also explores the likelihood of an NHL team returning to the Nutmeg State.

Industry Reviews

"Hockey fans continue to have a fascination with the Whalers franchise, with good reason. From the rough early years, to the development of an exciting young team that thrilled one of sport's most underrated fan bases, to the final years of controversy and chaos, Pat Pickens's account of the team's colorful history is a terrific read. It's filled with memories from over a dozen figures who continue to have a powerful impact on the NHL to this day." --Rick Peckham, former play-by-play announcer for the Whalers and Tampa Bay Lightning "Pat Pickens's book captured more than a historical account of a sports franchise but rather a story about the deep connection between Hartford and its Whalers. Through cheers and tears the characters in the book remain fondly connected to Hartford." --Mike Liut, Whalers goalie, 1985-90 "We may not have realized how special the Hartford Whalers were at the time, but as I look back it was a privilege to play for the team. I still keep in touch and get together with many of my ex-teammates from those days, which were unlike any other in my pro career. The Whalers brought back fond memories of my time playing in Hartford." --Paul Lawless, Whalers forward, 1982-88

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