Connecticut might not even be a top 40 state in this great nation. But on Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes decided to lay claim to one of the few good things to come out of America’s least favorite suburb of New York; the amazing uniforms of the now-defunct Hartford Whalers.
The Carolina Hurricanes unveiled Hartford Whalers throwbacks and people are mad online
First they took Connecticut’s team. Now, for one night, they’re taking their jerseys, too.
There are two ways to look at this move. The sensible reaction would be to see this as a tribute to a World Hockey Association tentpole and a franchise that spent nearly two decades in the NHL. Sure, Greensboro (and then Raleigh) relocated a team from New England in an effort to bring hockey to the south, but that was more than 20 years ago, so ...no hard feelings, right?
The other option is to get extremely sour about the Hurricanes’ decision to wear the Whalers’ skinned corpse in an act of mid-90s hockey cosplay.
It’s kinda understandable Whalers fans would be unhappy with the unveiling. After all, the list of good things to come out of Connecticut looks something like this:
- Whalers logo/uniforms
- Cheese-stuffed hamburgers
- Surprisingly legit pizza
- End of list
The Whalers Hurricanes are even bold enough to wear the jerseys for two games against the Boston Bruins — the franchise to which many Hartford fans were forced to turn when they suddenly were deprived of hockey in their local market (and, seriously, it’s Connecticut. It’s not like they had much else to do aside from getting stuck in traffic on the Merritt Parkway).
But if seeing a team from the south wearing the whale tail remains a sore spot, just remember: the Carolina Hurricanes have been an NHL team longer than the Hartford Whalers were.
Plus, the franchise played its first two seasons in Boston, anyway.
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