Connecticut Whalers...
 

I searched and I couldn't find anything on this this. Did anyone pass on this and not care to post anything or did we just miss this? I found this on icethetics a few days ago and no one posted anything so I figured I would.

http://www.icethetics.info/blog/2010...f-a-whale.html

apparently our affiliate is going to be renamed the CT Whalers. Personally, I like it. I think it will make the fans a little happier. Anyway, what is everyones take on this? I feel like this is out of the blue.

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Don't care what they are called.

i knew it would be impossible for them to pull anything off by the beginning of the season, i wouldnt mind the name change, but i dont think hartford will EVER get another team

:cry: I miss our real Whalers

they have been my fantasy team name for a while and i picked up some whalers apparel....best selling apparel in the league, that article said its selling like stanley cup champion merchandise which doesnt surprise me...im just waiting for a re-issue of the 1997 jerseys ive been wanting for years

Interesting.

Seems the re-branding is inevitable.

If it draws more fans, creates more hockey interest, its better for our young guys at the AHL level.

I'm curious what the new jerseys would look like.

I also wonder how die-hard Wolf Pack fans feel about it, like Squishy???

Thats a bit surprising, I bought my sister a Shanahan jersey for X-mas, she was thrilled. I'm trying to acquire a Pat Verbeek. Man I miss the Whale.... or better yet the Nighthawks.

There is a stickied Wolf Pack thread at the top of the board....

I'm not sure why it'd draw more fans, specifically old Whalers fans. It's still a team owned by the Rangers and most Whalers fans don't want to cheer for a team owned by a former rival. And on top of that it's just an AHL franchise which is kind of a slap in the face if you ask me.

But I also don't really give a damn about the Whalers either so...

But are they even still the Rangers affiliate after the upcoming season?

MSG owns the team so unless they're selling it, then yes it will still be the Rangers affiliate. Judging from the Courant article posted in this thread, it's just that MSG is negotiating to give over the management of team marketing to Baldwin.

Funny thought I stopped in at a yard sale(which I never do)over the weekend and believe it or not the guy was selling all kinds of hockey cards(which I collect),I opened up one of the first books and who do I turn to but the Hartford Whalers---man I miss that team.

Speaking of Whaler players--Look at some former Whalers who played for the Rangers.

M.Rogers
R.Ferraro
Ulf.Samuelsson
B.Shanahan
B.Holik
M.Marlik(sorry had to add him)
M.Nylander
P.Verbeek
B.Stoughton
Nicky Fotiu(where are you)
And of course Lucky Pierre Larouche

I know there's more but alot of good players went through Hartford I wish they would come back but with all of the other cities looking for NHL teams it's not happening.Good luck with Hartford Wolf Pack name change.

Interesting in that just down the road in Danbury, where the new Federal League (a really low minor league) is beginning play this November, their team will be known as the Danbury Whalers. Their uniforms will be basically the same colors as the original Whalers; I believe their owner was a big time Hartford Whaler fan.

The Federal League will include the latest incarnation of the team in Brooklyn, the New York Aviators.

I miss the Danbury Trashers of the UHL, Gretzky's bro played for them at one point. It would be great to see Danbury get another team though, they need to use that ice arena for something!

My avatar would certainly be in vogue

Danbury Whalers will have an inaugural season this year.

League is definitely getting off of the ground come November. Though it will not be of the quality of the old UHL, it should be fun. Section 102 at the Danbury Arena should be out in full force. I'm hoping that the league has better luck than the few that have tried to replace the UHL in Danbury: the Stars and Hat Hatters were terrible. I'm hoping to attend a bunch of games in Danbury.

I'm actually planning on trying out for the NY Aviators in a year or two once I'm done playing college hockey haha

Ah the UHL. I think I may have gone to the home opener of the inaugural New Haven Knights 00-01 season, and probably the Beast Of New Haven 98-99 season, though they were AHL.

I think it's a stupid idea. And I think it will allienate die hard Pack fans who've supported the team for the past 13 years while Whalers fans have bi***ed and boycotted. If -- and that's a big if -- Whalers fans suddenly come out of the woodwork to support an AHL team now because it has a different name on it, they're nothing but hypocrites.

I also think anyone who thinks the NHL is going back to Hartford -- Baldwin included -- is delusional.

I've also heard that they willfully want to make the name change mid-season -- I suspect as part of an outdoor game at Baldwin's Whalers Hockey Fest at Rentschler Field in February. And I think that's the most assanine thing I've heard yet, and I really hope the AHL refuses.

(Aren't you glad you asked? :p:)

Actually, I am glad I asked, lol.

The Wolf Pack have been around for a long time and have their own traditions. And the Rangers have had a long partnership with them.

So, its interesting to get an idea of how die-hard fans of the Wolf Pack feel about it.

If I were a die-hard fan, I'd be furious. I'm more of a fan due to their affiliation with the Rangers and the Rangers prospects playing there. So to me it doesn't matter as long as the Rangers young players develop.

But for die-hard fans it must be infuriating.

yea nothing was in that thread either about it...


anyway, i could see how a die hard fan would get upset at this, but thats probably why they are calling them the connecticut whalers instead of hartford (or i may be wrong considering the city owns the rights, correct??)

According to Wikipedia, the team was once called the Binghamton Whalers. They were an affiliate of Hartford before being sold to the Rangers. So there is some history there.