Bmwolf21 Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 This was a big week in the NHL. Sure, the Red Wings won their 11th Stanley Cup by surviving the Penguins' last-gasp rally in Pittsburgh, but the real news came out of Philly and Raleigh. Sami Kapanen retired from the league. So did Glen Wesley. OK, so these might not be on the level of, say, a Dominik Hasek calling it quits (again), but they still are plenty notable. Not because the 34-year-old Kapanen, a pretty good winger and two-time all-star over his 12-year career, has decided to go back to his native Finland and perhaps play a couple more years. And not because Wesley, the 20-year vet who ranks sixth in NHL history among defensemen in games-played, is moving to a front office job. No, the reason Kapanen's and Wesley's retirements truly are significant is because it means two fewer former Hartford Whalers are still lacing up the skates in the NHL. And there are some rather famous names on that dwindling list. ------------------ Read the rest HERE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 I will never understand the obsession with the Whalers. They were a crappy team that never amounted to anything in this league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 I will never understand the obsession with the Whalers. They were a crappy team that never amounted to anything in this league. Exactly. They were known as a rather gritty team though. I think it's more just a novelty than an actual obsession. Unless your from CT. Did you know that they chant "Whalers" at concerts when they want an encore? Yup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwolf21 Posted June 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Look further down in the article, down to the comments section, and you'll see Winnipeg fans doing the same things for their lost team. Sabres fans would act the same way if the Swords were lost to the Sunbelt. At this point it's part novelty and part shared misery/rallying cry for a bunch of displaced hockey fans. I just thought the article was interesting because of the Sabres' recent playoff history with the franchise; the fact that I interviewed a couple people from that franchise when they first moved to Greensboro (school project); and that the Hurricanes were the most recent team to relocate and there are but a handful of players left who played for a former division rival who it seemed I saw play at the Aud more than any other team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Enabler Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 I feel obligated to post in this thread. I have frequented the shopping mall a couple times. Best memory was a fight between Wayne and Keith Primeau! :lol: Another memory: My buddy and I met a Whaler at a bar after the game having a drink alone. He signed our ticket stub. The name was Steve Chaisson. I thought it was Gary Galley. R.I.P. (He died in a car accident in Carolina-possibly drunk driving-leaving a wife a 3 kids) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregkash Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 I feel obligated to post in this thread. I have frequented the shopping mall a couple times. Best memory was a fight between Wayne and Keith Primeau! :lol: Another memory: My buddy and I met a Whaler at a bar after the game having a drink alone. He signed our ticket stub. The name was Steve Chaisson. I thought it was Gary Galley. R.I.P. (He died in a car accident in Carolina-possibly drunk driving-leaving a wife a 3 kids) Wow. I remember he wore number 3 for the Sabres. Sorry to hear that. --- For me, the Whalers moving kinda signaled the beginning of the road that led to the lockout. A team with a passionate fan base that had had great players play for it, (Namely one guy named.. Gordie... Gordie..... Howe do people remember names anyway?) moving to a location where unless winning at the end of the season the people could really not give two poops about hockey. I realize the NHL had expanded into Florida already and several teams had relocated further south but still I think this one hit the hardest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elcrusho Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Bring Back the Whale! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 the one and only game i saw at the aud was a 9-3 beatdown of the whalers. it was also my first nhl game attended. ah, memories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom webster Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Wow. I remember he wore number 3 for the Sabres. Sorry to hear that. --- For me, the Whalers moving kinda signaled the beginning of the road that led to the lockout. A team with a passionate fan base that had had great players play for it, (Namely one guy named.. Gordie... Gordie..... Howe do people remember names anyway?) moving to a location where unless winning at the end of the season the people could really not give two poops about hockey. I realize the NHL had expanded into Florida already and several teams had relocated further south but still I think this one hit the hardest. He was saying that Chaisson died, not Galley. Not that you still shouldn't be sorry to hear that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROC Sabres Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I will never understand the obsession with the Whalers. They were a crappy team that never amounted to anything in this league. Not true, they did have those fashionable cooperalls. Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 He was saying that Chaisson died, not Galley. Not that you still shouldn't be sorry to hear that. And Galley works on the Senator broadcasts now, just to help clear that one up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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