How many followed from Hartford to Carolina?

[Night Shift]

First, I thought it was great you guys honored the Whalers last night. I think many of us who remember the Whalers it brought a ton of memories.

Reason I came, just curious. Is there anyone on HF Canes who were Whalers fans years ago and continued to follow the franchise after the move?

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[MinJaBen]

Yeah, some of us were Whaler fans originally. I was a kid when they entered the NHL, but all my friends were Habs or Bruins fans, so I had to be different and followed the Whale. I grew up in Vermont, so I never saw them live as a kid, but they were “my” team. I then moved to NC for school and stayed for work and family and they followed me here. So it was easy for me to stay a fan and not be jaded by the move.

 

[HisIceness]

I'm not one of them but I know some. Keep in mind Raleigh and Charlotte are both magnets for relocating New Englanders. There's a decent chance 1 in 10 or less Canes fans were once Whalers fans or knew Whalers fans. So while not everyone who was a Whalers fan followed the team to Raleigh, I would say it is higher than Browns fans who followed the original team to Baltimore or Sonics fans who now follow the Thunder.

 

[Roboturner913]

Yes.

My story is way different from average former Whaler fan though. I grew up in Louisiana and had no connection to the team. Most people I knew who were into hockey liked the Red Wings or Rangers, but I was contrarian. I liked them because they were the underdog - but mostly because the uniforms were nice - but at that point, it was after they switched to the blue. Always thought that dark blue was really sharp. Never cared hugely for the all-green look.

Dominated my friends on Sega Genesis. Cassels to Sanderson all day long. Robert Kron and Paul Ranheim were really good too, since the only real prerequisite for being good in that game was speed. I may have seen a total of 4-5 actual Whalers games on TV in all that time. They just were never on ESPN, maybe twice a year if that. I followed as best I could, which at the time amounted to reading the box scores and a whole lot of video gaming.

Was happy when they moved to N.C., basically because I had family there and was planning to go live there and work for my uncle anyway. That was the year after I finished high school so I just packed up my little car with all my crap and moved up there. Little did I realize it would be a one and a half hours drive from Raleigh to Greensboro to see the new team play. LOL

So I probably wasn't a "real" Whalers fan but they had my allegiance above all others, for whatever that's worth.

 

[Night Shift]

I liked them because they were the underdog - but mostly because the uniforms were nice - but at that point, it was after they switched to the blue. Always thought that dark blue was really sharp. Never cared hugely for the all-green look.

This coming from an outsider..Even though I liked the green, I'm with you on that one! Liked the navy blue better but I think you and I are in the minority on that one.

 

[Joe McGrath]

I’m the outlier from CT that still lives in CT. I followed. I was on the fence in my early teens after the move. I more closely followed the Penguins the year after the move out of allegiance to Ron Francis and in awe of Mario and Jagr. They were my 2nd favorite the minute Francis was traded.

Then the Canes signed Francis and that was it. He’s the reason I’m still here. I imagine I would either be a full on Penguins fan or just divorced from fandom in general at this point if it weren’t for that.

 

[Night Shift]

I’m the outlier from CT that still lives in CT. I followed. I was on the fence in my early teens after the move. I more closely followed the Penguins the year after the move out of allegiance to Ron Francis and in awe of Mario and Jagr. They were my 2nd favorite the minute Francis was traded.

Then the Canes signed Francis and that was it. He’s the reason I’m still here. I imagine I would either be a full on Penguins fan or just divorced from fandom in general at this point if it weren’t for that.

We'd welcome you back to the dark side ..j/k

Francis was one of my all time favorite Pen growing up.

 

[Brock Anton]

Yes, l live in RI and went to Whalers games as a kid. Granted, I was only 5 when they moved, but I still remember going to games with my dad. Stayed with the team mainly because Kevin Dineen was my guy.

That Dineen Hurricanes jersey is still the best gift I've ever gotten. Was supposed to be Christmas gift, but it ended up not getting shipped in time for some reason and as an apology, the team ended up getting a personalized signed photo from Dineen sent to me with the jersey. Needless to say, I wasn't going to switch teams after that, even after KD left.

 

[Night Shift]

Yes, l live in RI and went to Whalers games as a kid. Granted, I was only 5 when they moved, but I still remember going to games with my dad. Stayed with the team mainly because Kevin Dineen was my guy.

That Dineen Hurricanes jersey is still the best gift I've ever gotten. Was supposed to be Christmas gift, but it ended up not getting shipped in time for some reason and as an apology, the team ended up getting a personalized signed photo from Dineen sent to me with the jersey. Needless to say, I wasn't going to switch teams after that, even after KD left.

That's awesome..you still have the Jersey?

 

[Brock Anton]

That's awesome..you still have the Jersey?

Yeah, it's in my closet. Still got the photo too, though he signed it with a pen and not a sharpie so the writing is pretty faded, but you can still see what he wrote because of the indention the pen left on the photo. Also, as a side, my dad also still has one of those Whalers Starter jackets that I used to wear to the games somewhere.

They're actually two of the few pieces Hurricanes memorabilia I own, and the only jersey.

 

[Roboturner913]

Dineen was a good player and a hell of a human being.

Imagine stripping him of the C and giving it to ****ing Keith Primeau

that was a bad move

 

[Incubajerks]

+1 because i am that old.

 

[Ahoy there]

Grew up in Wisconsin - no NHL team and you're raised to hate all things sports Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan. Loved the Whalers' logo and colors as a kid. They also sucked like the Packers so I could commiserate. Was extremely convenient when they and I moved to NC within a year of each other.

 

[emptyNedder]

I am a reverse outlier. I grew up in NC and was a Canes fan as soon as they arrived. However, as the team was winning the Cup I was up for a promotion. My company relocated me to CT in the fall of 2006.

My son and I go to all the Checkers-Wolfpack games. We also try to make a Canes game or two in the northeast.

 

[raynman]

I grew up in CT/RI and went to Whalers games with family. Even played in one of those mighty mites games during intermission. They moved down a here a year before my stepdad was relocated but at that point I didn’t really have a team, just players that I liked- Francis, Jagr, Mario, Kariya, Selanne, Shanahan, etc. Went to a game during the ‘02 playoffs and I was absolutely hooked, couldn’t get over the electricity in the crowd.

 

[MinJaBen]

This coming from an outsider..Even though I liked the green, I'm with you on that one! Liked the navy blue better but I think you and I are in the minority on that one.

I also liked the blues better.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

I'm probably the most unique individual in the mix. I grew up in South Carolina but my Dad was from outside of Pittsburgh so I was raised on everything Pittsburgh sports. The Pens were good when I was a kid and I grew up hating the Whalers (because f*** Baldwin). I honestly didn't care about the relocation and, to be frank, I originally thought the move to Raleigh over Charlotte was a mistake because I viewed Charlotte as being the "major league" city in NC. i moved to the Triangle in 2005 for graduate school and fell in love with the Hurricanes early on in that 2005-2006 campaign. Ever since then it's been a done deal.

 

[mhart1]

I was Whalers fan as a kid and continued to follow Hurricanes after the move. I'm from Finland so for me it was obvious and a lot easier than for the locals.

 

[GooGooMuck]

I accidentally picked up the Whalers feed on an ancient satellite when I was in college. They looked goofy so I rooted for them, came back for the next game and I was hooked. That was I think 1990. Traveled several times to Hartford, saw them in Philly, Buffalo, DC and Pittsburgh and even saw an exhibition game in Cincinnati. I have no connection to Hartford so following them to Carolina was a no brainer. I'll follow this dumb team wherever they go.

 

[NotOpie]

I'll follow this dumb team wherever they go.

....except Quebec, don't ever say Quebec.

Other than that, I resemble that remark.

 

[Lempo]

I was Whalers fan as a kid and continued to follow Hurricanes after the move. I'm from Finland so for me it was obvious and a lot easier than for the locals.

Even the same timezone so there wasn't any change in the convenient home game starting time of 2 am.

 

[Francis10]

Yep I have been a fan of Whalers/Canes franchise since 1984. First remember seeing the Whalers jerseys on TV and loved the logo and colours and that was it. Pretty odd for a kid from small town western Canada to follow the Hartford Whalers instead of the Oilers or Flames or Jets, but I was that kid. Then as I followed more closely I really loved Ronnie Franchise and Mike Luit. Was pretty sad when Ron got dealt in 1991 but still was a fan of the Whalers and liked watching Ron have success with the Pens.

Once the Whalers moved to Carolina I followed them down and became a Canes fan. Then when Ronnie signed that FA deal I was in heaven again.

So ya been a fan of this franchise for basically 35 years.

 

[bleedgreen]

Was born and raised in CT as a Whaler fan. Left CT for CO in 97 after they left, in part because losing the Whale was the last straw in not seeing my adult life in CT. Followed the team as a fan in NC and have always followed them. Went to many games in Hartford over the years, go to the games in CO pretty much every time I can. Came home to CT to go see the game the other night with my family. The Whalers were born the year I was born, so I guess I’ve been a fan my whole life.

 

[raynman]

Was born and raised in CT as a Whaler fan. Left CT for CO in 97 after they left, in part because losing the Whale was the last straw in not seeing my adult life in CT. Followed the team as a fan in NC and have always followed them. Went to many games in Hartford over the years, go to the games in CO pretty much every time I can. Came home to CT to go see the game the other night with my family. The Whalers were born the year I was born, so I guess I’ve been a fan my whole life.

Have you ever been able to get to a game in Raleigh?

 

[bleedgreen]

Have you ever been able to get to a game in Raleigh?

No, I did go to a game in Greensboro the first year as I traveled across the country on my way to CO. It was the Halloween game that had always been against Buffalo. I was raw bitter about all of it but excited to see my team again. It was a rough experience. They had the upper bowl mostly covered up so the empty seats weren’t visible. They were announcing the offsides and icing calls over the PA system so poeple knew why play stopped. Dineen drew a penalty off of hustle play and I got up and screamed, I was the only one in the joint making noise. People two half empty sections over were craning their necks in my direction trying to figure out what the fuss was about. It was very tough to see the last few games in Hartford, lose them, then see what they had apparently left for like that just a few months later.

I’d love to go see them in Raleigh.

I’m traveling a lot this year. Maybe I can still find a way out there, especially if they make the playoffs.