For Any NHL Fans Out There

[mets1090]

I'm a big Penguins fan and was just perusing some stuff on yahoo when I stumbled upon a link to the goal Malkin had a couple games ago. I'm sure any old timer hockey fans on here will also be reminded of one of Lemieux's trademark moments when they see this goal.

 

[mets1090]

 

[Adios]

If it wasn't for the Hartford Whalers trading Ron Francis to the Penguins, the Penguins would probably be in a different city right now.... And the Whalers would probably still be here....

 

[mets1090]

If it wasn't for the Hartford Whalers trading Ron Francis to the Penguins, the Penguins would probably be in a different city right now.... And the Whalers would probably still be here....

I was 6 at the conclusion of the Whalers final season in Hartford.

I don't think it's unreasonable to say that the trade had more of an impact on the NHL than any other in history. The Gretzky trade probably led to the Cup changing hands a few times but as you said without the Francis trade two franchises are probably in different locations right now.

I actually worked the trade into an Economics presentation I did last semester.

 

[Adios]

The Gretzky trade had a more profound impact than the Francis trade. The Gretzky trade opened up more warm weather markets to the NHL. But the Francis trade certainly did affect the fortunes of two franchises. RIP Whalers.

What did you say in the presentation and what was your grade on it?

 

[mets1090]

The presentation was part of a paper involving a statistical regression. I just took a bunch of indicators of GDP and tested them for their correlation all at once. Pretty generic econ assignment. Everyone's was really similar. I was the only person to include the number of pro sports franchises in each state. It was a 10 minute presentation and I spent probably 90 seconds discussing CT's lack of pro sports franchises and how if the state Economy was meant to have a franchise, in theory (that's all economics is...) it would already have one. I did make sure to sound nice and bitter when talking about the Whalers moving though because I do believe the state could handle a pro team if given a good product and owners that don't suck.

I got an A on the paper.

 

[Jonathan]

Favorite Whalers' players anyone? I was only 7 when they left, so I never saw some of the greats play. I'd have to go with Keith Primeau, Stu Grimson, and Sean Burke.

 

[Adios]

Ron Francis, Ulf Samuelsson, Geoff Sanderson, Pat Verbeek, Andrew Cassels, Adam Burt and Chris Pronger. Too bad the Whalers traded Pronger. And played in a mall. From what I heard, Sean Burke was not too friendly to fans while here. As for Brendan Shanahan, self explanatory.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Blaine Stoughton & Mike Rogers.

 

[Adios]

Blaine Stoughton & Mike Rogers.

Check out this Stoughton game worn jersey.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAP...Q0I76pIKoNS8GY7hXIGuQ%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

[FrostyNuggets]

Ron Francis, Ulf Samuelsson, Geoff Sanderson, Pat Verbeek, Andrew Cassels, Adam Burt and Chris Pronger. Too bad the Whalers traded Pronger. And played in a mall. From what I heard, Sean Burke was not too friendly to fans while here. As for Brendan Shanahan, self explanatory.

Burke was fine with Hartford until Shanahan started banging his wife...so the story goes.

 

[Adios]

Burke was fine with Hartford until Shanahan started banging his wife...so the story goes.

I used to have a Burke jersey from 1992-93. Never knew that happened. But not too surprised. Kind of reflects what the NHL did to Whalers fans.

 

[Waquoit]

Favorite Whalers' players anyone? I was only 7 when they left, so I never saw some of the greats play. I'd have to go with Keith Primeau, Stu Grimson, and Sean Burke.

Any mention of Stu Grimson is a good reason to post this clip. This happened right in front of me. It shows the difference between the NHL and the AHL. Check out what the Reaper does right after the announcer says "He's not landing."

 

[mauconnfan]

Hockey hasn't been the same for me since the Ranger/Bruins rivalry days in the 70's/80's......from Orr, Espo, Cashman, Hodge, Bucyk to Hatfield, Park, Giacomin, Villanueve, Ratelle, LaRouche and a couple years later when OoooLaLa Sasson Dugay and Greschner came along..........of course when I moved to Mass in 1990 I rarely got to see the Rangers until 1994, which was kinda like my 2004 Sox team in hockey..........

Anyway this Ranger team in '12 is intriguing and pretty damn good. Can play fast or stand up and fight it out a little too.....of course we know the Henrik can stand on his head too so if he's doing so come playoffs he can carry them!!! .....but the East is deep and tough.......the team coming out this year will be tired and will have earned the East trophy for sure..........

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Hockey hasn't been the same for me since the Ranger/Bruins rivalry days in the 70's/80's......from Orr, Espo, Cashman, Hodge, Bucyk to Hatfield, Park, Giacomin, Villanueve, Ratelle, LaRouche and a couple years later when OoooLaLa Sasson Dugay and Greschner came along..........of course when I moved to Mass in 1990 I rarely got to see the Rangers until 1994, which was kinda like my 2004 Sox team in hockey..........

Anyway this Ranger team in '12 is intriguing and pretty damn good. Can play fast or stand up and fight it out a little too.....of course we know the Henrik can stand on his head too so if he's doing so come playoffs he can carry them!!! .....but the East is deep and tough.......the team coming out this year will be tired and will have earned the East trophy for sure..........

This is something like #17 on the chronological list of things the NHL has done over the years to destroy itself. Right when a NY-Boston rivalry was about to explode the league reconfigured itself and ended the possibility of that rivalry continuing.

Over the decades the NHL has been its own worst enemy.