Zarley Zalapski

[CTBballfan243]

Sad news for all us ex-Hartford Whaler fans. Zarley Zalapski passed away at age 49. I read that he contracted some type of viral infection in October and that he died due to complications from said viral infection.

Zarley was a very good defenseman who could skate like the wind. He was acquired by the Whalers in one of the worst trades in the history of the NHL. The Whalers sent Ron Francis, Ulf Samuelsson, and Grant Jennings to the Pens for John Cullen, Zarley Zalapski, and Jeff Parker. Cullen and Parker were huge busts. Francis, Samuelsson, and Jennings when on to win the Stanley Cup with the Pens. RIP #3

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

49's too $%*&@ young! Never heard of Zalapski, but read the OT message with hopes a big Polish defenseman was signing to help control UConn's blue lines.

 

[FDNY99]

I always liked ZZ as a player, and I was excited when he came back from Pittsburgh in that trade. He was considered the next coming of Paul Coffey when he came up with the Pens...like Op said he could skate like the wind and had excellent puck handling skills. That trade essentially killed the Whale..funny thing about that trade..it was worked out between the 2 men who were up for the Whale GM job..the guy in Eddie Johnston who got it (Bobby Orr called on his behalf and swayed Gordon to hire him) and Badger Bob Johnson who came in 2nd and ended up going to the Pens. I always thought Zalapski was the only one of the guys the Whale got back from the Pens who was worth anything..same as OP...but at the end of day he didn't put up Paul Coffey numbers and never really lived up to his "billing".

 

[Waquoit]

Paul Coffey should have been banned from the HoF for the effort he gave during the Whale's last year.

 

[FDNY99]

Paul Coffey should have been banned from the HoF for the effort he gave during the Whale's last year.

I dont even think you can put effort and Paul Coffey in the same written sentence pr paragraph when describing his Whaler career..as short lived as it was. The thing that sucked about that entire time was it was evident by Shanahan asking out and Coffey's non-effort that players knew the team was leaving and didnt want to come here, settle their families then have to relocate to a place un-named. Rumor has it Karmanos still owes players and support staff relocation fee's from the move.

 

[Waquoit]

I dont even think you can put effort and Paul Coffey in the same written sentence pr paragraph when describing his Whaler career..as short lived as it was. The thing that sucked about that entire time was it was evident by Shanahan asking out and Coffey's non-effort that players knew the team was leaving and didnt want to come here, settle their families then have to relocate to a place un-named. Rumor has it Karmanos still owes players and support staff relocation fee's from the move.

Many forget that if the Whale had won just one more game, just one, they would have made the playoffs. Coffey playing hard instead of looking like an old man at free skate wasn't worth at least one game?