The Hartford Whalers began their existence in Boston as the New England
Whalers of the World Hockey Association (WHA).
The Whalers played in every season of the WHA's seven-year existence,
even becoming the league's first champions. Although their games were
well-attended in Boston, the upstart league was never serious
competition for the powerhouse Bruins. In 1975, they moved to Hartford,
and in 1979, along with Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Quebec, joined the
National Hockey League. After a series of successes in the '80s, by the
'90s a dissatisfied new owner, unhappy players, and diminishing returns
all contributed to the team's move to North Carolina following the 1997
season and won the Stanley Cup as the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. The
Hartford Whalers is a pictorial tribute to this beloved and much-missed
Hartford institution.