What to know about the Yard Goats' Hartford Whalers Alumni Night: Time, tickets, attendees
Connecticut’s only NHL franchise will be remembered Friday evening at Dunkin’ Park, as the Hartford Yard Goats host a “Whalers Alumni Game.”
The Hartford Whalers welcomed the world’s best hockey players into the Hartford Civic Center for nearly 20 years before the franchise was relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1997 as the Carolina Hurricanes. Nearly two dozen former Whalers players will return to Connecticut’s capital to sign autographs, while the Yard Goats will pay tribute to the Whalers’ iconic finned logo with custom jerseys.
“Celebrate Hartford hockey history at the Whalers Alumni Game as the Hartford Yard Goats take the field in special jerseys,” the Hartford Yard Goats wrote on their website to promote the event. “Enjoy a night of nostalgia capped off with a fireworks show after the game.”
Here’s everything you need to know about the alumni event:
What time will the Whalers Alumni Game begin?
First pitch for Friday’s game against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Gates at Dunkin’ Park open at 5:30 p.m., offering fans the chance to hunt down an autograph from their favorite former Whaler without missing the action.
Which former Hartford Whalers will be in attendance?
Nearly two dozen former Whalers players, along with longtime radio broadcaster Chuck Kaiton, will visit Dunkin’ Park on Friday evening. Also attending will be Mark Bousquet, who played Poodle in the movie “Slap Shot.”
The most accomplished former player in attendance is Gordie Roberts, who joined the Whalers in 1975, earned two WHA All-Star Game appearances and followed the team into the NHL, making 418 appearances with Hartford.
Other notable attendees include Paul Lawless, who continues to hold the single-game franchise record for total points with six, and Marty Howe, the son of NHL icon Gordie Howe. Away from the ice, Friday’s event will also welcome back Kaiton, who joined the Whalers as a radio play-by-play broadcaster ahead of their first NHL season. He spent nearly four decades with the franchise and was awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to hockey broadcasting in 2004.
Here’s a full list of alumni in attendance Friday:
Alan Hangsleben, Archie Henderson, Andre Lacroix, Bill Bennett, Bob Crawford, Chuck Kaiton, Dan Fridgen, Don Nachbaur, Doug Roberts, Ed Staniowski, Gordie Roberts, Jeff Brubaker, Jordy Douglas, Marty Howe, Mike Corrigan, Mike McDougal, Norm Barnes, Paul Lawless, Russ Anderson, Wally Weir, Wayne Babych and Yvon Corriveau.
How to purchase tickets for the Whalers Alumni Game?
Tickets can be purchased directly through the Hartford Yard Goats website here. Prices range from $18 to $55.
History of the Hartford Whalers
The Whalers were charter members of the World Hockey Association (WHA), which was created in 1972 and served as the first major challenger to the NHL in several decades. After beginning in Boston, the Whalers relocated to Hartford after three seasons when the Hartford Civic Center opened, and were one of four teams admitted into the NHL after the WHA-NHL merger in 1979.
Hartford enjoyed modest success during the back half of the 1980s, reaching the playoffs in six consecutive seasons before being eliminated in the division semifinals each time. The Montreal Canadiens accounted for four of those playoff eliminations. In 1994, the franchise was purchased by Peter Karmanos, who voiced his frustration with poor attendance and corporate support and relocated the team ahead of the 1997-98 season.
This article originally published at What to know about the Yard Goats’ Hartford Whalers Alumni Night: Time, tickets, attendees.
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