Carolina Hurricanes: Why NHL should hold a preseason series in Hartford

The NHL holding pre-season exhibition contests in cities without an NHL team is nothing new. But how about having one in a city that formerly housed an NHL team and wants one back desperately? Looks like Hartford, Connecticut is the place for the Carolina Hurricanes.

For the first time in ten years, the Carolina Hurricanes are headed back to the NHL playoffs. The Hurricanes officially clinched with a Thursday night win over the New Jersey Devils, ending the NHL’s current longest playoff drought. While the Canes faithful are excited and ready for their first postseason since 2009, some of the team’s most faithful supporters weren’t at PNC Arena last night. In fact, they weren’t even in Raleigh. Or in North Carolina for that matter.

Some of the Hurricanes most faithful fans come from Hartford, Connecticut, where the team used to be known as the Hartford Whalers and play their games at what is now the XL Center. Even though the team moved over two decades ago from New England to the South East, Hartford Whalers fan clubs are still commonplace and even hold viewing parties.

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This year, with the Hurricanes diving full on head first in their history by wearing Hartford Whalers jerseys as a retro-throwback third jersey, it might be time for the NHL to take a long serious look at the Hartford market.

Just like the Whalers original tenure, proximity to teams like the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins would prevent long-term viability for an NHL team. However, Hartford would be the perfect place for the NHL to hold a preseason series.

Preseason exhibition games are one of the best tools in the NHL’s arsenal to expand hockey into non-traditional markets. The NHL Global Series and international games have become commonplace. The NHL is also using preseason games as a way to bring hockey into smaller domestic markets, such as the Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers playing a game in Tulsa, Oklahoma this past preseason. If a team that lacks hockey history like Tulsa can get a game, why can’t the former home of an NHL team that greats such as Gordie Howe and Ron Francis played on be looked over?

Ever since the Whalers left, there has still been an interest in professional hockey in the Hartford area. The Rangers AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack have played in the Whalers former home arena since 1997 and briefly rebranded themselves as “The Connecticut Whale” to play off the Hurricanes former identity.

While many doubt the regions ability to handle an NHL level team, there have been rumblings about the possibility. Just a few seasons ago there was even a long shot proposal from Connecticut’s governor to relocate the New York Islanders to his state after reports of troubles of their lease in Barclays Center.

Obviously, the Connecticut Islanders didn’t work out, but there’s no reason to believe an NHL preseason series, featuring the Hurricanes in Whalers’ apparel, wouldn’t be an amazing success. First, and most importantly, the city already boasts an NHL level arena. The city and surrounding region also house three passionate fan bases – the Whalers, Rangers, and Bruins (not to mention the Islanders and Devils). Plan two preseason games, one against the Rangers and one against the Bruins, and you’ll have guaranteed sellouts.

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Most importantly, make sure the Hurricanes go retro and wear their third jersey when they skate into the XL Center. With the pent-up demand for Whalers hockey, and the NHL to make a return as a whole, to the region, there’s no doubt the atmosphere would feel like a game seven playoff game. Get Gary Bettman on the phone and start cranking Brass Bonanza.

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