Aaron Kleinman of Heartland Signal tells us about his enduring love of the Hartford Whalers, his home state’s former NHL team, whose final road game was against the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum.
It’s been almost 30 years since the Whalers last took the ice at the Hartford Civic Center, the only rink in NHL history located inside of a shopping mall. While the team had limited success in its time, it cultivated a rabid fanbase that still misses its best players, legendary logo, classic marching band
theme song and other quaint charms. But rooting for a goofball team in a very small market feels like you’re getting away with something. And as you try to keep the scam going for as long as possible, the jig always comes up.
As a born and bred son of The Constitution State and a huge sports fan from birth, Aaron lived and died by the Whalers and still carries with him the memories and scars from their eventual move to Raleigh, NC. He tells us about how the team excelled at falling just barely short of the playoffs, what it was like living across the street from Whalers GM Jim Rutherford (and in the same town as tough guy Glen Featherstone) and the particular indignities of having your team bought and moved by a guy sporting a ponytail. Aaron also talks about how the team’s off-ice strife shaped his outlook on the world, even at a very young age.
Of course, we do cover some Weird Islanders here including a legendary tough guy of our own and two defensive defensemen we never thought we’d ever get a chance to cover on the show. Turns out there’s a lot of connective tissue between these two teams aside from one game late in a lost season for both of them.
We can’t thank Aaron enough for his time and sharing his very vivid memories of his favorite team. He’s a great guy to chat with and has been a legendary sports poster for many years. Check out Heartland Signal and his own free newsletter, Radio Free America.
WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL
- The Whalers were a unique singular entity, everyone’s quirky little brother team.
- Game preview w/ Whalers playoff push. Quick video of the Eastern Conference playoff chase.
- Story on Derek King, who was traded from the Islanders to the Whalers that season.
- Fight! Ken Belanger versus Stu “The Grim Reaper” Grimson.
- Short wire service recap of the game. The loss ended said push (Isles were already eliminated).
- After coming over in the merciful Kirk Muller jettisoning, Ken Belanger racked up 260 penalty minutes in 71 games for the Islanders over the next two seasons. He was later traded to Boston for scoring winger Ted Donato, although the Bruins got the better of the deal.
- You know you’re a memorable fighter when there’s a Top 10 fights video in your honor and you have an arch nemesis.
- Signed to provide veteran defensive help to a “promising club” in 1996, Doug Houda was traded two years later to Anaheim on the same day of a much more memorable deal.
- There are lots of Houda fights on YouTube across his various teams, most of them losses. Here’s him flying in to fight Rob Ray:
- And here’s a wild Houda one with Jason Weimer of the Lightning.
- After time with the Flyers and Habs, with whom he won a Stanley Cup in 1993, Kevin Haller signed with an Islanders team “that’s on it’s way up” in 2000. The three-year deal didn’t work out and a groin injury cost him most of his first season with the club. He only managed one game the next season before being put on the shelf with abdominal issues.
- Whether Islander or Whaler, Kevin Haller also hated Mark Messier. A true hero.
- The final home game in Hartford a couple nights later was an emotional one for fans.
- Here’s a eulogy for the Whalers from Vice in 2014 in 2014 and a rundown of the move from 2010.
- Teams are still leaving Connecticut to this day, including the WNBA’s Sun and the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders.
What makes a “Weird Islander?”
We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:
- Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
- Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.
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- Theme song: “Knuckles” by Björn Falk. Hear more of his music on Spotify and at Bandcamp.
- Drum sfx via Zapsplat.com. Jingle bell sfx also via ZapSplat.
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