The Carolina Hurricanes will honor their past on Thursday night against the Utah Mammoth during ‘Whalers Night.’
All the memorable jerseys, in-game features (including the playing of Brass Bonanza) and merchandise will be part of what’s become an annual tradition at Lenovo Center to celebrate the history of the franchise. The Whalers’ logo and sweaters are a favorite among Canes fans and NHL diehards.
Special Whalers Night Mystery Pucks will be solid outside the arena. Each puck will be autographed by a Canes player and is available for $55 each. Collectible Whalers cups will be available at concession stands.
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The team played in the NHL from 1979 to 1997 at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut, before moving to North Carolina. The team played for two seasons in Greensboro while an arena was being constructed in Raleigh. The Canes’ first season in Raleigh was the 1999-2000 season. The Canes reached the Stanley Cup final in 2002 and won the cup in 2006.
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There was a seven-year stint in the World Hockey Association as the New England Whalers in the 1970s. They won the Avco World Trophy in 1973.
The Canes’ ‘Whalers Night’ comes as the team is hot, having won eight of their last 11 games and sit at second in the Eastern Conference with a 32-15-5 record. Tickets are available online. The promotional nights have been a hit with fans who have picked up on Whalers merchandise since current Canes owner Tom Dundon bought a majority stake in the team in 2018.
The Canes wore the Whalers sweaters in an Oct. 23 game in Colorado with the Avalanche wearing their Quebec Nordiques sweaters. The teams did the same in a Jan. 3 game in Raleigh.
The Canes have games against the Mammoth, Capitals, Kings, Senators and Rangers before a two-week break for the Olympics. Seth Jarvis leads the team in goals (23) while Sebastian Aho has a team-high 52 points.