Hartford Whaler Nation - The Official Web Site for Hartford Whalers Fans by Mark Willand

Former Whaler Mark Howe Joins Father Gordie in Hockey Hall of Fame

 

By Bruce Berlet

 

Mark Howe was making the one-hour drive from his beach house in Beach Haven, N.J., to his home in Jackson, N.J., on Tuesday afternoon when his cell phone rang.

 

Howe said reception in the area isn’t always good, but the connection lasted long enough for him to hear the news that he wasn’t sure would ever come.

 

In his lucky 13^th year of eligibility, Howe was one of four new members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, joining father Gordie and former teammate Ron Francis as the only Hartford Whalers to earn the honor.

 

“Oh, wow, that’s great,” Howe told Jim Gregory, co-chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee, in an interview shown on the NHL Network. “I’m just back from a fishing trip so this is great.”

 

Howe later twittered, “I know what this means to my dad, so there’s a tear in my eye.”

 

Another Ex-Whaler become NHL Coach: Mark Reeds Heads to Ottawa

The search has begun for a new coach for the OHL Owen Sound Attack.

The National Hockey League's Ottawa Senators confirmed Thursday that Attack coach Mark Reeds and Mississauga St. Michael's Majors coach Dave Cameron have been hired as assistants for the 2011-2012 season.

"It's fantastic for Mark," Attack general manager Dale DeGray said Thursday.

"He came here hoping to kind of shine a spotlight on himself and I'm really happy for him. That's what the kids want, it's what he wants and it's what I want. It's all about maturing and moving on," DeGray said.

The GM said he has a list of head and assistant coach candidates, including current Attack assistant Terry Virtue.

"I think we have a tremendous candidate in Terry Virtue, there's no question," said DeGray.

"We'll go through the process because quite honestly, you don't know what you're going to get as far as applicants who might be interested. I would be doing a disservice to the organization if I didn't look at applications."

BOSTON HERALD: Hanson Goon Takes ‘Slap Shot’ at Nathan Horton’s Tumble

By Megan Johnson, Boston Herald Full Article Link

 

We’ve gotten Bobby Orr’s take on the Nathan Horton-Aaron Rome collision in the Stanley Cup Finals Game 3, and now we bring you another hockey legend’s opinion...

Ex Whaler Steve Carlson, who rose to fame as one of the goonish, ultra-violent Hanson Brothers in the cult favorite 1977 hockey flick “Slap Shot,” said the body crash that landed the clutch performer in the hospital with a concussion is all part of the game.

“Horton’s gotta learn to keep his head up,” Hanson’s alter ego told the Track. “That’s Horton’s fault. He should have been aware that a defenseman was stepping up. You learn that in Peewees. “

Tell that to the Bruin with the mega-migraine...

And as for Canucks winger Alex Burrows, who used his teeth as a weapon against Patrice Bergeron in Game 1, the Hanson bro opined that the NHL should have slapped him with a suspension.

“You ever seen us once in the penalty box?” Steve told the Track of the fake hockey players. “There’s smart tough and dumb tough. We were smart tough. Burrows should have been suspended for it. Inconclusive evidence? Come on. You could see him clamping down on the finger. .”

Carlson isn’t just a guy who played a hockey player, he was the real deal. After the film, he went on to play for 14 years in the NHL for the Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers, and Los Angeles Kings. These days, he operates Steve Carlson Hockey, a school and pro shop, in Sacramento, Calif.

So who are you rooting for in the Finals?

“I want Boston to win,” said the Minnesota homey. “Keep the cup in the States.”

 

 

 

Carolina Hurricanes Name Ron Francis Director of Hockey Operations

Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that Dave Lewis and Rod Brind’Amour have each been named to the team’s coaching staff for the 2011-12 season. In addition, Rutherford announced that Ron Francis has been named director of hockey operations and Tom Rowe has been added to the team’s pro scouting department.

Lewis, 57, has been named assistant coach for the Hurricanes. He served as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings from 2002-04 and head coach of the Boston Bruins from 2006-07, compiling an NHL career coaching record of 135-83-33 (includes five games as co-coach with Detroit in 1998-99). Lewis’ most recent NHL coaching position was with the Los Angeles Kings, where he served as an assistant coach in 2007-08. He played 15 NHL seasons between 1973 and 1988, totaling 36 goals and 187 assists (223 points) in 1,008 games as a defenseman with the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings.

VIDEO: Howard Baldwin on WFSB's "Face the State"

Here is Direct Link to Face the State Interview

This is the interview from Sunday with TV-3's Face the State with Dennis House and Joe Zone

House: "Baldwin told me the NHL is taking notice of the renewed enthusiasm in Connecticut for hockey, and called Hartford a great market for an NHL team.   He also said NHL suits were impressed by the Nielsen television ratings in Hartford  for game one of the Stanley Cup:   5th highest in the nation."

 

Missing Whalers Hall of Fame Plaques Return to XL Center Atrium

Walking through the XL center and was surprised to the the Whalers Hall of Fame Plaques had returned to XL Center Atrium.  They show wear and tear after a eight-year absence but it is good to see them back.

For the record, the eight memebers of the Whalers Hall of Fame are:  Gordie Howe, Bob Schmertz, Frank Keyes, Ella Grasso, Jack Kelley, Rick Ley, Dave Keon and Howard Baldwin. The Whalers Hall of Fame went defunct after the 1990 season. 

 


 

 

Howard Baldwin: Winnipeg Success Proves Hartford’s Strategy Works

With the announcement this week of the National Hockey League (NHL) returning to Winnipeg (the Atlanta Thrashers relocating to Winnipeg), we can all be reassured that our strategy to bring Hartford back to pre-eminent status as a hockey market works. This announcement could be a brass bonanza for Hartford.

Like Hartford, Winnipeg was an original World Hockey Association city. Like Hartford, Winnipeg was one of four WHA franchises that merged with the NHL in 1981. Like Hartford, Winnipeg lost its NHL team in the mid-‘90s. And like Hartford, Winnipeg developed a plan and a passion to get back to the NHL.

If it can happen there, why not here?

Winnipeg sent a message of success to the NHL. Their American Hockey League franchise, the Manitoba Moose averaged more than 8,000 fans over the past two years and more than 7,700 for the past four years. We salute their efforts to showcase the fan and corporate interest in hockey in their market, and congratulate the management of True North Sports and Entertainment for successfully returning the City of Winnipeg to the NHL.

 

Best NHL Stanley Cup Final Game 1 Overnight Ratings In 12 Years: Hartford Ranks 4th in Ratings.

Best NHL Stanley Cup Final Game 1 Overnight Ratings In 12 Years:  Hartford Ranks 4th in Ratings.

BEST STANLEY CUP GAME 1 OVERNIGHT IN 12 YEARS

Game 1 Up 14% Over Last Year’s Philadelphia-Chicago Game 1

Boston Leads All Metered Markets with a 25.5 Rating & 39 Share

NEW YORK – June 2, 2011 — Last night’s Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, which featured the Vancouver Canucks defeating the Boston Bruins, 1-0, produced the best overnight rating for a Game 1 in 12 years. The broadcast generated a 3.2 overnight rating and 6 share up 14 percent compared to last year’s Game 1 (Philadelphia-Chicago, 2.8/6) and the best overnight for a Game 1 since 1999 (Buffalo vs. Dallas, 3.7 on Fox).

Boston was the top-rated market on the night with a 25.5/39, the highest-rated NHL game in Boston dating back to at least 1995, and topping the Boston rating for last year’s NBA Finals Game 1 featuring the Celtics-Lakers (19.1/34).
This is the first Stanley Cup Final featuring a Canadian team since the Ottawa Senators faced the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. The 3.2 overnight for last night’s game is 113 percent higher than the first network broadcast of that series (1.5/3 for Game 3).
Top Metered Markets For Game 1

1. Boston, 25.5/39
2. Providence, 16.7/24
3. Buffalo, 7.2/11
4. Hartford, 5.5/8
5. Pittsburgh, 4.3/7

 

 

 

 

Kevin Dineen Officially Named Head Coach of Florida Panthers (News Release)

Wednesday, 06.01.2011 / 3:00 PM

Florida Panthers

SUNRISE, Fla. – Florida Panthers Executive Vice President & General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that Kevin Dineen has been named the 11th head coach in the club’s history. As per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
 
“It is with great pleasure that I welcome Kevin Dineen to the Florida Panthers organization,” said Tallon. “Kevin brings to our organization more than 25 years of playing and coaching experience. He played in more than 1,100 National Hockey League games and is one of only seven players in the league’s history to score more than 350 goals, while registering more than 2,000 penalty minutes.
 
“For the last several years, Kevin has been regarded as one of the top head coaches in the American Hockey League, leading the Portland Pirates to the AHL postseason five out of six years as the club’s coach. He is a player’s coach who understands our team’s philosophy and direction and someone who will guide the Panthers to future success.”
 

Shanahan to be NHL's New Head of Discipline

Colin Campbell is relinquishing his duties as head of discipline for the NHL and will be replaced in that role by Brendan Shanahan, a source told ESPN.com Wednesday.

Campbell otherwise will remain in his executive role with the league's hockey operations department in Toronto.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was expected to make the news official at his 6 p.m. ET news conference before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals in Vancouver.