Latest news with #HartfordWhalers
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
From The Archive: Whalers going to Columbus?
The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 78 years of history, stories, and features. Subscribe now to view the full THN Archives here and read the full issue here. Also, go to to subscribe. Whalers Going To Columbus? - Apr 11, 1997/vol. 50, issue 30 If the Hartford Whalers had to leave town, they couldn't have picked a better time. The NHL is in the midst of its expansion process, with site visits commencing in the first week of April, and that gives Whaler owner Peter Karmanos a built-in pool of relocation possibilities and chances for a nice, soft landing. 'We're now into detailed research on the markets out there,' NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told The Hockey News. 'The process we're going through will be able to serve two purposes.' That is, 1) decide how many of the six remaining applicants for expansion will be accepted; and 2) which of the others is best suited to be the new home of the Whalers. Karmanos met with Bettman in New York on March 28, two days after the chairman of Compuware officially announced this would be the Whalers' last season in Hartford. Karmanos and the state of Connecticut, led by Gov. John Rowland, were unable to come to an agreement to save the Whale. The state had offered to build a new arena, but the two parties couldn't reach an agreement on economic viability. So Karmanos will pay a $20.5-million penalty to escape the final year of the agreement to remain in Hartford and seek greener pastures elsewhere. 'I feel bad,' Karmanos told THN, 'we worked hard, but we lost. We failed, and I'm not used to that.' Karmanos bought the Whalers in 1994 for the relatively modest fee of $22.5 million. Since then, though, the club has reported operating losses of $14.5 million two years ago, $21 million last season, and projected losses of $14 million this season. Throw in the $20.5 million penalty, and Karmanos' investment in the Whalers amounts to approximately $92.5 million. getting dangerously close to or beyond what the franchise is actually worth. He figured it was time to cut his losses and get out of town. He is no doubt hoping to make back some of that money with a sweetheart, incentive-laden deal with some other city desperately seeking an NHL franchise. The smart money is on it being one of the remaining six expansion applicants, although Raleigh-Durham. N.C. is a distinct possibility. For now, Atlanta, Houston, and Nashville are not considered to house the Whalers. Each expansion applicant there has arena rights locked up and isn't about to let Karmanos in, not that the NHL necessarily would want him eliminating such prime expansion markets anyway. However, the same cannot be said for Columbus, Ohio, St. Paul, Minnesota, Oklahoma City. Okla., and Raleigh-Durham. 'I don't have a first choice,' Karmanos said. 'It will depend upon the business deal in each place, and I want to see what the level of interest is.' All things considered, though, it's believed Karmanos would like to end up in central Ohio. 'There are 7.5 million people within a 100-mile radius of Columbus,' Karmanos said. 'It's the second most densely populated state in the union.' The problem, however, is that there is no long-term commitment to an arena. A referendum will be held on May 6 to determine the arena issue. It's assumed the outcome will be positive, but that still would leave the Whalers without a suitable arena for two or three seasons. Karmanos is something of an unconventional businessman. That's how he became as big as he is in computer software. He talks of 'finding the biggest building possible that can be fitted with seats and an ice-making plant and making it work for a year.' The possibility is there for an NHL team to move into Ohio State University's new arena for 1998-99, but again, it would only be a temporary arrangement. Karmanos also said he would look at the 10,000-seat Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio, and may even examine temporary homes in Cincinnati or Cleveland. St. Paul is another possibility as civic authorities there continue to pledge support to refitting the St. Paul Civic Centre to NHL standards, but it's doubtful the Twin Cities are high on the list. The best thing it has going for it is a No. 14 rank amongst U.S. TV markets. Oklahoma City has already committed to building a new arena with a sweetheart lease/management agree-ment-and it has a 10,000-seat minor league facility that could do for now. The question there is whether it's a legitimate big-league market. Raleigh-Durham is a solid dark horse candidate, a rather attractive and unique market that is committed to building a new arena. An interim home could be 60 miles down the road in Greensboro, which has a new 16,000-seat facility (home to the Carolina Monarchs of the American League). Columbus has to be considered the favorite, pending the outcome of the May 6 referendum, but Raleigh-Durham shouldn't be discounted even though the potential expansion ownership group there withdrew its bid. A final decision on the Whalers' destination is expected by the end of April, although it may be a week later to allow for the outcome of the May 6 referendum. What do you think? Please share your thoughts on our forum. Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story. What Is Yegor Chinakhov's Trade Value? With the news today that Yegor Chinakhov has requested a trade away from the Columbus Blue Jackets, many are left to wonder what his worth is. Yegor Chinakhov Requests Trade? Per Shumi Babaev on X, his client, Yegor Chinakhov has reauested a trade out of Columbus. Loading The Cannon: Dysin Mayo Yesterday, the Columbus Blue Jackets signed 28-year-old defenseman Dysin Mayo to a one-year, two-way contract. But who is Dysin Mayo? Let's take a look.
NBC Sports
17-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
One Stanley Cup ring hasn't changed Paul Maurice, who has the Panthers on the verge of repeating
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Paul Maurice is not the same person or coach he was when he got his first job in the NHL at 28 years old in the mid-1990s with the Hartford Whalers. He followed that organization to Carolina, went to Toronto, returned to Carolina and spent nearly a decade in Winnipeg. The culmination of those three decades came last year when he coached the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup. One win from becoming just the 18th coach in NHL history to win it back to back, Maurice is the same guy his players have gotten to know and follow since he arrived in the summer of 2022. 'I don't think he's changed since winning,' playoff leading goal-scorer Sam Bennett said. 'He's the same. He can be hard on us. He's hard on us when he needs to be, and then he's relaxed with us when he knows that we need to, so I think he really does have a good feel for what our team needs. We all have the utmost respect for him.' Maurice, now 58, thought that was a nice thing to say. But what has allowed him to earn that respect from within the locker room? Unsurprisingly, his words. 'If you walk into the room and you just tell the truth, whether they want to hear it or not but it's the truth, and over time you could look back and say, 'What that person told me was the truth,' you'll have respect for that,' Maurice said. 'So, I work hard at trying to find the truth every day and then just telling it as simply as I can with the occasional joke slipped in. Most times I'm the only one that thinks it's funny.' It's a different kind of funny that Maurice almost stopped coaching after stepping away from the Jets in 2022. General manager Bill Zito called, Maurice took the job and the rest is Florida hockey history. The Panthers are on the verge of winning 11 of 12 series since Maurice took over. Not once was he close to the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year, but that's a regular-season trophy, and he has done nothing but win in the playoffs. 'He really has control of this team,' Bennett said. 'The team's really just bought into the culture that he's implemented into this team, and we're all willing to do whatever it takes and play that hard style that he keeps preaching to us night in and night out and we've all just bought into that over the years.' A.J. Greer, one of several additions who weren't part of the 2024 run, said Maurice is a unique combination of a motivator who is also analytical and technical. 'He's kind of just a complete package of being able to motivate us and elevate our games mentally,' Greer said. 'He's also a guy that can really translate prior games into a meeting and point out what we need to be better at. He sees the game incredibly well.' Zito credits Maurice and his staff, along with ownership and the lifestyle in South Florida, for making the Panthers an attractive destination for free agents and players with no-trade clauses who can choose where to go. There is good reason for that beyond Maurice's affable personality. From Bennett to Niko Mikkola, Nate Schmidt and many, many others, players who were either adrift in their careers or looking to get on track have thrived playing for him. 'They give you a blue print of how he wants you to play, and he molds that around your strengths as a player and he doesn't ask you to do more than what you should be doing,' said Schmidt, who got a glimpse into Maurice playing one season for him in Winnipeg. 'It's not the easiest system just to jump into, but he expects a certain level out of each guy and if you give that to him, there's no problem. And that's something that I find it was freeing for me, and once you kind of settle into how he wants you to play and into what kind of role he wants you to be in, it takes a lot of the pressure off.' The past several months has been about the pressure of defending a title, but Maurice has enjoyed this run more, acknowledging 'you're allowed to enjoy it a little bit more' with your name already etched in hockey's hallowed trophy. Game 6 is set to be Maurice's 2,091st game as a head coach in the NHL, more than anyone except nine-time Stanley Cup-winner Scotty Bowman. He has some time to catch up to that record, but Maurice has not been at a loss for words going for his second as his popularity among players grows. 'I think you guys know, too: He's got a lot of things to say,' center Anton Lundell said. 'But it's fun to be here, and as a group we like him.'
Washington Post
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
One Stanley Cup ring hasn't changed Paul Maurice, who has the Panthers on the verge of repeating
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Paul Maurice is not the same person or coach he was when he got his first job in the NHL at 28 years old in the mid-1990s with the Hartford Whalers. He followed that organization to Carolina, went to Toronto, returned to Carolina and spent nearly a decade in Winnipeg.
Hindustan Times
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
One Stanley Cup ring hasn't changed Paul Maurice, who has the Panthers on the verge of repeating
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Paul Maurice is not the same person or coach he was when he got his first job in the NHL at 28 years old in the mid-1990s with the Hartford Whalers. He followed that organization to Carolina, went to Toronto, returned to Carolina and spent nearly a decade in Winnipeg. The culmination of those three decades came last year when he coached the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup. One win from becoming just the 18th coach in NHL history to win it back to back, Maurice is the same guy his players have gotten to know and follow since he arrived in the summer of 2022. 'I don't think he's changed since winning,' playoff leading goal-scorer Sam Bennett said. "He's the same. He can be hard on us. He's hard on us when he needs to be, and then he's relaxed with us when he knows that we need to, so I think he really does have a good feel for what our team needs. We all have the utmost respect for him.' Maurice, now 58, thought that was a nice thing to say. But what has allowed him to earn that respect from within the locker room? Unsurprisingly, his words. 'If you walk into the room and you just tell the truth, whether they want to hear it or not but it's the truth, and over time you could look back and say, 'What that person told me was the truth,' you'll have respect for that,' Maurice said. "So, I work hard at trying to find the truth every day and then just telling it as simply as I can with the occasional joke slipped in. Most times I'm the only one that thinks it's funny.' It's a different kind of funny that Maurice almost stopped coaching after stepping away from the Jets in 2022. General manager Bill Zito called, Maurice took the job and the rest is Florida hockey history. The Panthers are on the verge of winning 11 of 12 series since Maurice took over. Not once was he close to the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year, but that's a regular-season trophy, and he has done nothing but win in the playoffs. 'He really has control of this team,' Bennett said. 'The team's really just bought into the culture that he's implemented into this team, and we're all willing to do whatever it takes and play that hard style that he keeps preaching to us night in and night out and we've all just bought into that over the years.' A.J. Greer, one of several additions who weren't part of the 2024 run, said Maurice is a unique combination of a motivator who is also analytical and technical. 'He's kind of just a complete package of being able to motivate us and elevate our games mentally,' Greer said. 'He's also a guy that can really translate prior games into a meeting and point out what we need to be better at. He sees the game incredibly well." Zito credits Maurice and his staff, along with ownership and the lifestyle in South Florida, for making the Panthers an attractive destination for free agents and players with no-trade clauses who can choose where to go. There is good reason for that beyond Maurice's affable personality. From Bennett to Niko Mikkola, Nate Schmidt and many, many others, players who were either adrift in their careers or looking to get on track have thrived playing for him. 'They give you a blue print of how he wants you to play, and he molds that around your strengths as a player and he doesn't ask you to do more than what you should be doing,' said Schmidt, who got a glimpse into Maurice playing one season for him in Winnipeg. "It's not the easiest system just to jump into, but he expects a certain level out of each guy and if you give that to him, there's no problem. And that's something that I find it was freeing for me, and once you kind of settle into how he wants you to play and into what kind of role he wants you to be in, it takes a lot of the pressure off.' The past several months has been about the pressure of defending a title, but Maurice has enjoyed this run more, acknowledging 'you're allowed to enjoy it a little bit more' with your name already etched in hockey's hallowed trophy. Tuesday night is set to be Maurice's 2,091st game as a head coach in the NHL, more than anyone except nine-time Stanley Cup-winner Scotty Bowman. He has some time to catch up to that record, but Maurice has not been at a loss for words going for his second as his popularity among players grows. 'I think you guys know, too: He's got a lot of things to say," center Anton Lundell said. "But it's fun to be here, and as a group we like him.' NHL playoffs: /hub/stanley-cup and /hub/nhl
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
45 years later, NHL awards John Garrett 2nd assist on historic Gordie Howe goal
Forty-five years after it happened, Hartford Whalers goalie John Garrett has been awarded the second assist on Gordie Howe's final NHL goal. (The Canadian Press - image credit) When the big announcement came Friday night during the second intermission of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final, John Garrett had just changed channels to catch the baseball score. "I'm a big Blue Jays fan and, sure enough, during the intermissions, what do you do? I switched to the baseball game. And then all of a sudden my phone started blowing up," he laughed. Advertisement The calls and texts were to congratulate Garrett, a former NHL goaltender and longtime Vancouver Canucks broadcaster, on being awarded the second assist on a hockey legend's historic goal from 45 years ago. "It was a surprise to me, too," said the 73-year-old Garrett. "I'm quite happy that I'm finally getting the assist on Gordie Howe's last NHL goal." On April 9, 1980, Garrett, affectionately known as "Cheech," was in goal for the Hartford Whalers during an 8-4 playoff game loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Garrett played the puck to Mark Howe, who then passed it to his dad. Mr. Hockey, aged 52, proceeded to score the 801st and final goal of his career. John Garrett acknowledges the crowd after his retirement from working as the Vancouver Canucks broadcast analyst was announced in 2023. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press) "There was no trapezoid [rule] back then and I was never a very good puck handler so I had to switch hands on my stick," said Garrett. Advertisement "The puck was in the corner and I went out and threw it around to Mark. And Mark, the great player that he was, made a nice play to Gordie, and Gordie kind of got a fluky goal. But it was still a pretty obvious second assist." Garrett said at the time he wasn't at all concerned about being left off the official score sheet, especially given the shellacking his team endured. But as years passed, it crossed his mind that receiving official recognition for a moment of hockey history would be a wonderful memento. "It was great to have Gordie as a friend and teammate in his last years," said Garrett. "One of the best players on the ice and one of the best human beings off the ice." A screengrab of Garrett in the moments before he earned his second assist on Gordie Howe's final goal. (USA Sports/YouTube) Enter Greg Shannon, longtime Rogers Sportsnet Vancouver Canucks game producer and Garrett colleague. In 2013, he started the #giveittocheech hashtag on social media and began writing periodically to the NHL to ask for a review. Advertisement Until Friday's news, the answer from the league was a solid no. It expressed concerns that it had no record of a request for a review right after the game, and that proceeding with one so many years later would contravene NHL rules of the day. The league also said that adding Garrett's assist could lead to an avalanche of demands to examine other historical judgment calls. So why the change of heart now? Even Garrett doesn't know for sure. Part of it, he thinks, has to do with Shannon's persistence. Another factor could be the influence of an old friend in a high place. John Garrett, right, with Sportsnet colleague John Shorthouse. Garrett credits longtime colleague Greg Shannon for helping convince the NHL to award him a second assist on Howe's goal. (submitted by Greg Shannon) "I think my buddy [NHL executive vice-president] Colin Campbell and our Peterborough Petes connection — he might have got one last e-mail from somebody and said, 'Well, OK, we can make an exception here and go back 45 years and give Cheech an assist.'" In announcing Garrett's assist, broadcaster Ron MacLean said Campbell "has begged all of you former NHLers, please do not be writing the league looking for credit on an assist."
