1979-85 Hartford Whalers

The Whalers started out as a team in the old World Hockey Association (WHA), which was a new league established to compete with the NHL. Although the WHA didn't last very long, the Whalers were brought into the fold when the NHL expanded in 1979. The team lasted 18 seasons as a member of the NHL, compiling a record of 534 wins, 709 losses and 177 ties. Even though their franchise numbers were bad, the team featured one of the more unique logos and color schemes during its tenure. And what better to examine than the team's original jersey.

Green is the primary color for the home sweater worn from 1979 to 1985 and it sure does work well. The sleeves feature an angular pattern with a blue stripe in between two larger white stripes. The bottom of the jersey also utilizes this stripe pattern. The logo combined with the colors and shoulder patch are what does it for me. The Whalers logo incorporates the letter W with a tail of a whale over top. In the negative space between the two, there appears to be a "H" for Hartford. The shoulder patch, seen more clearly here, is a relatively small and possibly confused whale affectionately named "Pucky". The diminutive whale was a staple on their jerseys during this time period, but were removed from the 1985-86 season until the team's demise in 1997. "Pucky" came back in a big way when the NHL Store decided to create a Vintage clothing line with all the now defunct franchises.

My final thoughts: One of the coolest vintage jerseys out there without a doubt. I wish I would have been alive then to see them play just because how nice these jerseys are. They weren't a successful team but have remained popular due to their merchandise. I own two Hartford Whalers t-shirts and can't wait to get one of their jerseys.