Carolina Hurricanes Inaugural Game (10/01/97)

[Randomeone01]

I get sick watching this. No disrespect to real Canes fans, but I want the Whalers back. LETS GO WHALE (the AHL team that is) AND BRING BACK THE WHALERS!

[RRaquello]

Rick Peckham, the Tampa announcer here (and still their announcer) was the Hartford Whalers announcer back in the day.

[PhillyPhan3410]

The big reason why these teams moved in the first place was lack of fan support and for the Canadian teams, the Canadian dollar being worth less than the U.S. dollar. That has changed since so expect teams like Phoenix, Florida, and maybe Tampa to start moving back to Quebec, Hartford, Seattle, etc. to start being brought back in the next 10 years.

[4lifeReagan]

@PhillyPhan3410 Tampa Bay is averaging over 18,500 a game and Florida over 16,600 a game...in addition to that BOTH HAVE BINDING ARENA DEALS WHICH PREVENT THEM FROM RELOCATING!!!! Finally Dallas and Carolina and Nashville are all very successful and will continue to be. You stole the Thrashers so be happy with them because the mass exodus youy expect IS NOT COMING!!!!

[wpgjets4life]

@4lifeReagan How much do tickets go for in Florida? $20 a seat? How much merchandise do Tampa and Florida sell compared to Canadian teams? Why did 6 Canadian teams account for 35% of the league revenue? Florida is not a successful franchise, Tampa only does well when the Lightning field a winning team, Dallas is nearly broke, and Carolina only turned a profit once in 2006, when they won the cup.

[TheDieHardWWEAddict]

Bettman outta realize he made a bad move moving the Whalers out of Hartford along with the Jets moving as well in order for the NHL to become hot again they need the Jets back which has happend now they need to get the Whalers back and the Nordiques

[IrishMetalhead94]

LETS GO CANES!!!

[jlthrift]

Does anyone have Nashville's first game?

[Railfan2103]

@jlthrift It is definitely somewhere. On the NHL Network series "Voices", a few brief clips of the Preds' first game are shown on the Pete Weber episode.

[MasterJoBob]

average Winnipeg attendance in last season: 11,316, Lower than Phoenix

average Hartford attendance in last season: spiked to 13,000, but was 11,000 for years

At least Quebec was a consistent 14,500

you will never have an NHL team again and your memories of constant glory days and sold out arenas are delusional

Its over

[Flipstazzz]

@MasterJoBob no one cares

[alucardXX2009]

yeah but Winnipeg is building a new arena.....I think. Also, the Whalers have a better chance to come back rather than the Nordiques.

[CutterHistorical]

@alucardXX2009 Winnipeg built one a few years ago to be NHL ready

[alucardXX2009]

awesome. 

[MisterSherlockHamlet]

@MasterJoBob Maybe you haven't heard...

The Jets are flying high again, and the Coyotes, Thrashers, and other expansion teams NOT located in California or Tampa Bay are FAILING.

Quebec's building a huge new arena...they're getting their team back.

And the CONNECTICUT Whalers are drawing well, too...

The Nordiques and Whalers WILL return...

And maybe Bettman will finally learn what we NHL and Union-folk have known for YEARS:

THE SOUTH SHALL NOT RISE AGAIN!

[jet4212006]

@MisterSherlockHamlet

wait when did news on Quebec happen? is this NHL or AHL?

[4lifeReagan]

@MisterSherlockHamlet Are you kidding Nashville, Carolina, Tampa Bay, even Florida are all doing very well. Dallas is struggling because the ownership issue is not resolved but when it is that team will be just fine. The Thrashers with new ownership that cared about hockey could have been very successful.

[MadCowMindTV]

@MisterSherlockHamlet tmapas doing well actually along with LA and anaheim i know its hard to believe but yeah it's mostly phoenix and miami who arent looking to well even dallas supports their hockey team

[4lifeReagan]

@MisterSherlockHamlet The Whale of Connecticut are averging a little over 4,000 a game thats not drawing well, couple that with the fact they are half way through their home games for the year and have only drawn 57,000 fans total and things are not looking good. Hartford as an AHL city is solid but they will never be an NHL city again!!!

[habsruleleafsdrule]

wow Dineen scores the last Whalers goal and the first Hurricanes goal.

[waffensstrooper]

How appropriate that the last game the Whalers ever played was against the Lightening and the first game of the Hurricanes was against the same team

[NessMencesal]

FUCK THE CANES. BRING BACK THE WHALE

[mrceebees14]

This has to be gut wrenching to watch for Whalers fans.

[thebig1]

@mrceebees14 When Hartford builds a new arena the NHL better come back.

[Reconstudios1]

dude it's still rick and chief the same as now awesome sauce

[gocanes93]

Wow that's really cool! Thanks for uploading this