Despite Decades of Challenges, Hartford Hockey Thrives
If there's one thing the Wolf Pack's 50 Years celebration proved, it's that Hartford hockey is here to stay.
Hartford was never supposed to be a hockey town.
When ground broke on the Hartford Civic Center in 1971, the city had an eye on a different spot - basketball. Hartford hoped to land an American Basketball Association franchise, either through relocation or expansion. The city flirted with the Spirits of St. Louis, but ultimately, talks with the ABA fell through.
Meanwhile, a couple hours north in Boston, the World Hockey Association's New England Whalers found themselves without a suitable home. In their first two seasons in Boston, the Whalers split time between the Boston Arena and the Boston Garden. However, the Arena was simply too small to host professional hockey, while the Whalers found themselves behind the Boston Bruins (NHL), Celtics (NBA), and Braves (AHL) for dates at the Garden. It became clear that if the Whalers had a future, it was not in Boston.
In February 1974, Whalers owner Howard Baldwin made it official. The Whalers were moving to Hartford.
The Whalers played their first game at the Hartford Civic Center on January 11th, 1975. The team hosted the San Diego Mariners, earning a 4-3 overtime win.
With that, Hartford's 50-year long and counting hockey history was born.
