Hurricanes to wear throwback Whalers jerseys against Bruins

The Whale is coming back.

The Carolina Hurricanes, using social media, said Thursday that they would wear throwback jerseys modeled after those of the Hartford Whalers in two NHL games this season, honoring the past and the legacy of the franchise’s days in Hartford, Conn.

While no official announcement was made, the team has plans to hold a “Whalers Night” at PNC Arena for the Dec. 23 game against the Boston Bruins, wearing throwback green sweaters with the iconic Whalers logo modeled after those used by the Whalers from 1985-80 and 1990-91. They also will wear the throwback Whalers sweaters in the March 5 road game against the Bruins.

The Whalers, under former owner Peter Karmanos Jr., moved to North Carolina in 1997 and were renamed the Carolina Hurricanes. When Tom Dundon bought majority interest in the team from Karmanos this past January, he quickly mentioned the idea of wearing Whalers jerseys during an NHL game while approving the sale of Whalers merchandise at PNC Arena.

“We’re proud of the history and traditions that we’ve built in 21 years in North Carolina. But we’ve never thrown away the records established during this franchise’s 18 NHL seasons in Connecticut,” Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell said in a statement on the team web site. “This is a chance to celebrate our team’s heritage and the players and coaches who laid the groundwork for this franchise.”

The team said it would release additional details on “Whalers Night” at a later date.