The 1994–95

Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its 25-year existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1 ...

season was the 23rd

season A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...

of the franchise, 16th season in the

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

. Despite trading away star forward

Pat Verbeek Patrick Martin Verbeek (born May 24, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Verbeek played for five teams over a 20-year playing career, ear ...

to the

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...

on March 23, 1995, the Whalers played solid over the next 16 games from March 25 to April 24, with a record of 8-7-1. However, the Whalers could not keep pace with the New York Rangers who went on to take 8th place in the Eastern Conference. It was the third consecutive season that the Whalers missed the playoffs. On a positive note, the Whalers had the most overtime wins and the best overtime record in the NHL, going 4-0-5.

Darren Turcotte Darren Turcotte (born March 2, 1968) is an American former professional Ice hockey player. Early life Turcotte's family moved to North Bay, Ontario where he spent most of his childhood. After his family returned to northern Ontario, he began pl ...

led all NHL skaters in overtime goals scored with 2.

Off-season

The Whalers announced on May 19 that head coach

Pierre McGuire Regis Pierre McGuire (born August 8, 1961) is an American-Canadian ice hockey executive who currently works for Sportsnet; he last served as senior vice-president of player development for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL ...

would not return to the club. McGuire took over the head coaching duties early in the 1993-94, as

Paul Holmgren Paul Howard Holmgren (born December 2, 1955) is an Americans, American former professional ice hockey player and executive. He previously served as the general manager and president of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). ...

focused on his role as general manager of the team. In 67 games, McGuire led the Whalers to a 23-37-7 record. On June 28, the Whalers selected

Steve Martins Steve P. Martins (born April 13, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Biography As a youth, Martins played in the 1986 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a min ...

in the 1994 NHL supplemental draft. Martins played the 1993-94 season with

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

, where he 25 goals and 60 points in 32 games. At the 1994 NHL entry draft held at the

Hartford Civic Center Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 census. Hartford is the most populous city in the Capitol Planning Region and the core city of ...

on June 28, the Whalers selected

Jeff O'Neill Jeffrey O'Neill (born February 23, 1976) is a Canadian broadcaster and former professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played 12 seasons with the Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He ...

from the

Guelph Storm The Guelph Storm are a major junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. They have played in the OHL since the 1991–92 season. The team plays home games at the Sleeman Centre. History The franchise started as the Toronto Marl ...

of the

Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; ) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League, alongside the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. The league is for players ag ...

with their first round, fifth overall selection. O'Neill scored 45 goals and 126 points in 66 games with the Storm during the 1993-94 season. The only other player that the Whalers selected in the draft that played in the NHL was

Hnat Domenichelli Hnat A. Domenichelli (born February 16, 1976) is a Canadian-born former professional ice hockey player. He was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the fourth round, 83rd overall, of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He played 267 National Hockey League (N ...

, who Hartford selected in the fourth round. On June 28, the NHL announced that the Whalers ownership transferred to the

Compuware Compuware Corporation was an American software company based in Detroit. The company offered products aimed at the information technology (IT) departments of large businesses, and its services also included testing, development, automation and p ...

group, led by Peter Karmanos Jr.,

Thomas Thewes Thomas Thewes (December 9, 1931 – September 28, 2008) was an American entrepreneur and businessman. He was vice chairman and a co-founder of Compuware Corporation along with Peter Karmanos and Allen Cutting. Thewes was a co-owner of three hockey ...

and

Jim Rutherford James Earl Rutherford (born February 17, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and executive. He is the president of hockey operations of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Prior to his position wi ...

. The group owned the

Detroit Junior Red Wings The Detroit Junior Red Wings were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League for three seasons from 1992 to 1995. The Jr. Red Wings were based in Detroit, Michigan. History The Compuware Ambassadors were renamed the Detroit Junior Red ...

of the

, originally named the

Detroit Compuware Ambassadors The Detroit Compuware Ambassadors were an elite Midget Major ice hockey team playing in the Tier I Elite Hockey League. The Ambassadors previously had separate franchises that competed in the North American Hockey League and in the Ontario Hocke ...

, since they were awarded an OHL expansion franchise on December 11, 1989. Rutherford took over the general manager duties of the Whalers at this time, replacing

, who returned to head coaching duties. Rutherford was a former NHL goaltender, amassing a 151-227-59 record with a 3.66 GAA in 457 games with the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...

and

Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...

in a career that spanned from 1970-1983. Following his playing career, Rutherford was the general manager of the

Windsor Compuware Spitfires The Windsor Spitfires are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1971, the franchise was promoted to the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League for the 1975� ...

from 1985-1989. He then became the general manager of the

franchise from 1989-1994. The Whalers signed free agent

Jimmy Carson James Charles Carson (born July 20, 1968) is an American former professional ice hockey player. He played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League with five different teams. In 1988, he became only the second teenager in NHL history to score 50 g ...

on July 13. Carson split the 1993-94 season between the

and

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...

, as he scored 14 goals and 28 points in 59 games. Carson's best NHL season was in 1987-88 with the Kings, when he scored 55 goals and 107 points in 80 games. On August 9, 1988, Carson was traded to the

Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...

in a blockbuster trade in which

Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...

was traded to Los Angeles. On August 18, the Whalers signed restricted free agent Steven Rice from the

. In 63 games, Rice scored 17 goals and 32 points during the 1993-94 season. As compensation for signing Rice, Hartford sent

Bryan Marchment Bryan William Marchment (May 1, 1969 – July 6, 2022) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League for the Winnipeg Jets (1972–96), Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks, Hartford Whalers, Edmonton Oilers, Tampa ...

to the Oilers on August 30. The Whalers acquired

Glen Wesley Glen Edwin Wesley (born October 2, 1968) is a Canadian- American former ice hockey defenceman. Wesley played 13 seasons for the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. He began his career with the Boston Bruins, and b ...

from the

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...

in a trade on August 26, sending their first round draft picks in the 1995 NHL entry draft, 1996 NHL entry draft and 1997 NHL entry draft to the Bruins. Wesley scored 14 goals and 58 points in 81 games during the 1993-94 season. He was drafted third overall by Boston in the 1987 NHL entry draft, and had accumulated 77 goals and 307 points in 537 games since beginning his career in the 1987-88 season. Following the 1994-95 NHL lockout, which postponed the start of the season until January 1995, the Whalers participated in the waiver draft on January 18. Hartford selected Brian Glynn from the

and Kelly Chase from the

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...

. Glynn split the 1993-94 season with the

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...

and Canucks, scoring two goals and 15 points in 64 games. In 17 playoff games with Vancouver, Glynn had three assists. Chase played in 68 games with the Blues during the 1993-94, scoring two goals and seven points, along with 278 penalty minutes.

Regular season

The Whalers tied the Dallas Stars and the Toronto Maple Leafs for the lowest shooting percentage during the regular season, with just 127 goals on 1,428 shots (8.9%).

Final standings

Schedule and results

, - , 1, , January 21, 1995, , 1–1 OT, , style="text-align:left;",

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...

( 1994–95) , , 0–0–1 , , 15,635 , , , - , 2, , January 22, 1995, , 2–2 OT, , style="text-align:left;",

New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...

( 1994–95) , , 0–0–2 , , 12,054 , , , - , 3, , January 25, 1995, , 4–1 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 1–0–2 , , 8,567 , , , - , 4, , January 26, 1995, , 2–3 , , style="text-align:left;", @

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...

( 1994–95) , , 1–1–2 , , 16,557 , , , - , 5, , January 28, 1995, , 1–2 , , style="text-align:left;",

Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Panthers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team initially played it ...

( 1994–95) , , 1–2–2 , , 9,419 , , , - , - , 6, , February 1, 1995, , 2–1 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 2–2–2 , , 9,663 , , , - , 7, , February 4, 1995, , 4–5 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 2–3–2 , , 14,448 , , , - , 8, , February 5, 1995, , 1–3 , , style="text-align:left;", @

Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques (, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association (1972–1979) an ...

( 1994–95) , , 2–4–2 , , 13,207 , , , - , 9, , February 8, 1995, , 2–3 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 2–5–2 , , 8,032 , , , - , 10, , February 10, 1995, , 3–4 , , style="text-align:left;", @

Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...

( 1994–95) , , 2–6–2 , , 16,639 , , , - , 11, , February 11, 1995, , 3–4 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 2–7–2 , , 14,311 , , , - , 12, , February 13, 1995, , 2–2 OT, , style="text-align:left;", @

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...

( 1994–95) , , 2–7–3 , , 16,370 , , , - , 13, , February 15, 1995, , 4–1 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 3–7–3 , , 11,445 , , , - , 14, , February 16, 1995, , 2–5 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 3–8–3 , , 13,179 , , , - , 15, , February 18, 1995, , 4–2 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 4–8–3 , , 12,888 , , , - , 16, , February 22, 1995, , 3–2 OT, , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 5–8–3 , , 14,021 , , , - , 17, , February 24, 1995, , 2–1 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 6–8–3 , , 18,200 , , , - , 18, , February 25, 1995, , 1–3 , , style="text-align:left;",

Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...

( 1994–95) , , 6–9–3 , , 13,117 , , , - , 19, , February 28, 1995, , 6–3 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 7–9–3 , , 9,174 , , , - , - , 20, , March 1, 1995, , 2–5 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 7–10–3 , , 15,011 , , , - , 21, , March 4, 1995, , 3–2 OT, , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 8–10–3 , , 9,151 , , , - , 22, , March 5, 1995, , 2–5 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 8–11–3 , , 15,635 , , , - , 23, , March 7, 1995, , 1–3 , , style="text-align:left;", @

New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...

( 1994–95) , , 8–12–3 , , 10,371 , , , - , 24, , March 9, 1995, , 2–1 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 9–12–3 , , 8,886 , , , - , 25, , March 12, 1995, , 1–4 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 9–13–3 , , 9,741 , , , - , 26, , March 14, 1995, , 6–4 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 10–13–3 , , 8,137 , , , - , 27, , March 16, 1995, , 2–2 OT, , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 10–13–4 , , 16,032 , , , - , 28, , March 20, 1995, , 0–5 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 10–14–4 , , 8,219 , , , - , 29, , March 22, 1995, , 4–3 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 11–14–4 , , 10,149 , , , - , 30, , March 25, 1995, , 5–1 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 12–14–4 , , 13,337 , , , - , 31, , March 26, 1995, , 4–3 OT, , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 13–14–4 , , 11,739 , , , - , 32, , March 29, 1995, , 4–4 OT, , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 13–14–5 , , 13,507 , , , - , 33, , March 31, 1995, , 0–2 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 13–15–5 , , 17,961 , , , - , - , 34, , April 4, 1995, , 3–6 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 13–16–5 , , 13,751 , , , - , 35, , April 5, 1995, , 8–4 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 14–16–5 , , 15,091 , , , - , 36, , April 8, 1995, , 4–2 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 15–16–5 , , 13,409 , , , - , 37, , April 9, 1995, , 0–3 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 15–17–5 , , 10,725 , , , - , 38, , April 12, 1995, , 4–2 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 16–17–5 , , 10,509 , , , - , 39, , April 14, 1995, , 4–3 OT, , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 17–17–5 , , 15,635 , , , - , 40, , April 16, 1995, , 2–3 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 17–18–5 , , 13,613 , , , - , 41, , April 18, 1995, , 2–1 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 18–18–5 , , 15,123 , , , - , 42, , April 20, 1995, , 2–3 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 18–19–5 , , 18,200 , , , - , 43, , April 21, 1995, , 3–6 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 18–20–5 , , 15,721 , , , - , 44, , April 23, 1995, , 2–4 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 18–21–5 , , 14,813 , , , - , 45, , April 24, 1995, , 4–3 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 19–21–5 , , 16,794 , , , - , 46, , April 26, 1995, , 0–1 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 19–22–5 , , 14,448 , , , - , 47, , April 28, 1995, , 3–4 , , style="text-align:left;",

( 1994–95) , , 19–23–5 , , 15,515 , , , - , - , 48, , May 3, 1995, , 1–4 , , style="text-align:left;", @

( 1994–95) , , 19–24–5 , , 15,399 , , , - , - , ''Legend'':

Player statistics

Scoring

* ''Position abbreviations: C =

Center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...

; D =

Defense Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...

; G =

Goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as goalie or netminder) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their own team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays ...

; LW =

Left wing Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy either as a whole or of certain social hierarchies. Left-wing politic ...

; RW =

Right wing Right-wing politics is the range of Ideology#Political ideologies, political ideologies that view certain social orders and Social stratification, hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position b ...

'' * '' = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Whalers only.'' * '' = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Whalers only.''

Goaltending

Awards and records

Awards

Milestones

Transactions

The Whalers were involved in the following transactions during the 1994–95 season.

Trades

Waivers

Free agents

Draft picks

Hartford's draft picks at the 1994 NHL entry draft.

Notes

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hartford Whalers Season, 1994-95 1994-95 1994–95 NHL season by team

Hart Hart often refers to: * Hart (deer) * Hart (surname) Hart may also refer to: Organizations * Hart Racing Engines, a former Formula One engine manufacturer * Hart Skis, US ski manufacturer * Hart Stores, a Canadian chain of department store ...