America's team the Hartford Whalers left Connecticut in April of 1997. I believe I was 12 years old then. Even though I was young when the team was uprooted from my beloved Hartford, they hold an extremely devoted piece of my being.

In my lifetime, I went to roughly a dozen, maybe two dozen home games, not being able to afford season tickets. For my ninth birthday my father took some friends and me to a game against the expansion Florida Panthers -- I think it was my ninth birthday, I could be incorrect but whatever.

I remember watching them on television with my little brother and then playing knee-hockey on the floor of our TV room in between periods. I recall when I liked Brendan Shanahan, and I remember when I hated him (and I still do). I also remember drafting Jeff O'Neill in 1994 right in the Mall itself.

Before they left, they had a "We Love The Whalers" Night at the Goodwin (not sure on that detail, might have been another chain) Hotel in Hartford where there were photo and autograph opportunities with players There was this booth where I got to commentate a clip with Chuck Kaiton and Nelson Emerson, and even play deck hockey with Jason Muzzatti, Marek Malik, and Kelly Chase.

About a little over two months ago, I got my first tattoo at a small place on Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, where I reside and go to school now, and it was the Whalers emblem.

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