Is the NHL returning to Hartford? Pros & cons of hockey coming back to Connecticut

The Hartford Whalers were in the NHL from 1979 to 1997 and for years fans have wanted them back. It seems they may potentially get their wish.

Just two days ago, Connecticut governor Ned Lamont revealed he is in talks with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to get a team back to Hartford.

“I’ve talked to Gary Bettman,” Lamont said. “Right now the Coyotes don’t have a place to play on a permanent basis, so they’re looking around trying to find options. Connecticut is definitely on the radar screen.”

If Connecticut is indeed interested in an NHL team, there are some pros and cons of them entering the league.

Pro: Lots of NHL fans in Connecticut

There is no question that there are hockey fans in Hartford, Connecticut.

Earlier this year, Quinnipiac University in Connecticut won the NCAA championship for college hockey, and their games were packed every time. Lamont believes that shows that Connecticut has hockey fans, and many fans already make the drive to Boston and New York to watch NHL hockey.

“It’s a hockey center here. We love hockey. We have the national champions here,” Lamont said. "And the fact that the Rangers and the Bruins are nearby is a good thing, because it means we have a lot of hockey interest.”

Con: Hartford's location

One con for Hartford not getting a team is likely due to their location.

Already the NHL has a ton of teams on the East Coast like the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils. Adding another team may not make a lot of sense.

If the NHL does decide to move Arizona, it makes sense to keep them on the West Coast to keep the conferences and divisions the same.

Pro: Arena and owners lined up

Although the location of Connecticut may be a con, the fact that they have an arena and owners ready is a major pro.

The Whalers played at the XL Center which fits just shy of 15,000 for hockey games and recently received $80 million for renovation. This was in the hope of getting an NHL team.

“We’re going to have to step up,” Lamont said. “We’re going to have to show that we can sell the luxury suites. We’re going to have to show that we’ve got a buyer group if they want to make a change. We’ve got to show that we’re ready to upgrade the XL Center to make sure it’s NHL ready. I think we can do all of those things.”

Along with having an arena, Lamont confirmed there is ownership already ready to make a bid to get the NHL back to Connecticut.

“I know them personally. They’ve expressed real interest,” he said. “Now there’s a lot of negotiations out there. I’ve got a development group that says, ‘Boy, if the Whalers were back into Hartford, I’d be very interested in doing more economic development and housing in that greater area.’ These are folks who have done it before, so that means a lot.”

Whether or not that is enough to get the NHL back to Connecticut is uncertain.