While the Triangle became familiar with hockey with the move to Raleigh in 1997, there's an alternate timeline where the Whalers never left Hartford.
Despite not playing a game since 1997, no team seems to capture the heart of hockey fans like the Hartford Whalers. It seems like every time the topic of defunct teams comes up, they are one of the first teams that come to mind. Whether it's the logo or the color scheme, it's a team that won't die despite no longer playing hockey.