1991–92 Hartford Whalers season

Off-season

On May 29, the Whalers announced that head coach Rick Ley was relieved of his duties as head coach of the team. In two seasons, Ley led Hartford to a 69–71–20 record, earning two playoff berths.

On the following day, May 30, the Whalers lost Dave Babych to the Minnesota North Stars at the 1991 NHL Dispersal and Expansion Drafts. Babych appeared in only eight games with Hartford during the 1990-91 season, earning six assists. In 349 career games with the Whalers, Babych scored 44 goals and earned 240 points since joining the team in the 1985-86 season.

The Whalers announced the hiring of Jimmy Roberts as the new head coach of the club on June 7. Roberts was the head coach of the Springfield Indians from 1988 to 1991, leading the club to two Calder Cup championships in 1989-90 and 1990-91. Roberts had previous NHL head coaching experience with the Buffalo Sabres during the 1982-83 season, as he led the club to a 21–16–8 record in 45 games. As a player, Roberts played in 1006 career games with the Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues in a career that spanned from 1963 to 1978. Roberts won five Stanley Cups as a player.

On June 21, the Whalers selected goaltender Shaun Gravistin from the University of Alaska Anchorage in the 1991 NHL supplemental draft.

The next day, the Whalers participated at the 1991 NHL entry draft held at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. With the ninth overall selection in the first round, the club selected Patrick Poulin from the Saint-Hyacinthe Laser of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In 56 games during the 1990-91 season, Poulin scored 32 goals and 70 points. In the third round, with the 59th overall selection, the Whalers selected Michael Nylander from Huddinge IK. In 33 games, Nylander scored 14 goals and 34 points. The only other player from the draft that would eventually play in the NHL was Jim Storm, who the Whalers selected in the fourth round.

On August 26, the Whalers acquired Paul Fenton from the Calgary Flames in exchange for future considerations. The future considerations would be a sixth round draft pick in the 1992 NHL entry draft. Fenton scored 10 goals and 27 points in 61 games as he split the 1990-91 with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames.

The Whalers signed free agent Mario Gosselin on September 4. Gosselin played with the Phoenix Roadrunners of the IHL, posting a 24–15–4 record with a 3.86 GAA during the 1990-91 season. In 218 career NHL games, Gosselin earned a record of 86-94-13 with a 3.69 GAA while playing with the Quebec Nordiques and Los Angeles Kings from 1983 to 1990.

The very next day, on September 5, the club announced the signing of Barry Pederson. Pederson spent the 1990-91 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring six goals and 14 points in 46 games. In 1982-83, Pederson scored a career high 46 goals while with the Boston Bruins. The next season with the Bruins in 1983-84, Pederson scored a career high 116 points. In 1986, the Bruins traded him to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Cam Neely and the Canucks first round selection at the 1987 NHL entry draft, in which Boston selected Glen Wesley.

On September 8, the Whalers traded Sylvain Cote to the Washington Capitals for future considerations. In 382 career games with Hartford, Cote scored 31 goals and 92 points since he broke into the NHL during the 1983-84 season. To complete the trade, the Capitals sent their second round draft pick in the 1992 NHL entry draft.

The Whalers remained busy in September, as on September 17, the club acquired Andrew Cassels from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for the Whalers second round selection in the 1992 NHL entry draft. Cassels, the Canadiens first round draft pick with the 17th overall selection in the 1987 NHL entry draft, scored six goals and 25 points in 51 games with Montreal during the 1990-91 season.

On October 2, the Whalers acquired Dan Keczmer from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for recently signed free agent Paul Fenton. Keczmer appeared in nine games with the Minnesota North Stars during the 1990-91, earning an assist. In 60 games with the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL, Keczmer scored four goals and 24 points.

The next day, on October 3, the Whalers traded Todd Krygier to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a fourth round draft pick in the 1993 NHL entry draft. Krygier scored 13 goals and 30 points in 72 games with the Whalers in the 1990-91 season. On the same day, Hartford acquired Lee Norwood from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for the Whalers fifth round draft pick in the 1993 NHL entry draft. Norwood split the 1990-91 season between the Detroit Red Wings and the Devils, as in 49 games, he scored six goals and 15 points.

NHL draft

Hartford's draft picks at the 1991 NHL entry draft held at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York.

Regular season

Final standings

Schedule and results

Regular season

|- | 1 || October 5, 1991 || || @ Quebec || 2–4 || || || Quebec Coliseum || || 0–1–0 || 0 || L1 |- | 2 || October 8, 1991 || || Montreal || 2–2 || OT || || Hartford Civic Center || || 0–1–1 || 1 || T1 |- | 3 || October 12, 1991 || || NY Rangers || 5–2 || || || Hartford Civic Center || || 1–1–1 || 3 || W1 |- | 4 || October 14, 1991 || || @ Montreal || 4–3 || || || Montreal Forum || || 2–1–1 || 5 || W2 |- | 5 || October 16, 1991 || || @ Winnipeg || 3–2 || || || Winnipeg Arena || || 3–1–1 || 7 || W3 |- | 6 || October 19, 1991 || || Buffalo || 4–1 || || || Hartford Civic Center || || 4–1–1 || 9 || W4 |- | 7 || October 23, 1991 || || San Jose || 3–0 || || || Hartford Civic Center || || 5–1–1 || 11 || W5 |- | 8 || || 7:35p.m. EDT || Chicago || 2–4 || || Whitmore || Hartford Civic Center || 11,038 || 5–2–1 || 11 || L1 |- | 9 || October 27, 1991 || || @ Buffalo || 1–5 || || || Buffalo Memorial Auditorium || || 5–3–1 || 11 || L2 |- | 10 || October 30, 1991 || || Los Angeles || 4–4 || OT || || Hartford Civic Center || || 5–3–2 || 12 || T1

| Legend:

Playoffs

|- | 1 || April 19, 1992 || Hartford || 0–2 || Montreal || || Pietrangelo || 16,624 || 0–1 || |- | 2 || April 21, 1992 || Hartford || 2–5 || Montreal || || Pietrangelo || 16,627 || 0–2 || |- | 3 || April 23, 1992 || Montreal || 2–5 || Hartford || || Pietrangelo || 6,728 || 1–2 || |- | 4 || April 25, 1992 || Montreal || 1–3 || Hartford || || Pietrangelo || 10,071 || 2–2 || |- | 5 || April 27, 1992 || Hartford || 4–7 || Montreal || || Pietrangelo || 16,693 || 2–3 || |- | 6 || April 29, 1992 || Montreal || 1–2 || Hartford || OT || Pietrangelo || 8,262 || 3–3 || |- | 7 || May 1, 1992 || Hartford || 2–3 || Montreal || 2OT || Pietrangelo || 17,718 || 3–4 ||

| Legend:

Game officials

Pre season

Regular season

Player statistics

Regular season

;Scoring

;Goaltending

Playoffs

;Scoring

;Goaltending

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus-minus PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals;

  MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals-against average;  SO = Shutouts; SA=Shots against; SV=Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage; 

Playoffs

Canadiens 4, Whalers 3

Adams Division Semi-finals

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (4) Hartford Whalers

|1-1-1 = 16:18 - pp - Dionne (1) - (Keane, Savard) |1-1-2 = No scoring |1-2-1 = No scoring |1-2-2 = No scoring |1-3-1 = 15:55 - Dionne (2) - (Savard, Gilchrist) |1-3-2 = No scoring |goalie1-1 = Roy (1-0) (32 saves / 32 shots) |goalie1-2 = Pietrangelo (0-1) (28 saves / 30 shots)

|2-1-1 = 2:46 - pp - Gilchrist (1) - (Savard, Desjardins) |2-1-2 = Cullen (1) - pp - (Konroyd, Shaw) - 7:16 |2-2-1 = 10:54 - Gilchrist (2) - (Savard, Muller) 12:31 - pp - Muller (1) - (Schneider, Savard) 15:42 - Carbonneau (1) - (Brisebois, Savard) |2-2-2 = Cunneyworth (1) - (Gillis) - 15:07 |2-3-1 = 19:45 - pp - en - Desjardins (1) - (Unassisted) |2-3-2 = No scoring |goalie2-1 = Roy (2-0) (15 saves / 17 shots) |goalie2-2 = Pietrangelo (0-2) (23 saves / 27 shots)

|3-1-1 = Brisebois (1) - pp - (Muller, Lebeau) - 17:52 |3-1-2 = No scoring |3-2-1 = No scoring |3-2-2 = 4:29 - Zalapski (1) - (Craven, Richards) 10:19 - sh - Craven (1) - (Cassels, Houda) 19:09 - Cullen (2) - (Verbeek) |3-3-1 = Lebeau (1) - pp - (Dionne, Corson) - 19:23 |3-3-2 = 2:38 - Craven (2) - (Cassels) 16:06 - pp - Poulin (1) - (Verbeek, Zalapski) |goalie3-1 = Roy (2-1) (18 saves / 23 shots) |goalie3-2 = Pietrangelo (1-2) (32 saves / 34 shots)

|4-1-1 = No scoring |4-1-2 = 12:18 - pp - Corriveau (1) - (Craven, Cassels) |4-2-1 = No scoring |4-2-2 = 7:26 - pp - Cunneyworth (2) - (Corriveau) |4-3-1 = Muller (2) - (Savard, Gilchrist) - 7:28 |4-3-2 = 19:41 - en - Craven (3) - (Corriveau, Richards) |goalie4-1 = Roy (2-2) (33 saves / 35 shots) |goalie4-2 = Pietrangelo (2-2) (24 saves / 25 shots)

|5-1-1 = 19:47 - Turgeon (1) - (Carbonneau, Brisebois) |5-1-2 = Cunneyworth (3) - sh - (Andersson, Ladouceur) - 4:03 Corriveau (2) - pp - (Cullen, Zalapski) - 12:42 |5-2-1 = 15:01 - sh - Muller (3) - (Savard, Desjardins) 15:37 - Skrudland (1) - (Corson, Brisebois) 17:41 - pp - Muller (4) - (Daigneault) 19:55 - Brisebois (2) - (Corson) |5-2-2 = Cassels (1) - pp - (Craven, Richards) - 8:33 |5-3-1 = 1:24 - LeClair (1) - (Daigneault) 12:19 - Corson (1) - (LeClair) |5-3-2 = Poulin (2) - (Zalapski) - 3:00 |goalie5-1 = Roy (3-2) (19 saves / 23 shots) |goalie5-2 = Pietrangelo (2-3) (23 saves / 29 shots) Whitmore (4 saves / 5 shots)

|6-1-1 = No scoring |6-1-2 = No scoring |6-2-1 = Savard (1) - (Schneider, Daigenault) - 4:39 |6-2-2 = 1:48 - Zalapski (2) - (Andersson, Houda) |6-3-1 = No scoring |6-3-2 = No scoring |6-4-1 = No scoring |6-4-2 = 0:24 - Corriveau (3) - (Cassels) |goalie6-1 = Roy (3-3) (24 saves / 26 shots) |goalie6-2 = Pietrangelo (3-3) (42 saves / 43 shots)

|7-1-1 = 6:08 - pp - Schneider (1) - (Savard, Gilchrist) 11:07 - Dionne (3) - (Lebeau) |7-1-2 = No scoring |7-2-1 = No scoring |7-2-2 = Cassels (2) - (Unassisted) - 8:13 Sanderson (1) - (Poulin, Holík) - 15:36 |7-3-1 = No scoring |7-3-2 = No scoring |7-4-1 = 5:26 - Courtnall (1) - (Corson, Dionne) |7-4-2 = No scoring |goalie7-1 = Roy (4-3) (39 saves / 41 shots) |goalie7-2 = Pietrangelo (3-4) (53 saves / 56 shots)

Transactions

The Whalers were involved in the following transactions during the 1991–92 season.

Trades

Free agents

|}

References

References

1. "Hartford Whalers Yearly Attendance Graph".
2. "1991-92 Hartford Whalers Schedule".
3. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Quebec Nordiques – October 5th, 1991".
4. (January 17, 2024). "Montreal Canadiens – Hartford Whalers – October 8th, 1991".
5. (January 17, 2024). "New York Rangers – Hartford Whalers – October 12th, 1991".
6. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Montreal Canadiens – October 14th, 1991".
7. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Winnipeg Jets – October 16th, 1991".
8. (January 17, 2024). "Buffalo Sabres – Hartford Whalers – October 19th, 1991".
9. (January 17, 2024). "San Jose Sharks – Hartford Whalers – October 23rd, 1991".
10. (January 17, 2024). "Chicago Blackhawks – Hartford Whalers – October 26th, 1991".
11. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Buffalo Sabres – October 27th, 1991".
12. (January 17, 2024). "Los Angeles Kings – Hartford Whalers – October 30th, 1991".
13. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Detroit Red Wings – November 1th, 1991".
14. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Pittsburgh Penguins – November 2nd, 1991".
15. (January 17, 2024). "Calgary Flames – Hartford Whalers – November 6th, 1991".
16. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – St. Louis Blues – November 2nd, 1991".
17. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Chicago Blackhawks – November 10th, 1991".
18. (January 17, 2024). "Quebec Nordiques – Hartford Whalers – November 12th, 1991".
19. (January 17, 2024). "Montreal Canadiens – Hartford Whalers – November 14th, 1991".
20. (January 17, 2024). "Boston Bruins – Hartford Whalers – November 16th, 1991".
21. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Toronto Maple Leafs – November 17th, 1991".
22. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – New Jersey Devils – November 22nd, 1991".
23. (January 17, 2024). "Washington Capitals – Hartford Whalers – November 23rd, 1991".
24. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Quebec Nordiques – November 25th, 1991".
25. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Philadelphia Flyers – November 27th, 1991".
26. (January 17, 2024). "Montreal Canadiens – Hartford Whalers – November 30th, 1991".
27. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Boston Bruins – December 1st, 1991".
28. (January 17, 2024). "Toronto Maple Leafs – Hartford Whalers – December 4th, 1991".
29. (January 17, 2024). "Buffalo Sabres – Hartford Whalers – December 7th, 1991".
30. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Buffalo Sabres – December 13th, 1991".
31. (January 17, 2024). "New York Rangers – Hartford Whalers – December 14th, 1991".
32. (January 17, 2024). "New York Islanders – Hartford Whalers – December 17th, 1991".
33. (January 17, 2024). "New Jersey Devils – Hartford Whalers – December 19th, 1991".
34. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Montreal Canadiens – December 21st, 1991".
35. (January 17, 2024). "Buffalo Sabres – Hartford Whalers – December 23rd, 1991".
36. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Boston Bruins – December 26th, 1991".
37. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Quebec Nordiques – December 28th, 1991".
38. (January 17, 2024). "New York Islanders – Hartford Whalers – December 29th, 1991".
39. (January 17, 2024). "Quebec Nordiques – Hartford Whalers – January 2nd, 1992".
40. (January 17, 2024). "Washington Capitals – Hartford Whalers – January 4th, 1992".
41. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – New York Islanders – January 9th, 1992".
42. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Montreal Canadiens – January 11th, 1992".
43. (January 17, 2024). "Boston Bruins – Hartford Whalers – January 15th, 1992".
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45. (January 17, 2024). "Winnipeg Jets – Hartford Whalers – January 21st, 1992".
46. (January 17, 2024). "Boston Bruins – Hartford Whalers – January 25th, 1992".
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48. (January 17, 2024). "Minnesota North Stars – Hartford Whalers – January 28th, 1992".
49. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Edmonton Oilers – January 31st, 1992".
50. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Vancouver Canucks – February 1st, 1992".
51. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – San Jose Sharks – February 4th, 1992".
52. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Los Angeles Kings – February 6th, 1992".
53. (January 17, 2024). "Minnesota North Stars – Hartford Whalers – February 9th, 1992".
54. (January 17, 2024). "Buffalo Sabres – Hartford Whalers – February 11th, 1992".
55. (January 17, 2024). "Edmonton Oilers – Hartford Whalers – February 13th, 1992".
56. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – New Jersey Devils – February 15th, 1992".
57. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Buffalo Sabres – February 6th, 1992".
58. (January 17, 2024). "Montreal Canadiens – Hartford Whalers – February 19th, 1992".
59. (January 17, 2024). "Quebec Nordiques – Hartford Whalers – February 22nd, 1992".
60. (January 17, 2024). "Detroit Red Wings – Hartford Whalers – February 23rd, 1992".
61. (January 17, 2024). "St. Louis Blues – Hartford Whalers – February 25th, 1992".
62. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Pittsburgh Penguins – February 27th, 1992".
63. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Minnesota North Stars – February 29th, 1992".
64. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – New York Rangers – March 1st, 1992".
65. (January 17, 2024). "Boston Bruins – Hartford Whalers – March 3rd, 1992".
66. (January 17, 2024). "Quebec Nordiques – Hartford Whalers – March 5th, 1992".
67. (January 17, 2024). "St. Louis Blues – Hartford Whalers – March 7th, 1992".
68. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Quebec Nordiques – March 9th, 1992".
69. (January 17, 2024). "Los Angeles Kings – Hartford Whalers – March 11th, 1992".
70. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Winnipeg Jets – March 13th, 1992".
71. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Edmonton Oilers – March 14th, 1992".
72. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Calgary Flames – March 16th, 1992".
73. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Vancouver Canucks – March 18th, 1992".
74. (January 17, 2024). "San Jose Sharks – Hartford Whalers – March 21st, 1992".
75. (January 17, 2024). "Pittsburgh Penguins – Hartford Whalers – March 22nd, 1992".
76. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Washington Capitals – March 24th, 1992".
77. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – St. Louis Blues – March 26th, 1992".
78. (January 17, 2024). "Chicago Blackhawks – Hartford Whalers – March 28th, 1992".
79. (January 17, 2024). "Hartford Whalers – Buffalo Sabres – March 29th, 1992".
80. (January 17, 2024). "Philadelphia Flyers – Hartford Whalers – March 22nd, 1992".
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