Cannon Blasts: Whale, Whale, Whale, What Do We Have Here?

You can’t deny how good it is; the Hartford Whalers will kind of return to the ice later this year in something that hockey fans (really, hockey fans who are also uniform enthusiasts) have waited years for.

Honoring our history pic.twitter.com/rPPSuf05me

— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) September 27, 2018

Hot damn is that a clean look. And a few nice touches to modernize it and bring the Hurricanes identity to it - I personally love the blue squares in the collar.

But, as much as I love this, I also am uneasy about it. It’s a perspective that, unfortunately, not many have or think about but it’s an important one: How much does this kill those who were Whaler fans.

I was talking about this with the Cannon staff on the day it debuted: If the Winnipeg Jets did this, but with the Thrashers, my feelings would be incredibly mixed.

On the one hand, it really would feel good to see that blue sweater on the ice again. It’d be like nothing had changed and that my boys were back on the ice.

But on the other, it’d just be nothing more than a mean, mean tease. Also, a very obvious money grab (which I still wouldn’t feel bad about dropping $100 on that if I’m a Canes or Whalers fan).

I’m not saying the Canes are right or wrong in doing this - like I said, it’ll make them money, I’m sure they’ll have more eyes tuned in than usual to see the duds on the pond and, again, they’re clean af.

I just also don’t want those Whaler fans to think no one is thinking about them.

How will you feel in 10 years if Austin FC debuts a black and gold third kit?

Anyway, here’s the news, and the puck drops tomorrow.

Columbus Blue Jackets

• Mark Letestu is back. Rejoice!
• The Blue Jackets have their 23-man roster well ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. Markus Hannikainen, Sonny Milano, Lukas Sedlak all survived the cuts from the forwards perspective, while injuries on the blueline have opened spots for Gabriel Carlsson, Adam Clendening and Dean Kukuan.
• Pierre LeBrun puts two Jackets on his “10 players who might be dealt before the trade deadline,” list and you’ll never guess who they are.
• Our own Pale Dragon gave some of his preseason thoughts in the aftermath of the final preseason game, as did Aaron Portzline. Ours are better though because, well, duh.
• One of my favorite Blue Jackets ever (remember, I’ve only been a fan since post-Thrashers in Atlanta) in Scott Hartnell announced his retirement. He gave way to my favorite thing: Little Turds (which I’m sad never caught on with fans).
• ESPN has their season outlook for the Jackets, in which the sentence “ The Jackets are a legit playoff contender at the NHL level, and while their prospect system lacks a bona-fide A-level prospect...” is together. This is awesome. Although that worst-case scenario scares me.
• Remember how the Jackets are the kings of hockey social media?/

NHL News

• The biggest hockey news of the last week, maybe all offseason, was that of the introduction of Gritty. I’ll...let yall discuss amongst yourselves.
• Our buds over at Broad Street Hockey also have their CBJ outlook (should this go up top? Screw it, it’s staying here).
• NHL to Seattle takes a key step today.
• TSN’s Frank Seravalli has his 31 Bold Predictions ready to go before the season starts in which he predicts  things such as Carlyle out in Anaheim before Christmas, the goaltending will fail Chicago, Florida makes the playoffs and the Lightning area Cup team.
• TSN also has their preseason power rankings ready to go.
• Radim Vrbata is retiring. He was a key fixture on several of my fantasy hockey squads./

Sports News

• The MLB Playoffs are somewhat officially set: The Rockies are in Chi-Town for the NL Wildcard tonight, which will set up a meeting with the Brewers in the NLDS. My Braves take on the Dodgers in a 2013 rematch and I’m terrified.
• The AL side of the bracket follows as such: Oakland is in New York for the wildcard, with a matchup against the Red Sox on the line. The Astros and Indians will meet in the other NLDS which might be the best series of this first round.
• The NBA Preseason is here, and LeBron James has officially(?) debuted as a Laker.
• Is it really that dead in sports as a whole right now? I mean sure things are happening but is anything really happening?/