Your Connecticut Whale; It's A Trap!?!?

Sad City visited the XL Center for the official announcement that the Hartford Wolf Pack will be changing their name to the Connecticut Whale in the near future we couldn't help but get that weird familiar feeling when looking at the new mascot Pucky. Then we figured out Pucky's full name; Pucky Ackbar.

The press conference itself was rather unexciting. Howard Baldwin either has a cold or needs to quit smoking.  It was a little odd when Glen Sather of the New York Rangers spoke of how the Rangers would support the team while Howard Baldwin and his group Whalers Sports have openly said that supporting the AHL franchise is the first step towards a return of an NHL franchise, which would compete directly with the Rangers.

All in all everyone was very positive and even Mayor Segarra was on hand to make some remarks. Sitting in the mostly empty building under the now badly faded Whalers banners it made us nostalgic and hopeful for the good old days of Whalers hockey.                        

The gentlemen behind Pucky Ackbar look like members of The Hartford Party Starter's Union and likely hit the local cantina on the way home.

At the same time and for the sake of our financially challenged city, we can only hope that word of Pucky Ackbar doesn't make it back to the far away galaxy of Skywalker Ranch. We all know how Mr. Lucas does not take kindly to folks who too closely proximate his always brilliant ideas.

For now though we think it's a really cool idea and so is the 2011 Hockey Fest Whalers Sports is putting together. Wolf Pack/Whale (nothing awkward about that) tickets are on sale now; live hockey is an incredible sport so check it out if you've never done so and you won't regret it. With  this announcement, in many ways the circle is now complete.

Few are aware but Hartford is also one of the leading cities in Mon-Calamari/Wolf relations.