Hartford, CT … Whalers Sports and Entertainment announced today that Nelson Emerson and Darren Turcotte will join the group of featured players for the Hartford Whalers legends vs. Boston Bruins legends game February 19, 2011 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
The legends game comprises part of the “Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl,” the featured event of the two-week outdoor Whalers Hockey Fest spectacular at Rentschler Field that will include numerous collegiate, high school, prep school and youth hockey games. The legends game will face off at 4:00 PM on February 19 and will be followed by the outdoor AHL game between the Connecticut Whale and the Providence Bruins at 7:00 PM.
Emerson, a winger from Hamilton, Ontario, played 147 games in a Hartford Whaler uniform during the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons and totaled 38 goals and 58 assists for 96 points in Whaler action. The Bowling Green University product was acquired by the Whalers, for Turcotte, in a trade October 6, 1995 and finished third on the 1995-96 Whaler club in goals, and fourth in points, with 29 goals and 29 assists for 58 points in 81 games. The following year, 1996-97, the Whalers’ last in Hartford, Emerson played 66 games, scoring nine goals and 29 assists for 38 points.
The winner of the 1989-90 Hobey Baker Award during his Senior season at Bowling Green and a third-round pick of the St. Louis Blues in 1985, Emerson would go on to play a total of 771 NHL games in a 12-year pro career. He saw action with St. Louis, Chicago, Ottawa, Atlanta and Los Angeles in addition to his time with the Jets and Hartford/Carolina. All told, Emerson scored 195 NHL goals and added 293 assists for 488 points.
Turcotte, a Boston native, played 66 games with the Whalers in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons, as part of a 12-year career as an NHL centerman. After four 20-goal-plus years with the New York Rangers, who drafted him in the sixth round in 1986 out of the Ontario Hockey League, Turcotte was traded to the Whalers November 2, 1993, with James Patrick, for Steve Larmer, Nick Kypreos, Barry Richter and a sixth-round draft pick. Turcotte posted two goals and 11 assists for 13 points in 19 games with Hartford after the trade. The next season, the lockout-shortened 1994-95 campaign, Turcotte was the second-leading point and goal-scorer on the Whaler club, with 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points in 47 games.
Turcotte played five more NHL seasons after his trade to Winnipeg for Emerson, also spending time with San Jose, St. Louis and Nashville. He finished his NHL career with 195 goals and 216 assists for 411 points in 635 games.
Tickets for the February 19 Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl, which include admission to both the AHL game and the legends game, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com., as well as at the Bushnell box office from Monday through Friday, 12 noon-5:00 PM. Ticket prices range from $20 to $85 and can also be purchased by calling the Connecticut Whale at 860-728-3366. Tickets purchased online can be printed immediately (via Ticketmaster).
