The logo of the New England Whalers of the old World Hockey Association. The team’s biggest claim to fame was signing NHL legend Gordie Howe and his sons, Mark and Marty, to contracts in 1977. They also won the WHA’s version of the Stanley Cup – the Avco World Trophy – in the 1972-73 season. When the WHA disbanded and some of their teams were absorbed into the NHL, the Whalers made the cut and entered the NHL as the Hartford Whalers. In 1997 the franchise was moved to Raleigh, NC and became the Carolina Hurricanes.