The 1996–97 Hartford Whalers season was the 25th season of the franchise and the 18th and final NHL season in Hartford. The Whalers would move to Greensboro, North Carolina, the next season to become the Carolina Hurricanes.
Off-season On June 22, the Whalers participated in the 1996 NHL entry draft held at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Hartford did not have a selection in the first round, as the pick was traded to the Boston Bruins as part of the trade that brought Glen Wesley to the Whalers. In the second round, Hartford made their first selection of the draft, as they drafted Trevor Wasyluk from the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League with the 34th overall pick in the draft. Wasyluk scored 25 goals and 46 points in 69 games during the 1995–96 season. Other notable selections by the Whalers included Craig MacDonald in the fourth round, and Craig Adams in the ninth round.
The Whalers acquired Kevin Brown in a trade with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in exchange for Espen Knutsen on October 1. Brown played in seven games with the Los Angeles Kings during the 1995–96 season, scoring one goal. Brown spent the majority of the season with the Phoenix Roadrunners of the IHL, scoring 10 goals and 26 points in 45 games. He also played in eight games with the Prince Edward Island Senators of the AHL, scoring three goals and nine points after he was traded from the Kings to the Ottawa Senators during the season.
On October 2, Hartford claimed Kent Manderville off of waivers from the Edmonton Oilers. In 37 games with the Oilers during the 1995–96 where he scored three goals and eight points.
Regular season On April 13, 1997, the Whalers played their last game in Hartford, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2–1. Team captain Kevin Dineen scored the final goal in Whaler history.
The final words from SportsChannel New England with Play by play voice John Forslund at the end of the game were as follows:
"It's over folks, it's been a great ride. The Whalers will go out, winners".
Final standings
Schedule and results
|1||October 5, 1996||1–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) ||1–0–0 || 15,635 ||
|2||October 8, 1996||7–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) ||2–0–0 || 11,240 ||
|3||October 12, 1996||0–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Florida Panthers (1996–97) ||2–1–0 || 14,703 ||
|4||October 17, 1996||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Islanders (1996–97) ||3–1–0 || 8,019 ||
|5||October 19, 1996||6–2 || style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey Devils (1996–97) ||4–1–0 || 14,476 ||
|6||October 24, 1996||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) ||5–1–0 || 12,328 ||
|7||October 26, 1996||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) ||5–2–0 || 16,193 ||
|8||October 30, 1996||2–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| New York Islanders (1996–97) ||5–2–1 || 11,936 ||
|9||October 31, 1996||4–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1996–97) ||5–2–2 || 13,284 ||
|10||November 2, 1996||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) ||5–3–2 || 13,425 ||
|11||November 4, 1996||1–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) ||5–4–2 || 19,983 ||
|12||November 6, 1996||5–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1996–97) ||6–4–2 || 13,026 ||
|13||November 8, 1996||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) ||6–5–2 || 14,460 ||
|14||November 9, 1996||4–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) ||7–5–2 || 13,352 ||
|15||November 12, 1996||4–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ San Jose Sharks (1996–97) ||8–5–2 || 17,742 ||
|16||November 14, 1996||2–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) ||9–5–2 || 14,968 ||
|17||November 16, 1996||4–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) ||9–5–3 || 16,061 ||
|18||November 20, 1996||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) ||10–5–3 || 13,033 ||
|19||November 22, 1996||1–7 || style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) ||10–6–3 || 14,572 ||
|20||November 23, 1996||3–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Ottawa Senators (1996–97) ||10–6–4 || 14,648 ||
|21||November 27, 1996||2–6 || style="text-align:left;"| Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) ||10–7–4 || 14,289 ||
|22||November 29, 1996||1–1 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Florida Panthers (1996–97) ||10–7–5 || 14,703 ||
|23||November 30, 1996||6–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1996–97) ||11–7–5 || 16,375 ||
|24||December 3, 1996||4–4 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) ||11–7–6 || 13,816 ||
|25||December 5, 1996||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1996–97) ||12–7–6 || 14,955 ||
|26||December 7, 1996||6–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) ||13–7–6 || 13,464 ||
|27||December 11, 1996||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Florida Panthers (1996–97) ||14–7–6 || 11,884 ||
|28||December 12, 1996||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) ||14–8–6 || 19,124 ||
|29||December 14, 1996||0–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) ||14–9–6 || 14,590 ||
|30||December 16, 1996||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Rangers (1996–97) ||14–10–6 || 18,200 ||
|31||December 17, 1996||5–3 || style="text-align:left;"| St. Louis Blues (1996–97) ||15–10–6 || 12,922 ||
|32||December 20, 1996||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Dallas Stars (1996–97) ||15–11–6 || 12,945 ||
|33||December 21, 1996||6–5 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Tampa Bay Lightning (1996–97) ||16–11–6 || 12,082 ||
|34||December 26, 1996||1–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) ||16–12–6 || 18,595 ||
|35||December 28, 1996||3–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Ottawa Senators (1996–97) ||17–12–6 || 14,092 ||
|36||December 29, 1996||3–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) ||17–13–6 || 20,502 ||
|37||January 1, 1997||2–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Washington Capitals (1996–97) ||17–14–6 || 12,608 ||
|38||January 2, 1997||4–5 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1996–97) ||17–15–6 || 14,403 ||
|39||January 4, 1997||1–1 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Washington Capitals (1996–97) ||17–15–7 || 14,613 ||
|40||January 6, 1997||4–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) ||17–16–7 || 20,292 ||
|41||January 9, 1997||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Calgary Flames (1996–97) ||17–17–7 || 17,121 ||
|42||January 10, 1997||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) ||17–18–7 || 17,378 ||
|43||January 12, 1997||1–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) ||17–19–7 || 14,301 ||
|44||January 15, 1997||0–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) ||17–20–7 || 14,502 ||
|45||January 20, 1997||3–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1996–97) ||18–20–7 || 13,002 ||
|46||January 22, 1997||2–1 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Florida Panthers (1996–97) ||19–20–7 || 12,627 ||
|47||January 24, 1997||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Islanders (1996–97) ||19–21–7 || 14,619 ||
|48||January 25, 1997||5–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) ||20–21–7 || 18,595 ||
|49||January 30, 1997||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) ||20–22–7 || 11,036 ||
|50||January 31, 1997||3–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) ||20–23–7 || 17,174 ||
|51||February 5, 1997||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Rangers (1996–97) ||20–24–7 || 18,200 ||
|52||February 6, 1997||5–3 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Boston Bruins (1996–97) ||21–24–7 || 15,213 ||
|53||February 8, 1997||2–3 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) ||21–25–7 || 21,273 ||
|54||February 12, 1997||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| New Jersey Devils (1996–97) ||21–26–7 || 12,710 ||
|55||February 13, 1997||0–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New Jersey Devils (1996–97) ||21–27–7 || 14,138 ||
|56||February 15, 1997||2–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Ottawa Senators (1996–97) ||22–27–7 || 13,767 ||
|57||February 16, 1997||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Ottawa Senators (1996–97) ||22–28–7 || 18,338 ||
|58||February 19, 1997||2–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) ||22–28–8 || 19,484 ||
|59||February 21, 1997||7–2 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers (1996–97) ||23–28–8 || 14,660 ||
|60||February 22, 1997||2–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Washington Capitals (1996–97) ||24–28–8 || 14,311 ||
|61||February 26, 1997||2–2 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) ||24–28–9 || 13,121 ||
|62||February 28, 1997||2–3 || style="text-align:left;"| San Jose Sharks (1996–97) ||24–29–9 || 13,547 ||
|63||March 2, 1997||2–5 || style="text-align:left;"| Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) ||24–30–9 || 14,660 ||
|64||March 5, 1997||2–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Calgary Flames (1996–97) ||25–30–9 || 12,140 ||
|65||March 7, 1997||2–0 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) ||26–30–9 || 14,341 ||
|66||March 8, 1997||1–1 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1996–97) ||26–30–10 || 15,726 ||
|67||March 12, 1997||6–3 || style="text-align:left;"| Boston Bruins (1996–97) ||27–30–10 || 13,155 ||
|68||March 13, 1997||0–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New Jersey Devils (1996–97) ||27–31–10 || 16,244 ||
|69||March 15, 1997||2–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) ||27–32–10 || 14,437 ||
|70||March 16, 1997||3–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Washington Capitals (1996–97) ||27–33–10 || 18,130 ||
|71||March 20, 1997||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| @ St. Louis Blues (1996–97) ||27–34–10 || 17,959 ||
|72||March 21, 1997||0–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Dallas Stars (1996–97) ||27–35–10 || 16,522 ||
|73||March 25, 1997||0–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) ||27–36–10 || 14,191 ||
|74||March 27, 1997||5–2 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1996–97) ||28–36–10 || 19,984 ||
|75||March 29, 1997||2–1 || style="text-align:left;"| New York Rangers (1996–97) ||29–36–10 || 14,660 ||
|76||April 2, 1997||1–4 || style="text-align:left;"| Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) ||29–37–10 || 14,177 ||
|77||April 3, 1997||5–5 OT|| style="text-align:left;"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) ||29–37–11 || 17,284 ||
|78||April 5, 1997||4–1 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) ||30–37–11 || 21,273 ||
|79||April 7, 1997||4–2 || style="text-align:left;"| Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) ||31–37–11 || 14,660 ||
|80||April 9, 1997||4–5 || style="text-align:left;"| @ Ottawa Senators (1996–97) ||31–38–11 || 18,500 ||
|81||April 11, 1997||4–6 || style="text-align:left;"| @ New York Islanders (1996–97) ||31–39–11 || 15,382 ||
|82||April 13, 1997||2–1 || style="text-align:left;"| Tampa Bay Lightning (1996–97) ||32–39–11 || 14,660 ||
Legend:
Player statistics
Scoring Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Whalers only. = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Whalers only.