# List of Hartford Whalers seasons

This is a list of seasons completed by the Hartford Whalers of the World Hockey Association and National Hockey League. This list documents the records and playoff results for all 25 seasons that the Hartford Whalers completed from their founding in 1972 (then known as the New England Whalers) in the WHA until the franchise relocated to Greensboro, North Carolina, and eventually Raleigh to become the Carolina Hurricanes in 1997.

## Season-by-season record
### World Hockey Association

| Avco World Trophy champions | Division/reg. season champions | League leader |
New England Whalers Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Season | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1972–73 | 78 | 46 | 30 | 2 | 94 | 318 | 263 | 1st, Eastern | Won quarterfinals (Nationals), 4–1 Won semifinals (Crusaders), 4–1 Won Avco Cup (Jets), 4–1 |
| 1973–74 | 78 | 43 | 31 | 4 | 90 | 291 | 260 | 1st, Eastern | Lost quarterfinals (Cougars), 3–4 |
| 1974–75 | 78 | 43 | 30 | 5 | 91 | 274 | 279 | 1st, Eastern | Lost quarterfinals (Fighting Saints), 2–4 |
| 1975–76 | 80 | 33 | 40 | 7 | 73 | 255 | 290 | 3rd, Eastern | Won preliminary round (Crusaders), 3–0 Won quarterfinals (Racers), 4–3 Lost semifinals (Aeros), 3–4 |
| 1976–77 | 81 | 35 | 40 | 6 | 76 | 275 | 290 | 4th, Eastern | Lost quarterfinals (Nordiques), 1–4 |
| 1977–78 | 80 | 44 | 31 | 5 | 93 | 335 | 269 | 2nd, WHA | Won quarterfinals (Oilers), 4–1 Won semifinals (Nordiques), 4–1 Lost Avco Cup Finals (Jets), 0–4 |
| 1978–79 | 80 | 37 | 34 | 9 | 83 | 298 | 287 | 4th, WHA | Won quarterfinals (Stingers), 2–1 Lost semifinals (Oilers), 3–4 |
| WHA totals | 555 | 281 | 236 | 38 | 600 | 2,046 | 1,938 | | 7 playoff appearances |

### NHL era

Key of colors and symbols :
| Color/symbol | Explanation |
| ↑ | Division champions |
Key of terms and abbreviations :
| Term or abbreviation | Definition |
| Finish | Final position in division or league standings |
| GP | Number of games played |
| W | Number of wins |
| L | Number of losses |
| T | Number of ties |
| Pts | Number of points |
| GF | Goals for (goals scored by the Whalers) |
| GA | Goals against (goals scored by the Whalers' opponents) |
| — | Does not apply |
| Season | Team season | Conference | Division | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Postseason | Postseason | Postseason | Postseason | Postseason | Postseason |
| Season | Team season | Conference | Division | Finish | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | GP | W | L | GF | GA | Result |
| 1979–80 | 1979–80 | Wales | Norris | 4th | 80 | 27 | 34 | 19 | 73 | 303 | 372 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 18 | Lost in preliminary round, 0–3 (Canadiens) |
| 1980–81 | 1980–81 | Wales | Norris | 5th | 80 | 21 | 41 | 18 | 60 | 292 | 372 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1981–82 | 1981–82 | Wales | Adams | 5th | 80 | 21 | 41 | 18 | 60 | 264 | 351 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1982–83 | 1982–83 | Wales | Adams | 5th | 80 | 19 | 54 | 7 | 45 | 261 | 403 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1983–84 | 1983–84 | Wales | Adams | 5th | 80 | 28 | 42 | 10 | 66 | 288 | 320 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1984–85 | 1984–85 | Wales | Adams | 5th | 80 | 30 | 41 | 9 | 69 | 268 | 318 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1985–86 | 1985–86 | Wales | Adams | 4th | 80 | 40 | 36 | 4 | 84 | 332 | 302 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 29 | 23 | Won in division semifinals, 3–0 (Nordiques) Lost in division finals, 3–4 (Canadiens) |
| 1986–87 | 1986–87 | Wales | Adams ↑ | 1st | 80 | 43 | 30 | 7 | 93 | 287 | 270 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 27 | Lost in division semifinals, 2–4 (Nordiques) |
| 1987–88 | 1987–88 | Wales | Adams | 4th | 80 | 35 | 38 | 7 | 77 | 249 | 267 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 23 | Lost in division semifinals, 2–4 (Canadiens) |
| 1988–89 | 1988–89 | Wales | Adams | 4th | 80 | 37 | 38 | 5 | 79 | 299 | 290 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 18 | Lost in division semifinals, 0–4 (Canadiens) |
| 1989–90 | 1989–90 | Wales | Adams | 4th | 80 | 38 | 33 | 9 | 85 | 275 | 268 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 23 | Lost in division semifinals, 3–4 (Bruins) |
| 1990–91 | 1990–91 | Wales | Adams | 4th | 80 | 31 | 38 | 11 | 73 | 238 | 276 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 24 | Lost in division semifinals, 2–4 (Bruins) |
| 1991–92 | 1991–92 | Wales | Adams | 4th | 80 | 26 | 41 | 13 | 65 | 247 | 283 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 22 | Lost in division semifinals, 3–4 (Canadiens) |
| 1992–93 | 1992–93 | Wales | Adams | 5th | 84 | 26 | 52 | 6 | 58 | 284 | 369 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1993–94 | 1993–94 | Eastern | Northeast | 6th | 84 | 27 | 48 | 9 | 63 | 227 | 288 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1994–95$^1$ | 1994–95 | Eastern | Northeast | 5th | 48 | 19 | 24 | 5 | 43 | 127 | 141 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1995–96 | 1995–96 | Eastern | Northeast | 4th | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | 237 | 259 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1996–97 | 1996–97 | Eastern | Northeast | 5th | 82 | 32 | 39 | 11 | 75 | 226 | 256 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| Relocated to Carolina ||||||||||||||||||
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | 1,420 | 534 | 709 | 177 | 1,245 | 4,704 | 5,345 | 49 | 18 | 31 | 141 | 178 | 8 playoff appearances |
    $^1$Season was shortened due to the 1994–95 NHL lockout.
* ↑ Code explanation; GP—Games Played, W—Wins, L—Losses, GF—Goals For, GA—Goals Against, Pts—Points
* ↑ The result of the playoff series shows the Whalers' result first regardless of the outcome, followed by the opposing team in parentheses.
* ↑ Totals as of the completion of the 1996–97 regular season