Hurricanes, Avalanche insult former fans with throwback jerseys

The Whalers departed Hartford in 1997 to become the Hurricanes, while the Nordiques left Quebec City in 1995 to become the Avalanche. 

Both teams abandoned their former cities and fans, took on new identifies, names and colors and went on to win Stanley Cups in new cities, something they never did in their original homes. It was gutting for fans in both original cities, and probably inspires a certain level of anger to see them brought back out for teams that are no longer theirs. 

Both teams had fiercely loyal fans in their previous stops and were a major part of each community. Neither city has received another NHL team, while Quebec City has been rejected numerous times by the league for a potential expansion team. 

For both cities, they were the only professional games in town. And then they left, immediately changed identities and left all of that history in the past. 

When they left, they should have left the names, colors and uniforms with them. Even though it has been 28 and 30 years since each team left, respectively, and even though time heals all wounds, it still feels like both franchises are dancing on the graves of their histories to play in their old uniforms. 

The origins for the teams might be in these uniforms, but as soon as they left and changed names they should have left in the past. The Whalers identity belong to Hartford, not Raleigh. The Nordiques belong to Quebec City, not Denver.