BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – Recently, the Hartford Yard Goats hosted a Hartford Whalers reunion at their ballpark. Among the many players who attended were Brian Popp and Chuck Kaiton.
BRIAN PROPP
He was known more for being a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, but it was the Hartford Whalers who gave Brian Propp the chance to accomplish two major milestones in his 1,000 plus game NHL career.
The first was when he tallied his 1,000th NHL point before finishing his career with 1,004 points in 1,016 games.
After an 11-year career with Philadelphia, Propp went on to Boston in 1989-90 for their Stanley Cup run. His career then took him to Minnesota, with the North Stars for a little over two seasons followed by time in Switzerland for part of the season. For Propp, it looked like he’d hit the end of the road, but the Whalers gave him his last NHL chance.
“I was 26 points short of 1,000, and 65 games short of 1,000 games played. I really wanted to hit those numbers, and I was able to do it in the last month of the season,” Propp said. “It allowed my career to end with two big pluses. I am grateful to the Whalers who gave me that ability to accomplish both of them.”
The two milestones, along with being given the Team Grit Award, meant a lot to Propp, especially getting the award from his former teammate, then head coach of the Whalers, Paul Holgrem.
“That meant a lot to me; when a former teammate, and now your coach, bestows that award on you. I was very proud of my effort. I did work very hard my last year because I was pretty sure it would be my last,” Propp remarked. He did go to Europe the next year and play one season in France for HC Anglet.
In fact, on point number 1,000, Chris Pronger assisted on it and his 1,000th game was against the Flyers.
“We did OK that year, but we just missed the playoffs. It was a special team. It was the first year Chris Pronger was in the league, and the late Brad McCrimmon, who I played with in Philly and junior, was paired with him to help him adjust to pro hockey.”
It was an odd symmetry for to Propp playing in Hartford, in his last NHL season as it was in junior hockey. His junior linemate, Ray Allison, was the Whalers very first NHL draft pick from the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) in the 1979 draft when he was taken 18th overall.
“Funny, I just saw Ray the other day at a summer charity golf tournament and was telling him I was coming up here. He had another commitment and couldn’t make it, hopefully, next year. It was kind of amazing to have ended my NHL career with the Whalers, where Ray started, and he ended his NHL career in Philly,” Propp said of the right winger. Allison went over to Switzerland after his NHL career and played for four more years.
How good were Propp, Allison and their center Laurie Boschman in junior hockey? They tallied a crazy 496 points as a trio in their last year in the WHL.
In the NHL draft that year, Propp ended up going 14th overall to Philadelphia while Boschman went 9th overall to Toronto.
After his playing days ended, Propp worked for the Flyers as a radio color commentator for nine years. He is in his third year as a team ambassador and also works in the commercial real estate industry.
CHUCK KAITON
His voice boomed across the airwaves to all points North, East, South, and West of Hartford when he was the official radio voice of the Hartford Whalers back on WTIC-AM, 1080. Kaiton made converts of many as he stepped up to the microphone, replacing the New England Whalers legendary voice, Bob Neumeier. Kaiton created a whole legion of Whaler fans in those days extending well beyond the borders of the Nutmeg State.
“It was so much fun today. The fans and the people there are so terrific, wonderful, and kind. I really enjoyed last year and really wanted to come back, and the Yard Goats put on such a nice presentation.” Kaiton said speaking in his wonderful baritone style voice.
He marvels at how much the broadcasts were heard way back before there was audio streaming. Things were done the old-fashioned way. There were terms in those days called, “DXing” or “skips” which meant listening to AM broadcasts from far distances.
“I always got such good feedback from fans from literally all over parts of the US and Canada that I was amazed were hearing the broadcasts. (WTIC-AM) had a powerhouse signal that went everywhere.”
Kaiton’s favorite times were the playoffs, particularly the old Adams Division rivalries.
“I really like that format; many others didn’t. I thought it was so good. You had the intensity with those rivalries. It was some great hockey. I really wish the NHL would go back to that format personally,” Kaiton stated.
His favorite goal?
‘Clearly, Kevin Dineen’s OT goal in Game 6 against Montreal was so dramatic going around some of the great Hall of Fame defenseman like Larry Robinson and beating a Hall of Fame goalie in Patrick Roy.”
His second appearance at the Whalers Alumni weekend couldn’t be more ironic.
The Hurricanes, who came into existence with the Whalers move from the Connecticut capitol to North Carolina, ended Kaiton’s 39-year NHL association earlier in the week when the parties couldn’t come to an agreement on a new contract.
The offer Kaiton received after the season ended was an 80% pay cut and required him to go out and sell airtime. He was being treated like a minor-league rookie and Kaiton knew it was a non-starter.
The official timing and announcement, which broke earlier this week, wasn’t an accident for Kaiton. He knew the Whalers weekend was upcoming, and he and his wife planned on attending.
“I actually planned it that way! I waited, and ironically I was in South Carolina playing golf with one of the Hurricanes investors, and to be honest, I shut my phone off because I knew when it broke it would be ringing quite a bit. I am grateful for all the kind messages and wishes people sent. It really did mean something to me. It was heartwarming, and hey, things happen, but I’m not retiring that’s for sure.” Kaiton said emphatically.
His old radio partner, Andre Lacroix, was in the house and that brought a big smile to his face and Kaiton paid homage to him.
“Andre was wonderful and we were like the great Danny Kelly and Noel Picard in St. Louis. Noel Picard also had that wonderful, great French accent. So we were, I think, the only two broadcast teams in the NHL at that time with that style. He had a great wealth of knowledge and credibility being the all-time leading scorer in WHA history, plus his time in the NHL in the Original Six. Andre was a natural. He was so popular in the community. I really enjoyed my time with him,” Kaiton said effusively.
Lacroix describes them as a good cop/bad cop team.
“I think he was a pretty good cop of an announcer too,“ Kaiton said with a laugh.
At 66, Kaiton is not done on the mike just yet.
“I can’t go into details, but I am working on a few things. More than likely, they’re not for the upcoming season, but next season (2019-20) for sure you’ll be hearing from me.”
We’ll miss that booming voice on winter nights this season.
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