A trendy graphic designer and illustrator named Peter Good has passed away.   He was 80 years old.  His career lasted more than five decades. Peter Good and his wife collaborated to create memorable logos for various corporations, nonprofit organizations, and other institutions. A couple of notable logos included the logo for the Mark Twain House & Museum and the Wadsworth Atheneum. He is also responsible for numerous graphic designs. He even designed the University of Connecticut’s oak leaf.  

There isn’t a graphic design organization that Peter Good hasn’t received an award from. His work has been featured in prestigious venues, including the Library of Congress and the Museum of Modern Art. 

However, his most recognizable and famous work is the logo he designed for the Hartford Whalers.  The Hartford Whalers logo is a popular design that has stood the test even after the franchise’s relocation in 1998. In this piece, we will go over the Hartford Whalers logo design.

The Hartford Whalers organization was founded in 1972 as the New England Whalers. The franchise spent its first seven years in existence in the World Hockey Association. In 1979, the franchise relocated to Hartford and debuted as an NHL franchise. The franchise stayed in Hartford for 18 years before relocating to Carolina and becoming the Carolina Hurricanes, which they are still known today. 

Peter Good always aimed for his designs to be compelling and inspiring. When he designed the Hartford Whalers logo, he aimed to create designs that would connect with viewers on an emotional level.  

Peter Good’s initial primary logo design for the Hartford Whalers accomplishes that objective without question. The bottom of the logo contains a green bubble-like “W” wordmark.   This wordmark is a callback to a vital portion of the franchise’s first-ever primary logo. The first primary logo contained a similar “W” wordmark. The significant difference is that the wordmark was colored white.  

The top of the primary logo contains a blue-white tail. The blue-white tail and the green “W” wordmark were designed to leave a distinguished and stylish white space shaped in an “H” wordmark. The white “H” stands for the city of Hartford. The franchise played with this logo from 1980 to 1992.    

In 1993, the Hartford Whalers kept the same design concept. However, a few fundamental changes were implemented. Like the previous logo, one can still see the green “W.” However, the green “W” is a darker green. A white outer trim was added on the edge of the green “W.” Similarly to the previous logo, the blue-white tail at the top of the logo was also included. However, one can see that the shade of blue is much darker. A wide outer trim was also added along the edge of the blue-white tail. 

The most significant addition to this logo was the addition of a grey background. The grey background encompasses the entire logo and even serves as a thick border around it. This logo lasted until 1997. 

As mentioned previously, the franchise became the Carolina Hurricanes in 1998. Thus, the primary logo of the franchise underwent a change as a result. 

Despite that, the Hartford Whalers logo is still a beloved design. When the Hartford Whalers merchandise was introduced in 2009, it became Reebok’s most popular merchandise seller among NHL teams that are no longer current. Celebrities like Megan Fox and Snoop Dogg have worn the logo's merchandise.