Hartford Skater is a term used to describe a professional ice hockey player who plays for the Hartford Whalers, an American professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. The team was founded in 1972 and played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to 1997. The team was known as the Hartford Whalers until 1997 when they relocated to North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes. The term Hartford Skater is used to refer to any player who has played for the Hartford Whalers during their time in the NHL.