Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Musi waOctober 2, vaWhalers vakabatanidzwa mukutengesa kuviri. Mukutengeserana kwekutanga, Hartford yakawana winger wepamusoro Doug Sulliman, mudziviriri Chris Kotsopoulos uye mudziviriri Gerry McDonald kubva kuNew York Rangers mukutsinhana nepakati Mike Rogers uye yegumi kutenderera sarudzo mu1982 NHL Entry Draft
. Mumitambo makumi matatu nemaviri neNew York, Sulliman akarova zvibodzwa zvina uye mapoinzi mashanu asati arova chibodzwa mumitambo mitatu yemutambo neRangers. Akatambawo mumitambo 45 neNew Haven Nighthawks yeAHL, kwaakarova zvibodzwa gumi nemapoinzi makumi maviri nematanhatu. Se rookie muna 1980/81, Kotsopoulos akaonekwa mumitambo 52 neRangers, achihwina zvibodzwa zvina, mapoinzi gumi nematanhatu uye achiunganidza maminetsi zana nemakumi matatu nemashanu. Mumitambo gumi nemana yapashure pemwaka, Kotsopoulos akawana rubatsiro rwezvitatu achiunganidza maminetsi makumi matanhatu nematatu. McDonald akaonekwa mumitambo makumi manomwe neNighthawks muna 1980-81, achihwina zvibodzwa zvitanhatu nemapoinzi makumi maviri nemapfumbamwe. Mumitambo mina yeplayoff, McDonald akachengetwa kunze kwechikwangwani.