The World Hockey Association (WHA) was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. The league was founded by Gary Davidson, who had previously been involved in the creation of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the World Football League (WFL).
Facts and Hockey Tidbits about the WHA
The WHA was formed with the goal of competing with the National Hockey League (NHL), which was the only major professional hockey league in North America at the time.
The WHA began play in the fall of 1972 with 12 teams, including franchises in major markets such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, as well as smaller cities like Dayton, Ohio and Des Moines, Iowa.
One of the key selling points of the WHA was its willingness to sign players from the NHL, which had strict rules governing player movement and salaries. The WHA was able to lure many established NHL stars, including Bobby Hull, Dave Keon, Gordie Howe, and Bernie Parent.
Despite some initial success, the WHA struggled financially and faced numerous challenges, including a lawsuit from the NHL over player contracts and a player strike in the 1975-76 season.
In 1979, the WHA folded and four of its teams (the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, Winnipeg Jets, and Hartford Whalers) were absorbed into the NHL as expansion franchises. Several other WHA players also joined the NHL, including Hull, Howe, and Mark Messier.
The legacy of the WHA lived on in the NHL, as many of the NHL future legends got their start in the WHA. They include Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Paul Coffey.
WHA Player Tidbits
Bobby Hull: Hull was one of the NHL’s biggest stars when he signed with the WHA’s Winnipeg Jets in 1972. His contract with the Jets was worth a then-record $2.75 million over 10 years. Hull played seven seasons with the Jets, leading them to two AVCO Cup championships and winning the league’s MVP award twice.
Gordie Howe: Howe, one of the greatest players in NHL history, came out of retirement to play for the WHA’s Houston Aeros in 1973. Howe played four seasons with the Aeros, winning two AVCO Cups and earning league MVP honors in 1974.
Wayne Gretzky: Gretzky was just 17 years old when he joined the WHA’s Indianapolis Racers in 1978. He played just eight games with the team before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers, where he became one of the greatest players in NHL history.
Mark Messier: Messier was a rising star with the WHA’s Cincinnati Stingers in the late 1970s, playing alongside future NHL stars Mike Gartner and Rick Vaive. Messier led the Stingers to the playoffs in 1979 before joining the Oilers the following season.
Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson: Hedberg and Nilsson were Swedish players who joined the WHA’s Winnipeg Jets in 1974. The duo quickly became known as the “Hot Line” and helped the Jets win three AVCO Cups. Their success in the WHA paved the way for more European players to play in North America.
Real Cloutier: Cloutier was a prolific scorer for the WHA’s Quebec Nordiques, leading the league in goals and points in 1978 and 1979. He also played for Team Canada in the 1977 Canada Cup, scoring a crucial goal in the championship game against the Soviet Union.
These players, and many others who competed in the WHA, helped to make the league an exciting and innovative alternative to the NHL, and their contributions to the sport of hockey continue to be celebrated to this day.
I almost forgot to mention that there were a lot of fights in the WHA
The WHA also paved the way for the creation of other rival leagues, including the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and the United States Football League (USFL), both of which were also founded by Davidson.
Overall, the World Hockey Association was a bold and innovative experiment in professional sports that ultimately fell short of its goals, but left a lasting impact on the game of hockey and the business of sports.
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