The WHA

The World Hockey Association began play in the fall of 1972, it marked the first time that the NHL had it’s dominance challenged since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926. The WHA gave current NHL players an opportunity to move to a new league, hold-out for better contracts with their current NHL clubs and enabled NHL veterans to play a few more seasons.

Bernie Parent was the NHL player to sign with a WHA club. The new league garnered plenty of notice and recognition when Bobby Hull left the NHL and signed with the WHA’s Winnipeg Jets. Gerry Cheevers, Derek Sanderson, Ted Green and J.C. Tremblay were among other NHL players to make the switch from the NHL to the WHA.

During it’s existence, more NHL stars, like Frank Mahovlich, Dave Keon, Jacques Plante and Paul Henderson would all play in the WHA. The leagues biggest coup came when they convinced Gordie Howe to come out of retirement and play with his sons Mark and Marty on the New England Whalers.

In addition to former NHL stars who prolonged their careers in the WHA, several future NHLers debuted in the WHA, including Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Mike Gartner. The WHA introduced to North America a quicker game than that of the NHL and opened up the North American hockey market to the talents of Europe. After seven seasons and numerous failed franchises, the WHA ceased operation after the 1977/78 campaign. Four former WHA clubs - Edmonton, New England (Hartford), Quebec and Winnipeg were admitted into the NHL for the 1979/80 season.