World Hockey Association

The **World Hockey Association** () was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League (NHL) since the end of the Western Hockey League after the 1925-26 WHL season. Although the WHA was not the first league since that time to attempt to challenge the NHL's hold as the top league, it was by far the most successful.

## Hockey Hall of Famers

List of WHA players and executives inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, for achievements in their hockey career.

<div style="float:left; width:48%;">
- Andy Bathgate, Vancouver Blazers
- Gerry Cheevers, Cleveland Crusaders
- Mike Gartner, Cincinnati Stingers
- Michel Goulet, Birmingham Bulls
- Wayne Gretzky, Indianapolis Racers, Edmonton Oilers
- Gordie Howe, Houston Aeros, New England Whalers
- Bobby Hull, Winnipeg Jets
- Dave Keon, Minnesota Fighting Saints, Indianapolis Racers, New England Whalers
- Rod Langway, Birmingham Bulls
- Frank Mahovlich, Toronto Toros, Birmingham Bulls
</div><div style="float:right; width:48%;">
- Mark Messier, Cincinnati Stingers, Indianapolis Racers
- Bernie Parent, Philadelphia Blazers
- Jacques Plante, Edmonton Oilers
- Bud Poile, WHA Executive Vice-President
- Marcel Pronovost, Coach-Chicago Cougars
- Maurice Richard, Coach-Quebec Nordiques
- Glen Sather, Edmonton Oilers
- Norm Ullman, Edmonton Oilers
</div>

## Trophies and Awards

This is a list of the trophies and awards handed out annually by the World Hockey Association.
- Avco World Trophy - Awarded to the playoff champion
- Gary L. Davidson Award / Gordie Howe Trophy - Most valuable player of the regular season
- Bill Hunter Trophy - Leading scorer of the regular season
- Lou Kaplan Trophy - Rookie of the year
- Ben Hatskin Trophy - Best goaltender
- Dennis A. Murphy Trophy - Best defenseman
- Paul Deneau Trophy - Most gentlemanly player
- Howard Baldwin Trophy / Robert Schmertz Memorial Trophy - Coach of the year
- WHA Playoff MVP - Most valuable player in the playoffs

## Timeline of teams

Three Canadian teams completed all seven WHA seasons based in the same city, and were the same three Canadian teams that ultimately joined the NHL. The other WHA team to enter the NHL, the Whalers, were the only other WHA team to play all of its home games over seven seasons within a relatively small geographical area. Of the original 12 WHA franchises, only the Winnipeg Jets remained for all seven seasons without relocating, changing team names, or folding.

|Franchise|Cities/Names|Years|Fate|||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|rowspan = 2|Alberta/Edmonton Oilers|Alberta Oilers|1972–1973|rowspan = 2|Joined NHL, 1979, as Edmonton Oilers|
|Edmonton Oilers|1973–1979|||||
|rowspan = 1|Chicago Cougars|Chicago Cougars|1972–1975|rowspan = 1|Folded, 1975|
|rowspan = 1|Cincinnati Stingers|Cincinnati Stingers|1975–1979|rowspan = 1|Folded, 1979|
|rowspan = 3|Calgary Broncos Cleveland Crusaders Minnesota Fighting Saints|Calgary Broncos (never played)|1972|rowspan = 3|Folded, 1977|
|Cleveland Crusaders|1972–1976|||||
|Minnesota Fighting Saints|1976–1977|||||
|rowspan = 2|Denver Spurs Ottawa Civics|Denver Spurs|1975–1976|rowspan = 2|Folded, 1976|
|Ottawa Civics|1976|||||
|rowspan = 2|Dayton Arrows Houston Aeros|Dayton Arrows (never played)|1972|rowspan = 2|Folded, 1978|
|Houston Aeros|1972–1978|||||
|Indianapolis Racers|Indianapolis Racers|1974–1978|Folded, 1978|||
|rowspan = 4|Los Angeles Aces Los Angeles Sharks Michigan Stags Baltimore Blades|Los Angeles Aces (name changed after San Francisco moved)|1972|rowspan = 4|Folded, 1975|
|Los Angeles Sharks|1972–1974|||||
|Michigan Stags|1974–1975|||||
|Baltimore Blades|1975|||||
|Minnesota Fighting Saints|Minnesota Fighting Saints|1972–1976|Folded, 1976|||
|New England Whalers|New England Whalers|1972–1979|Joined NHL, 1979, as Hartford Whalers (now Carolina Hurricanes)|||
|rowspan = 4|New York Raiders/Golden Blades Jersey Knights San Diego Mariners|New York Raiders|1972–1973|rowspan = 4|Folded, 1977|
|New York Golden Blades|1973|||||
|Jersey Knights|1973–1974|||||
|San Diego Mariners|1974–1977|||||
|rowspan = 3|Ottawa Nationals Toronto Toros Birmingham Bulls|Ottawa Nationals|1972–1973|rowspan = 3|Folded, 1979|
|Toronto Toros|1973–1976|||||
|Birmingham Bulls|1976–1979|||||
|rowspan = 4|Miami Screaming Eagles Philadelphia Blazers Vancouver Blazers Calgary Cowboys|Miami Screaming Eagles (never played)|1972|rowspan = 4|Folded, 1977|
|Philadelphia Blazers|1972–1973|||||
|Vancouver Blazers|1973–1975|||||
|Calgary Cowboys|1975–1977|||||
|Phoenix Roadrunners|Phoenix Roadrunners|1974–1977|Folded, 1977|||
|rowspan = 2|San Francisco Sharks Quebec Nordiques|San Francisco Sharks (never played)|1972|rowspan = 2|Joined NHL, 1979, as Quebec Nordiques (now Colorado Avalanche)|
|Quebec Nordiques|1972–1979|||||
|Winnipeg Jets|Winnipeg Jets|1972–1979|Joined NHL, 1979, as Winnipeg Jets (now Arizona Coyotes)|||

## WHA All-Star Game

Every season of the World Hockey Association had an All-Star game, but the format had changed with regularity.

- **1972-73** Eastern Division vs Western Division contest.
- **1973-74** Eastern Division vs Western Division contest.
- **1974-75** Eastern Division vs Western Division contest.
- **1975-76** Canadian-based teams (5) vs US-based teams (9).
- **1976-77** East played West.
- **1977-78** AVCO Cup champion (Quebec Nordiques) vs WHA All-Star team.
- **1978-79** WHA All-Star team vs Dynamo Moscow in a three game series.

## Other websites

- Internet Hockey Database - standings and statistics
- http://whauniforms.com

## Infobox (sports league)

- **title**: World Hockey Association
- **pixels**: 150px
- **sport**: Ice hockey
- **founded**: September 13, 1971
- **countries**:

- **most champs**: Winnipeg Jets (1972–96), Winnipeg Jets **(3)**
- **folded**: June 22, 1979