1979 NHL expansion

644:, increasing the league's membership to 21 teams. The NHL, however, insisted on treating the WHA teams' arrival as an expansion, not a merger. The WHA teams each had to pay a $ 6 million franchise fee for the right to enter the NHL, and were responsible for indemnifying the Stingers and Bulls. However, since this was nominally the same fee paid by all of the other teams that joined the NHL in the 1970s (a decade of high inflation), even with the indemnities the financial terms of the agreement were nominally favorable to the WHA. Although some of the teams that joined earlier in the decade received concessions on their fees, even after compensating Cincinnati and Birmingham the incoming teams paid less than half the $ 16 million a Calgary-based group headed by Skalbania would pay for the 508:, bringing the league down to seven teams. He first applied for direct admission to the NHL, only to find the older league uninterested in such an expansion with so many of its existing franchises struggling. Finally, Schnitzer campaigned to be allowed to purchase an existing club and relocate it to Houston. The obvious candidate to move was the Barons (the former Golden Seals), who were on the verge of folding. Schnitzer believed the older league would accept almost any other proposal as an alternative to the perceived embarrassment of having to disband a franchise, and did come close to a deal to relocate the moribund Barons franchise to Houston. However, the NHL instead opted to approve a proposal from 345:) successfully leveraged the threat of signing with the Nordiques to ensure the Canadiens were able to acquire their NHL rights. Hence, adding Canadian teams and in particular absorbing or eliminating the Nordiques had the potential of blunting that advantage. Also, both NHL and WHA owners realized that the Canadian markets were a vital economic base, both to the WHA and any future rival league that might take its place. Absorbing the Canadian markets would therefore preclude the possibility of the NHL having to fight off another rival league. 710:. Historically, the NHL slots expansion teams at or near the top in an entry draft. In what was not a complete coincidence, the NHL also lowered the draft age to nineteen, effectively doubling the size and depth of the talent pool in the 1979 draft. Ostensibly, this was done in exchange for the Oilers being allowed to retain Gretzky as a priority selection, which unexpectedly became an issue after Gretzky made it clear he was not interested in voiding his personal services contract only to return to the junior ranks or join the floundering 968:, the franchise would have been reactivated if an NHL-ready arena had been built within five years. However, after the cancellation of an auction for a parcel of land that Meruelo intended to use to build a new arena, Meruelo gave up his rights to the franchise on July 10, 2024. At the Board of Governors’ meeting on June 26, Meruelo informed Bettman that he was not pursuing the franchise reactivation. As of September 2024, it is not known whether the franchise will fold outright or have its legacy transferred to Utah. 480:, as one of the league's strongest teams, were an obvious candidate to join the NHL. Unfortunately for Houston, by this time Ziegler realized NHL owners would never vote to admit six teams, and floated a proposal that would admit four WHA franchises. The WHA responded by insisting that all three of its Canadian teams be admitted to the NHL. This left room for only one American team, with the only serious contenders for that spot being the Aeros and Whalers. Aeros owner Kenneth Schnitzer attempted to persuade 953:, who had worn the same number with the Thrashers. In 2014, after the Coyotes changed their geographical identifier from Phoenix to Arizona, they returned all of the numbers retired from the original Jets era to circulation, reclassifying them as "honoured numbers" on the Arizona Coyotes Ring of Honor. As for the modern-day Jets, they likewise honoured players from the original Jets via the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame, despite the latter's history belonging to the Coyotes. 3343: 2872: 317:, was more open to unification. Under Ziegler's presidency, inter-league exhibition games became more common, eventually involving every NHL team except Los Angeles, Buffalo, Toronto, and Montreal. Merger negotiations also intensified, and continued to be conducted openly. The American teams were far less hostile to the idea of a merger than their Canadian counterparts. There were a number of reasons for this, but probably the most compelling was the 798:

Governors vote, ostensibly making the Oilers, Jets and Nordiques "ineligible" to vote on Hunter's bid so that they did not have to make their position officially known on a bid they privately opposed. The Canadiens, seeing no point in provoking another boycott by opposing a doomed bid, voted in favour, as did the Flames for a total of three votes in favour (including the Blues) against 15 opposed (including the Whalers). Eventually,

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not its pre-1996 history. The pre-1996 Jets history therefore remained with the Arizona franchise while the Winnipeg franchise retained the Thrashers' history; aside from Gretzky's No. 99 that was retired league-wide in 2000, the Thrashers did not officially retire any numbers while in Atlanta, though they did remove No. 37 from circulation following the death of

585:, 12 of the 17 owners supported the proposal—one short of the required three-fourths majority (13 teams out of 17 would have represented 76.5% of the league, just past the threshold stipulated in the NHL constitution to grant expansion franchises. As the initial vote stood, it only represented 70.6%). The five teams that voted against the agreement were the Canadiens, 679:

were thus stripped of nearly all of their players; for all intents and purposes, they were effectively dissolved and had to rebuild their rosters from scratch. In one of the few concessions to the WHA teams, however, they were allowed to protect two goalies and two skaters. Some less formal exceptions were also made, in particular for aging players: hockey legends

714:(who would have presumably drafted Gretzky with the first overall pick had they been given the opportunity). Gretzky was still only eighteen years old at the time but was allowed to join the NHL with the Oilers on account of his professional experience. As a player joining from another professional league, Gretzky was deemed ineligible for the league's 624:, and when news emerged that the Canadiens had voted against the deal, fans in Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Quebec City organized a boycott of Molson products, believing that Molson was standing in the way of their cities remaining big-league hockey towns. The boycott quickly spread nationwide. It caused a drain on the Canucks' revenue as well, since 542:

contract so that he would retain the rights to the teenaged superstar even if the WHA folded outright. He knew the Racers would not be part of any merger, but hoped to keep them alive long enough to reap a major windfall from selling the highly touted Gretzky's rights. He also hoped to get compensation from the teams included in the merger.

310:

to the 1974–75 season. Campbell ordered this interleague play halted in 1975, but the following year, the NHL president (who by this time was facing both declining health and personal scandal) relented and interleague exhibition games resumed, although a few NHL clubs, including Montreal and Toronto, continued to boycott them.

755:

expanded the Stanley Cup playoffs from 12 teams to 16, which allowed the Whalers and Oilers to qualify for the playoffs in their first NHL seasons; both teams were swept in the first round. The following year, the Oilers stunned NHL loyalists when they swept the heavily favoured Canadiens in the first round.

294:, owners of the three NHL teams most affected by the WHA's player raids. By 1976, however, both leagues were struggling under the financial pressures of competing against each other on the ice and in the courtroom. Bobby Hull had become an outspoken proponent of a merger between the two leagues, though 754:

Although the WHA clubs had performed quite well against their NHL rivals in inter-league exhibition games—of 63 such games played, the WHA won 34, lost 22 and tied 7—they were nevertheless expected to struggle on the ice after joining the NHL due to the purging of their rosters. However, the NHL also

750:

The NHL had originally intended to place its four newest franchises in each of its four divisions—then called the Adams, Norris, Patrick and Smythe—but the Oilers and Jets lobbied to be placed in the same division as the Canucks. The league agreed, although its decision to play a balanced league-wide

741:

The Canadian teams were permitted to operate under their established names, colors, logos and front office personnel. To appease and satisfy the Bruins, however, the NHL insisted that the Whalers drop "New England" from their name and they entered the league as the "Hartford Whalers" instead. The NHL

678:

The rest of the agreement was slanted heavily in the NHL's favour. The NHL held a reclamation draft for the established clubs, in which nearly all of the players who had bolted from the NHL and were still active in the WHA saw their rights revert to their NHL clubs without compensation. The WHA clubs

923:

to the retired numbers – both Colorado and Carolina disclaimed their teams' pre-relocation histories in both the WHA and NHL and re-entered all previously retired numbers into circulation, regardless of league (although notably, the Hurricanes have never issued the No. 9 worn by

797:

in Saskatoon) and also kept silent to avoid triggering a 1979-like boycott. As this was occurring, the final installments of the 1979 expansion fees were coming due. To minimize public support for the bid, Ziegler arranged to defer receipt of the fees from the Canadian teams until after the Board of

519:

Discussion between the two leagues intensified into the 1978–79 season, when the WHA made an offer to have five teams join the NHL the following year, paying $ 5 million each for the right to join. Although the WHA offer was not accepted, Ziegler was encouraged, stating that owners were beginning to

922:

Notwithstanding the NHL's non-recognition of WHA records, all four surviving WHA teams subsequently retired at least one jersey number in recognition of on-ice endeavors achieved exclusively or primarily in the WHA. The three teams that re-located in the 1990s took different approaches with respect

532:

Six teams was widely seen as the absolute minimum to maintain a viable and credible league, and with the WHA facing financial difficulty and struggling to meet payrolls, the Racers' demise left the floundering league's players and fans in doubt as to whether the league would even finish the season.

309:

was fiercely opposed to any union between the two leagues, saying, "They're our rivals. They were people that did their best to destroy us. Why would we salvage them now? To hell with them." Despite this animosity, some NHL teams agreed to play preseason exhibition games against WHA opponents prior

68:

The two leagues had discussed the possibility of some sort of amalgamation for numerous years, despite the acrimonious relationship between the two after the WHA aggressively recruited NHL players upon the former's founding in 1971. The two sides came close to an agreement in 1977, but the proposed

940:

and had even entertained an offer from the eventual Thrashers' purchasers to return the Coyotes to Manitoba. The league therefore had to decide whether to allow the former Thrashers to reclaim the Jets' name and history. In the end, the NHL decided to allow Winnipeg to reclaim its former name, but

918:

while in their WHA city, which they have done on five occasions—1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990. The Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 1996, their first season after leaving Quebec City, and have since won Cup championships in 2001 and 2022. The Hurricanes won their only Stanley Cup in 2006, their

733:

As the league considered the agreement to be an expansion as opposed to a merger, it refused to recognize WHA records. The four new NHL franchises were regarded as new entities, not as continuations of the former WHA franchises. From the NHL's perspective, the admission of former WHA organizations

278:

approached the WHA and offered to have all 12 of its franchises join the NHL if the WHA franchises would pay $ 4 million each in expansion fees. This overture went nowhere, particularly since in addition to the aforementioned franchise fees Jennings and Snider demanded exorbitant compensation for

636:

on March 22, 1979, which passed by a 14–3 margin as both Montreal and Vancouver reversed their positions. Both teams' hands were forced by the boycott, and the Canucks were also won over by the promise of a balanced schedule, with each team playing the others twice at home and twice on the road.

189:

for $ 2.7 million, the largest in hockey history at the time. The NHL attempted in court to block the defections, earning an injunction against the Jets that initially prevented several players, including Hull, from playing in the WHA. The new league challenged the orders, stating that the NHL's

792:

football team) Saskatoon itself was only a fraction of the size of any other NHL city. The owners of the Oilers, Flames and Jets were particularly opposed since Saskatchewan had become an important secondary market for all of them in terms of television revenues, merchandise sales and even gate

931:

notwithstanding the fact Hull only played 18 games for the Jets in their first NHL season (the last of his career). In doing so, the Coyotes implicitly recognized the Winnipeg Jets' entire history from 1972 to 1996 as their own. The Coyotes later temporarily un-retired No. 9 so Hull's son

541:

to a lucrative personal services contract. At the time, the NHL did not permit the signing of players under 20, nor did it allow its owners to sign players to anything except standard NHL contracts, but the WHA had no rules barring such signings. Skalbania signed Gretzky to a personal services

348:

American support for a merger, however, was based on the assumption that all existing NHL teams would share the expansion fees equally; this did not go over well with the league's Canadian owners. The objection was not without precedent; in 1970, Montreal and Toronto had only agreed to support

842:

signed with the Jets in 1974 and thrived in North America, both in the WHA and later the NHL. The Jets won three of the six remaining WHA playoff championships after signing European players, and their success sparked similar signings league-wide. Many of these players went on to NHL careers.

725:

with the established NHL teams receiving $ 125,000 per player taken in that draft. This compensation, however, formed part of the former WHA teams' $ 6 million franchise fees. Additionally, a good number of players on the list were either retired or of little value; years later Oilers general

821:

In its seven seasons, the WHA paid its players $ 120 million, and lost over $ 50 million. The competition for talent introduced by the WHA, and accelerated by the signing of Bobby Hull, led to a rapid escalation of salaries for players in both leagues. For the first time, hockey players had

488:

to support the agreement that included the Aeros and not the Bruins' neighbors based in Hartford, only to find that Jacobs, as one of the older league's most hard-line owners, was opposed to any sort of merger with the WHA and that Ziegler was cool to the idea of adding another

340:

television revenues were mostly distributed among the three Canadian teams instead of across the league, an additional factor was that star Québécois players were long accustomed to playing in their home province, and even with the draft in effect these players (in particular,

353:

television deal. Although the three Canadian teams could not block any agreement on their own, the fact that any deal needed three-quarters support among the NHL owners meant that the Canadian teams only needed two American clubs to side with them to block any agreement.

104:, the existing NHL teams were allowed to reclaim players to which they held NHL "rights" from the former WHA clubs without compensation, with the caveat that each of the new NHL franchises were permitted to protect two goaltenders and two skaters on their WHA rosters. 788:, Saskatchewan. Despite obtaining more than 18,000 commitments for season tickets, this bid met with universal hostility from NHL owners. Although Hunter insisted such a franchise would be viable on the basis of being supported by the whole province (similar to the 516:(the owners of the Barons) to buy the North Stars franchise and "merge" it with their own. Having run out of options, Schnitzer folded the Aeros on July 9, 1978. In doing so, the Aeros became the only WHA playoff champion that did not eventually join the NHL. 919:

ninth season after leaving Hartford. The Jets/Coyotes franchise never appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals, and advanced to the second playoff round only three times (1985 and 1987 as the Jets, and 2012 as the Coyotes) and the conference final once (2012).

616:

revenues six ways rather than three, while the Canucks and Kings feared the loss of dates with NHL teams from the east. Maple Leafs' owner Ballard had a personal grudge as well; he had never forgiven the WHA for plundering his roster in the early 1970s.

576:

fought the proposal. The NHL's American teams were less enthusiastic about including Quebec than they were about Edmonton and Winnipeg, and Ziegler thought that the Canadiens might be persuaded to support an agreement that excluded the Nordiques.

472:

and Barons) folding. Ziegler was able to mitigate the damage by arranging a merger between the two clubs; the Barons remain the most recent example of an American professional sports team in an established major league ceasing operations.

846:

Of the teams that joined the NHL in 1979, only the Edmonton Oilers remain in their original city today. The other three franchises all moved and acquired new names within three years of each other in the 1990s: the Nordiques became the

221:

in mid-sized Canadian markets, cities the NHL had rejected for expansion franchises but which, the WHA thought, could sustain major professional teams. The WHA also challenged the older league more directly by placing teams like the

325:

in particular are widely considered to be the most dominant team in NHL history. Montreal owed this success in large part to its ability to better resist WHA efforts to lure away its players, a notable exception being

580:

Nevertheless, the WHA insisted on NHL franchises for all three of its surviving Canadian markets and Ziegler finally agreed to put the matter to a vote of the NHL's Board of Governors. At a March 8, 1979 meeting in

549:. Unlike Skalbania, Pocklington was better financed at the time and owned a team that was much better supported and thus reasonably stable by WHA standards, and were all but certain to be part of a merger deal. 793:

receipts, although they were more reluctant than other owners to say so publicly so as not to alienate those same fans. The Nordiques were still owned by Carling O'Keefe (which at the time owned

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continues to recognize all four franchises as having been founded on June 22, 1979, which is also the date the WHA and its six remaining teams are reckoned to have formally ceased to exist.

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Gretzky only played eight games for the Racers. Skalbania ultimately could not meet his obligations (thus leading to his team's demise) and opted to sell Gretzky's contract to Oilers owner

758:

The addition of three new NHL teams in Canada led the league to reconsider other Canadian cities it had previously rejected placing franchises in. One year after the 1979 expansion, the

734:

was no different than earlier enfranchisements involving cities with existing minor league organizations that were absorbed by incoming NHL franchises (for example, the purchase of the

61:

season. The agreement officially took effect on June 22; it ended the seven-year existence of the WHA and re-established the NHL as the sole major league in North American professional

552:

The two leagues reached an agreement in March 1979 to grant expansion franchises in four WHA cities, pending ratification by the NHL's owners. The NHL originally wanted to take in the

321:' dominance of the NHL during the years of the WHA's existence. The Canadiens won five Stanley Cup championships during this time, including four in a row from 1976 through 1979. The 369:

if various conditions could be met. This proposal would have seen the six teams become full NHL members, but play in their own division with a separate schedule for the first year.

96:

teams which happened to have identical or similar names to some of the former WHA teams. Notably, and in stark contrast to amalgamations consummated within the preceding decade in

659:, the league-owned minor league, for one season each. The Stingers folded after 33 games; the Bulls played two full seasons before folding. Major pro hockey has yet to return to 859:

in 1996, a move which remains the only occasion since 1979 that the NHL placed a team in a former WHA city that did not previously host an NHL team; and the Whalers became the

88:

Although popularly called a merger, the NHL refused to recognize the WHA's records or history as being any part of its own. It explicitly treated the arrival of the WHA teams

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Merger negotiations between the two leagues had been ongoing since shortly after it became clear within NHL circles the WHA would indeed play. In early 1973, NHL governors

3684: 2714: 1775: 822:

meaningful leverage in contract negotiations. Moreover, in its search for talent, the WHA turned to the previously overlooked European market, signing players from

2692: 2533: 1545: 3848: 115:, as opposed to typical expansion drafts in North American sports leagues, which usually place the expansion teams at or very near the front of the draft order. 69:

merger was defeated by a group of hard-line NHL owners. The NHL also initially rejected the 1979 expansion agreement by one vote; however, a massive boycott of

2764: 927:

and retired by the Whalers). The Coyotes previously decided to hang all previously retired Jets' numbers in the rafters including, notably, the No. 9 of

279:

infringing on the "territory" of the Rangers and Flyers, based on the indemnity paid by the Islanders when they were granted an NHL franchise on Long Island.

2769: 2687: 2682: 2677: 2672: 997: 504:. It was also apparent that when there was a merger, the Aeros were not likely to be included. Schnitzer announced that the Aeros would not take part in the 956:

On April 18, 2024, the Arizona Coyotes suspended operations as a franchise, with the team's hockey operations assets sold to new ownership and relocated to

2759: 2589: 3919: 205:

Since hockey salaries were among the lowest in professional sports at the time, a key part of the WHA's business plan was to place franchises like the

4056: 3944: 2857: 2084: 2631: 2565: 2560: 127:

in 1926, the NHL had existed as the only major professional North American ice hockey league. After dwindling from ten teams to the so-called

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could wear it for the final five games of his NHL career. By the time the NHL returned to Winnipeg, the league had taken over the Coyotes

3841: 146:

intended to declare itself a major league, the NHL was entertaining expansion discussions by 1963, culminating four years later with the

949:

currently wearing the number.) The "new" Jets immediately and controversially recognized the league's decision by issuing No. 9 to

154:; this sparked the first significant expansion period for the league, which continued until it had tripled in size to 18 teams by 1974. 3618: 3389: 2786: 2776: 2741: 493:

NHL team. Of the three Sun Belt teams that had joined the league since 1967, one (the Golden Seals) had already relocated and two (the

1333: 4061: 2921: 1732: 1476: 879: – itself not only a former WHA city, but one which was widely expected to keep the team's nickname due to Houston's 751:

schedule rendered the divisional alignment irrelevant for the next two seasons. Nevertheless, the divisions were formally retained.

2983: 1761: 1614: 4066: 4046: 1531: 1016: 703:- Hull would later be traded from the Jets to the Whalers and play on the same line as Howe and Keon during the 1979–80 season. 4081: 4009: 3834: 3757: 3697: 3523: 1676: 1660: 1624: 1588: 1583: 604:

The five teams that cast a "no" ballot did so for different reasons. The Bruins were not pleased with the prospect of sharing

4051: 3689: 3533: 3518: 3460: 3070: 3001: 2798: 2651: 2584: 1655: 1573: 992: 656: 322: 143: 157:

The WHA was founded in 1971 with twelve teams, and intended to operate as a direct competitor to the NHL. It was founded by

111:

was held to stock the WHA refugees' NHL rosters. The expansion teams were also placed at the end of the draft order for the

3939: 3714: 3485: 3080: 2988: 2848: 2545: 2077: 1696: 1650: 1640: 142:

Through to the end of the 1950s, the NHL refused to consider expansion seriously. However, following speculation that the

3927: 3468: 3013: 2852: 2838: 1681: 1645: 1619: 1578: 1429: 158: 50: 46: 3752: 3271: 3036: 1691: 1686: 1403: 357:

In June 1977, Ziegler announced that the NHL had created a committee to investigate the possibility of a merger, while

42: 706:

Even more controversial was the NHL's insistence that the four new teams be placed at the bottom of the order for the

4086: 1609: 1568: 1375: 1317: 1266: 1219: 1158: 1074: 1049: 500:

During the final series of talks, it soon became evident that no merger of any sort would take place in time for the

251: 863:

in 1997. The Oilers nearly followed the other three teams south the following year after financially strapped owner

3726: 3702: 3497: 3473: 3356: 2793: 1701: 1604: 54: 4076: 4036: 3133: 3065: 3030: 2996: 2876: 2828: 2070: 166: 3611: 3382: 3053: 2833: 2699: 868: 135:, the league became immensely profitable. Similar to other professional leagues of the era, the NHL enforced a 3909: 3857: 3794: 2914: 2523: 1950: 880: 794: 199: 1091: 2803: 891:, was able to keep the team in Edmonton. The Oilers were eventually acquired by Edmonton-based billionaire 299: 124: 2667: 2641: 2528: 2489: 632:

weighed in as well, unanimously passing a motion urging the NHL to reconsider. A second vote was held in

557: 349:

Vancouver's addition to the NHL after they were paid indemnities for the inclusion of the Canucks in the

186: 813:. A bid from Saskatoon during this round of expansion was withdrawn before the final decision was made. 3296: 2704: 937: 629: 4071: 4041: 3604: 3375: 1917: 1880: 1737: 385: 381: 314: 468:

after only two years in Kansas City. By 1978 the NHL faced the possibility of two of its teams (the

3949: 3762: 3719: 3528: 3490: 3346: 3276: 3182: 3023: 2907: 2729: 2112: 2107: 2051: 1784: 1722: 1187: 906:

Of the three cities to have lost their WHA/NHL teams, only Winnipeg has received one back when the

884: 839: 789: 773: 722: 608:

with the Whalers, while the Canadiens were even less enamored with having to share the province of

449: 170: 108: 34: 524:

fold after only 25 games, reducing the league further to six teams, the lowest in league history.

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with the Nordiques. The Canadiens, Canucks, and Maple Leafs disliked the idea of having to split

453: 441: 429: 210: 198:

district court sided with the WHA in November 1972, ruling that the reserve clause violated the

3892: 3870: 3778: 3662: 3640: 3433: 3411: 3306: 3281: 3198: 3008: 2949: 2883: 2813: 2808: 2211: 2124: 2093: 1897: 1892: 1870: 1808: 1554: 1211: 1205: 1041: 1035: 911: 715: 711: 641: 569: 520:

view the negotiations from a business standpoint rather than an emotional one. The WHA saw the

505: 501: 465: 461: 393: 366: 336: 227: 185:

lent immediate credibility to the fledgling circuit when he signed a 10-year contract with the

174: 151: 58: 38: 30: 3585: 895:, who became sole owner of the franchise in 2008. In 2016, the Oilers opened their new arena, 3419: 3321: 3316: 3311: 3261: 2619: 2540: 2511: 2403: 2385: 2004: 668: 469: 380:, who had hoped to be one of the six teams to join the NHL, subsequently folded, as did the 3798: 2823: 2624: 2604: 2501: 2196: 1912: 1727: 707: 640:

The agreement resulted in the Oilers, Whalers, Nordiques, and Jets joining the NHL for the

223: 112: 835: 8: 3427: 3203: 3154: 2781: 2577: 2555: 2484: 2457: 2448: 2439: 2394: 2370: 2361: 2256: 2031: 2026: 1860: 1855: 1838: 1833: 1828: 900: 860: 692: 672: 664: 594: 565: 521: 477: 445: 413: 362: 358: 275: 263: 202:, freeing all players to play in the WHA. The ruling ended the NHL's monopoly on talent. 730:

said that the WHA teams knew this, but went along only because they had to participate.

3972: 3878: 3815: 3747: 3742: 3656: 3513: 3058: 2734: 2724: 2609: 2599: 2516: 2421: 2343: 2229: 2220: 1999: 1989: 1979: 1974: 1929: 1865: 1717: 1364: 982: 977: 848: 700: 582: 533:

However, the Racers left the league with a key piece of leverage when flamboyant owner

457: 389: 318: 243: 178: 147: 101: 97: 78: 81:, who were owned by Molson, to reverse their position. In a second vote, in which the 3564: 3213: 2636: 2594: 2572: 2412: 2325: 2187: 2160: 2036: 1984: 1969: 1944: 1371: 1313: 1215: 1164: 1154: 1070: 1045: 946: 945:. (The number, with Snyder's family's blessing, returned to circulation in 2016 with 907: 864: 810: 766: 688: 652: 598: 586: 546: 494: 306: 82: 1504: 460:

were not as lucky, as both teams moved for 1976, with the Golden Seals becoming the

139:

to prevent players from signing with other NHL teams after their contracts expired.

16:

Addition of four teams to the National Hockey League, also called the NHL-WHA merger

3679: 3627: 3450: 3398: 3149: 2506: 2430: 2334: 2274: 1934: 1923: 1907: 1886: 1337: 961: 625: 573: 553: 534: 433: 331: 267: 218: 214: 4004: 3886: 3327: 2978: 2930: 2550: 2352: 2265: 2169: 2151: 2009: 1849: 1823: 1818: 1813: 1798: 872: 856: 806: 777: 687:

of the Whalers were allowed to remain with the Whalers rather than report to the

651:

The four surviving WHA teams paid the Stingers and Bulls $ 1.5 million apiece in

561: 509: 412:

The intense competition between the leagues did not leave the NHL unscathed. The

377: 235: 206: 3988: 3559: 3549: 3237: 3128: 3120: 2316: 2247: 2178: 2142: 2062: 1875: 1803: 957: 831: 781: 762: 759: 645: 373: 291: 283: 239: 191: 136: 37:(WHA). The result of the negotiations was that the WHA folded, and four of its 4030: 3554: 2307: 2283: 2133: 1939: 1902: 590: 538: 485: 481: 425: 327: 247: 231: 162: 3826: 1510: 1168: 3301: 3286: 3160: 2719: 2238: 1843: 1753: 965: 950: 896: 799: 195: 132: 128: 1451: 238:

in NHL markets. The WHA's existence prompted the NHL to expand hastily to

57:– entered the NHL as expansion teams who commenced play in the NHL in the 3648: 3112: 2843: 2818: 2496: 1390: 924: 915: 888: 852: 772:

The final chapter of the 1979 expansion arguably took place in 1983 when

727: 680: 605: 513: 342: 295: 365:, stated that Ziegler had invited six WHA teams to join the NHL for the 298:(the NHL's all-time scoring leader-turned-WHA player) and WHA president 194:, which tied players' rights to their NHL team for life, was illegal. A 3103: 1037:

The Official National Hockey League 75th Anniversary Commemorative Book

933: 928: 892: 696: 660: 437: 417: 287: 182: 62: 1477:"Bettman confirms Meruelo will not be re-activating Coyotes franchise" 1183:

Philadelphia World Hockey Club, Inc. v. Philadelphia Hockey Club, Inc.

1023:. (Regina, Saskatchewan). Associated Press. June 23, 1979. p. 63. 3569: 3291: 3245: 1523: 785: 684: 271: 3596: 3367: 3099: 2957: 490: 29:, was the culmination of several years of negotiations between the 2899: 776:, the original owner of the WHA Oilers, reached an agreement with 3232: 2961: 1309: 1306:

Champions: The Illustrated History of Hockey's Greatest Dynasties

876: 823: 633: 421: 282:

Attempts at reconciliation were frequently blocked by Toronto's

827: 784:

to purchase the Blues and relocate the team to his hometown of

621: 609: 404: 74: 70: 699:

was allowed to remain with the Jets rather than report to the

302:

disagreed, arguing that the WHA was sustainable indefinitely.

476:

Negotiations resumed in 1978, and it again appeared that the

809:

in Ottawa. The league, however, rejected a bid to expand to

3208: 92:

as a merger, but rather as an expansion consisting of four

85:

also dropped their opposition, the agreement was ratified.

738:

of the Western Hockey League by the NHL Canucks in 1970).

667:, though the NHL did place teams in the nearby markets of 246:

in 1972 to keep the rival loop out of the newly completed

177:, 67 NHL players had defected to the new league. Former 2005:

Howard Baldwin Trophy / Robert Schmertz Memorial Trophy

572:

were resigned to their exclusion from the NHL, but the

964:. Under the terms of the agreement with Coyotes owner 855:

in their first season in Denver; the Jets became the

1267:"Quebec just hopes it will have a league to play in" 334:. While this may have been in part because Canadian 131:

in 1942, the NHL stabilized. In the years following

802:and save them from contraction took over the team. 169:in 1967, with the guidance of veteran hockey owner 1363: 998:History of the National Hockey League (1967–1992) 497:and Atlanta Flames) were struggling financially. 4028: 2092: 376:, the owners voted down Ziegler's proposal. The 330:, who left the Canadiens to play for the WHA's 3267:The night the lights went out in Massachusetts 914:. The Oilers are the only WHA team to win the 800:a bidder willing to keep the team in St. Louis 718:awarded each year to the league's top rookie. 392:. This reduced the WHA to eight teams for the 3856: 3842: 3612: 3383: 2915: 2078: 1769: 1539: 1515: 1505:Troubled WHA folds and its teams join the NHL 1250:"Expansion, merger, accommodation—whatever". 313:Campbell retired in 1977, and his successor, 1783: 1299: 1297: 1295: 1293: 1291: 1289: 1287: 1144: 1142: 1140: 1138: 1136: 1134: 1132: 988:History of organizational changes in the NHL 721:The former WHA teams were restocked via the 408:Cities that hosted NHL and WHA teams in 1979 1975:Gary L. Davidson Award / Gordie Howe Trophy 1357: 1355: 1235:"To he** with them; let them die on vine". 1153:(2nd ed.). Toronto: Summerhill Press. 1130: 1128: 1126: 1124: 1122: 1120: 1118: 1116: 1114: 1112: 655:. Cincinnati and Birmingham and joined the 3849: 3835: 3619: 3605: 3390: 3376: 2922: 2908: 2085: 2071: 1776: 1762: 1546: 1532: 1395: 396:, and left its long-term future in doubt. 2384: 1284: 1148: 1092:"WHA Oilers were Wild Bill Hunter's baby" 399: 4057:June 1979 sports events in North America 1469: 1361: 1352: 1109: 903:, which had been their home since 1974. 424:before they found stable ownership with 403: 1264: 1033: 4029: 1553: 1303: 1064: 1027: 1009: 3830: 3600: 3371: 2903: 2383: 2297: 2296: 2209: 2122: 2066: 1757: 1527: 1514: 1401: 1370:. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart. 1089: 993:History of the National Hockey League 3626: 3397: 3352: 2210: 2123: 1427: 1203: 1067:The Official Illustrated NHL History 1040:. McClelland & Stewart. p. 2929: 1265:Gammons, Peter (October 17, 1977). 13: 527: 436:, who decided to keep the team in 14: 4098: 1498: 1090:Greig, Murray (October 9, 2012). 252:Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum 4062:National Hockey League expansion 3351: 3342: 3341: 2871: 2870: 1432:. Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Club 1391:List of WHA-NHL exhibition games 1069:. Reader's Digest. p. 113. 881:well-established history with it 2839:Collective bargaining agreement 2829:Ice hockey in the United States 1444: 1421: 1384: 1326: 1258: 1017:"NHL expansion is now official" 444:, would later go on to own the 257: 167:American Basketball Association 165:, who had together founded the 25:, popularly referred to as the 4067:National Hockey League history 4047:History of the Edmonton Oilers 1898:New York Raiders/Golden Blades 1243: 1228: 1197: 1175: 1083: 1058: 769:of the Oilers in the process. 1: 1003: 537:signed 17-year-old superstar 118: 4052:History of the Winnipeg Jets 2047:North American Hockey League 1402:Davis, Reyn (May 28, 1979). 1254:. June 25, 1977. p. 41. 745: 620:The Canadiens were owned by 420:in 1975 and nearly moved to 125:Western Canada Hockey League 7: 2715:defunct and relocated teams 1507:at the CBC Digital Archives 1239:. June 2, 1977. p. 58. 971: 10: 4103: 1428:Oler, Van (July 8, 2008). 1366:Hockey: A People's History 1362:McKinley, Michael (2006). 1210:. Overtime Books. p. 630:House of Commons of Canada 628:sold Molson products. The 4082:Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996) 3997: 3981: 3965: 3902: 3864: 3858:Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996) 3808: 3787: 3771: 3735: 3672: 3634: 3578: 3542: 3506: 3443: 3405: 3337: 3254: 3222: 3191: 3170: 3142: 3089: 3046: 2971: 2937: 2866: 2752: 2650: 2477: 2473: 2455: 2446: 2437: 2428: 2419: 2410: 2401: 2392: 2368: 2359: 2350: 2341: 2332: 2323: 2314: 2305: 2281: 2272: 2263: 2254: 2245: 2236: 2227: 2218: 2194: 2185: 2176: 2167: 2158: 2149: 2140: 2131: 2111: 2106: 2101: 2018: 1960: 1881:Minnesota Fighting Saints 1791: 1710: 1669: 1633: 1597: 1561: 1521: 1516:Links to related articles 1149:McFarlane, Brian (1990). 816: 386:Minnesota Fighting Saints 148:addition of six new teams 4087:World Hockey Association 3565:Springfield Civic Center 3277:Edmonton Investors Group 2534:traditions and anecdotes 1785:World Hockey Association 1334:"Franchise fees reduced" 1304:Hunter, Douglas (1997). 1188:351 F. Supp. 462 885:Edmonton Investors Group 875:) to move the Oilers to 790:Saskatchewan Roughriders 723:1979 NHL Expansion Draft 305:Long-time NHL President 123:Since the demise of the 35:World Hockey Association 2705:All-time playoff series 2642:Big City Greens Classic 1995:Dennis A. Murphy Trophy 1065:Pincus, Arthur (2006). 867:received an offer from 805:In 1992, the NHL added 454:California Golden Seals 442:Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. 430:Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. 4077:Sports-related mergers 2710:Organizational changes 2566:retired jersey numbers 2094:National Hockey League 1871:Miami Screaming Eagles 807:an expansion franchise 716:Calder Memorial Trophy 614:Hockey Night in Canada 409: 400:1978 revised agreement 351:Hockey Night in Canada 337:Hockey Night in Canada 228:New York Golden Blades 31:National Hockey League 3570:Hartford Civic Center 3420:Hartford, Connecticut 3322:2023 Heritage Classic 3317:2016 Heritage Classic 3312:2003 Heritage Classic 3262:Miracle on Manchester 2404:Columbus Blue Jackets 2386:Metropolitan Division 1034:Diamond, Dan (1991). 657:Central Hockey League 648:just one year later. 470:Minnesota North Stars 432:, a native of nearby 407: 361:, owner of the WHA's 200:Sherman Antitrust Act 144:Western Hockey League 3799:Good Friday Massacre 2824:Ice hockey in Canada 2197:Vegas Golden Knights 1935:San Francisco Sharks 1913:Philadelphia Blazers 1452:"NHL.com Media Site" 1204:Boer, Peter (2006). 938:following bankruptcy 871:(owner of the NBA's 851:in 1995 and won the 763:relocated to Calgary 708:1979 NHL Entry Draft 564:. The owners of the 224:Philadelphia Blazers 113:1979 NHL entry draft 3649:Quebec City, Quebec 3428:Carolina Hurricanes 3204:Bakersfield Condors 3155:Northlands Coliseum 2884:2023–24 season 2742:potential expansion 2663:pre-NHL (1883–1926) 2632:International games 2458:Washington Capitals 2449:Pittsburgh Penguins 2440:Philadelphia Flyers 2395:Carolina Hurricanes 2371:Toronto Maple Leafs 2362:Tampa Bay Lightning 2257:Nashville Predators 2032:List of WHA players 2027:List of WHA seasons 1918:Phoenix Roadrunners 1887:New England Whalers 1861:Indianapolis Racers 1834:Cleveland Crusaders 1829:Cincinnati Stingers 1151:100 Years of Hockey 910:relocated there in 901:Northlands Coliseum 861:Carolina Hurricanes 695:respectively while 675:in the late 1990s. 595:Toronto Maple Leafs 566:Cincinnati Stingers 554:New England Whalers 522:Indianapolis Racers 464:and the Scouts the 446:San Francisco 49ers 414:Pittsburgh Penguins 382:Phoenix Roadrunners 363:Cincinnati Stingers 276:Philadelphia Flyers 179:Chicago Black Hawks 47:New England Whalers 39:six surviving teams 4037:1979–80 NHL season 3879:Winnipeg, Manitoba 3816:Colorado Avalanche 3795:Montreal Canadiens 3748:Eric Lindros trade 3657:Colorado Avalanche 2858:Attendance figures 2700:All-time standings 2541:Presidents' Trophy 2422:New York Islanders 2344:Montreal Canadiens 2230:Colorado Avalanche 2221:Chicago Blackhawks 2113:Eastern Conference 2108:Western Conference 2000:Paul Deneau Trophy 1990:Ben Hatskin Trophy 1980:Bill Hunter Trophy 1930:San Diego Mariners 1866:Los Angeles Sharks 1555:1979–80 NHL season 1408:Sports Illustrated 1271:Sports Illustrated 1207:The Calgary Flames 849:Colorado Avalanche 653:parachute payments 642:1979–80 NHL season 583:Key Largo, Florida 506:1978–79 WHA season 502:1978–79 NHL season 458:Kansas City Scouts 440:(DeBartolo's son, 410: 394:1977–78 WHA season 390:San Diego Mariners 319:Montreal Canadiens 152:1967–68 NHL season 79:Montreal Canadiens 23:1979 NHL expansion 4024: 4023: 4018: 4017: 4010:Winnipeg Whiteout 3884:Relocated as the 3824: 3823: 3779:Colisée de Québec 3654:Relocated as the 3594: 3593: 3425:Relocated as the 3365: 3364: 3214:Fort Wayne Komets 3183:Los Angeles Kings 2897: 2896: 2893: 2892: 2637:Kraft Hockeyville 2512:conference finals 2468: 2467: 2464: 2463: 2413:New Jersey Devils 2377: 2376: 2326:Detroit Red Wings 2299:Atlantic Division 2290: 2289: 2203: 2202: 2188:Vancouver Canucks 2161:Los Angeles Kings 2060: 2059: 2037:WHA amateur draft 1985:Lou Kaplan Trophy 1970:Avco World Trophy 1945:Vancouver Blazers 1751: 1750: 1743:Stanley Cup Final 1312:: Triumph Books. 1194: 1972-11-08). 947:Connor Hellebuyck 908:Atlanta Thrashers 865:Peter Pocklington 836:Lars-Erik Sjöberg 736:Vancouver Canucks 599:Los Angeles Kings 587:Vancouver Canucks 547:Peter Pocklington 495:Los Angeles Kings 372:Led by Toronto's 323:1976–77 Canadiens 307:Clarence Campbell 98:American football 83:Vancouver Canucks 4094: 4072:Quebec Nordiques 4042:Hartford Whalers 3998:Culture and lore 3915:General managers 3851: 3844: 3837: 3828: 3827: 3809:Culture and lore 3685:General managers 3628:Quebec Nordiques 3621: 3614: 3607: 3598: 3597: 3579:Culture and lore 3456:General managers 3399:Hartford Whalers 3392: 3385: 3378: 3369: 3368: 3355: 3354: 3345: 3344: 3255:Culture and lore 3150:Edmonton Gardens 2984:General managers 2924: 2917: 2910: 2901: 2900: 2874: 2873: 2605:Heritage Classic 2578:All-Decade teams 2475: 2474: 2431:New York Rangers 2381: 2380: 2335:Florida Panthers 2294: 2293: 2275:Utah Hockey Club 2212:Central Division 2207: 2206: 2125:Pacific Division 2120: 2119: 2104: 2103: 2087: 2080: 2073: 2064: 2063: 2023:Related articles 1924:Quebec Nordiques 1908:Ottawa Nationals 1809:Birmingham Bulls 1804:Baltimore Blades 1778: 1771: 1764: 1755: 1754: 1548: 1541: 1534: 1525: 1524: 1512: 1511: 1493: 1492: 1490: 1488: 1473: 1467: 1466: 1464: 1462: 1448: 1442: 1441: 1439: 1437: 1425: 1419: 1418: 1416: 1414: 1404:"A Nowhere Ride" 1399: 1393: 1388: 1382: 1381: 1369: 1359: 1350: 1349: 1347: 1345: 1338:Associated Press 1330: 1324: 1323: 1301: 1282: 1281: 1279: 1277: 1262: 1256: 1255: 1247: 1241: 1240: 1232: 1226: 1225: 1201: 1195: 1185: 1179: 1173: 1172: 1146: 1107: 1106: 1104: 1102: 1087: 1081: 1080: 1062: 1056: 1055: 1031: 1025: 1024: 1013: 962:Utah Hockey Club 869:Leslie Alexander 712:Colorado Rockies 626:Pacific Coliseum 574:Quebec Nordiques 570:Birmingham Bulls 535:Nelson Skalbania 466:Colorado Rockies 462:Cleveland Barons 434:Youngstown, Ohio 359:Bill DeWitt, Jr. 332:Quebec Nordiques 268:New York Rangers 219:Quebec Nordiques 215:Ottawa Nationals 175:inaugural season 51:Quebec Nordiques 4102: 4101: 4097: 4096: 4095: 4093: 4092: 4091: 4027: 4026: 4025: 4020: 4019: 4014: 4005:Arizona Coyotes 3993: 3977: 3961: 3950:expansion draft 3898: 3887:Phoenix Coyotes 3860: 3855: 3825: 3820: 3804: 3783: 3767: 3763:Retired numbers 3731: 3720:expansion draft 3668: 3630: 3625: 3595: 3590: 3574: 3538: 3529:Retired numbers 3502: 3491:expansion draft 3439: 3401: 3396: 3366: 3361: 3333: 3250: 3218: 3187: 3166: 3138: 3109:General manager 3085: 3076:Retired numbers 3042: 3024:expansion draft 2967: 2933: 2931:Edmonton Oilers 2928: 2898: 2889: 2862: 2748: 2668:NHA (1910–1917) 2646: 2529:winning players 2469: 2460: 2451: 2442: 2433: 2424: 2415: 2406: 2397: 2388: 2373: 2364: 2355: 2353:Ottawa Senators 2346: 2337: 2328: 2319: 2310: 2301: 2286: 2277: 2268: 2266:St. Louis Blues 2259: 2250: 2241: 2232: 2223: 2214: 2199: 2190: 2181: 2172: 2170:San Jose Sharks 2163: 2154: 2152:Edmonton Oilers 2145: 2136: 2127: 2097: 2091: 2061: 2056: 2014: 2010:WHA Playoff MVP 1962: 1956: 1850:Edmonton Oilers 1824:Chicago Cougars 1819:Calgary Cowboys 1814:Calgary Broncos 1787: 1782: 1752: 1747: 1723:Expansion draft 1706: 1665: 1629: 1593: 1557: 1552: 1517: 1501: 1496: 1486: 1484: 1483:. June 25, 2024 1475: 1474: 1470: 1460: 1458: 1450: 1449: 1445: 1435: 1433: 1426: 1422: 1412: 1410: 1400: 1396: 1389: 1385: 1378: 1360: 1353: 1343: 1341: 1340:. March 2, 1977 1332: 1331: 1327: 1320: 1302: 1285: 1275: 1273: 1263: 1259: 1249: 1248: 1244: 1234: 1233: 1229: 1222: 1202: 1198: 1181: 1180: 1176: 1161: 1147: 1110: 1100: 1098: 1088: 1084: 1077: 1063: 1059: 1052: 1032: 1028: 1015: 1014: 1010: 1006: 974: 883:. However, the 873:Houston Rockets 857:Phoenix Coyotes 819: 778:St. Louis Blues 748: 562:Edmonton Oilers 530: 528:Final agreement 402: 378:Calgary Cowboys 300:Bill MacFarland 290:, and Boston's 260: 236:Chicago Cougars 207:Edmonton Oilers 121: 109:expansion draft 43:Edmonton Oilers 17: 12: 11: 5: 4100: 4090: 4089: 4084: 4079: 4074: 4069: 4064: 4059: 4054: 4049: 4044: 4039: 4022: 4021: 4016: 4015: 4013: 4012: 4007: 4001: 3999: 3995: 3994: 3992: 3991: 3989:Winnipeg Arena 3985: 3983: 3979: 3978: 3976: 3975: 3973:NHL–WHA merger 3969: 3967: 3963: 3962: 3960: 3959: 3954: 3953: 3952: 3942: 3937: 3936: 3935: 3930: 3922: 3917: 3912: 3906: 3904: 3900: 3899: 3897: 3896: 3882: 3874: 3865: 3862: 3861: 3854: 3853: 3846: 3839: 3831: 3822: 3821: 3819: 3818: 3812: 3810: 3806: 3805: 3803: 3802: 3791: 3789: 3785: 3784: 3782: 3781: 3775: 3773: 3769: 3768: 3766: 3765: 3760: 3755: 3750: 3745: 3743:NHL–WHA merger 3739: 3737: 3733: 3732: 3730: 3729: 3724: 3723: 3722: 3712: 3707: 3706: 3705: 3700: 3692: 3687: 3682: 3676: 3674: 3670: 3669: 3667: 3666: 3652: 3644: 3635: 3632: 3631: 3624: 3623: 3616: 3609: 3601: 3592: 3591: 3589: 3588: 3582: 3580: 3576: 3575: 3573: 3572: 3567: 3562: 3560:Big E Coliseum 3557: 3552: 3546: 3544: 3540: 3539: 3537: 3536: 3531: 3526: 3521: 3516: 3514:NHL–WHA merger 3510: 3508: 3504: 3503: 3501: 3500: 3495: 3494: 3493: 3483: 3478: 3477: 3476: 3471: 3463: 3458: 3453: 3447: 3445: 3441: 3440: 3438: 3437: 3423: 3415: 3406: 3403: 3402: 3395: 3394: 3387: 3380: 3372: 3363: 3362: 3360: 3359: 3349: 3338: 3335: 3334: 3332: 3331: 3324: 3319: 3314: 3309: 3304: 3299: 3294: 3289: 3284: 3279: 3274: 3269: 3264: 3258: 3256: 3252: 3251: 3249: 3248: 3243: 3240: 3238:Sportsnet West 3235: 3230: 3226: 3224: 3220: 3219: 3217: 3216: 3211: 3206: 3201: 3195: 3193: 3189: 3188: 3186: 3185: 3180: 3178:Calgary Flames 3174: 3172: 3168: 3167: 3165: 3164: 3157: 3152: 3146: 3144: 3140: 3139: 3137: 3136: 3134:Current roster 3131: 3129:Connor McDavid 3126: 3123: 3121:Kris Knoblauch 3118: 3115: 3110: 3107: 3097: 3093: 3091: 3087: 3086: 3084: 3083: 3078: 3073: 3068: 3063: 3062: 3061: 3059:NHL–WHA merger 3050: 3048: 3044: 3043: 3041: 3040: 3037:Current season 3033: 3028: 3027: 3026: 3019:1979 expansion 3016: 3011: 3006: 3005: 3004: 2999: 2991: 2986: 2981: 2975: 2973: 2969: 2968: 2966: 2965: 2953: 2945: 2943:Alberta Oilers 2938: 2935: 2934: 2927: 2926: 2919: 2912: 2904: 2895: 2894: 2891: 2890: 2888: 2887: 2880: 2867: 2864: 2863: 2861: 2860: 2855: 2853:radio coverage 2846: 2841: 2836: 2831: 2826: 2821: 2816: 2811: 2806: 2801: 2796: 2791: 2790: 2789: 2779: 2774: 2773: 2772: 2767: 2756: 2754: 2750: 2749: 2747: 2746: 2745: 2744: 2739: 2738: 2737: 2727: 2725:1967 expansion 2722: 2717: 2707: 2702: 2697: 2696: 2695: 2690: 2685: 2680: 2675: 2670: 2665: 2656: 2654: 2648: 2647: 2645: 2644: 2639: 2634: 2629: 2628: 2627: 2622: 2614: 2613: 2612: 2610:Stadium Series 2607: 2602: 2600:Winter Classic 2592: 2587: 2582: 2581: 2580: 2573:All-Star teams 2570: 2569: 2568: 2563: 2553: 2548: 2543: 2538: 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2007: 2002: 1997: 1992: 1987: 1982: 1977: 1972: 1966: 1964: 1958: 1957: 1955: 1954: 1947: 1942: 1937: 1932: 1927: 1920: 1915: 1910: 1905: 1900: 1895: 1893:Jersey Knights 1890: 1883: 1878: 1876:Michigan Stags 1873: 1868: 1863: 1858: 1853: 1846: 1841: 1836: 1831: 1826: 1821: 1816: 1811: 1806: 1801: 1799:Alberta Oilers 1795: 1793: 1789: 1788: 1781: 1780: 1773: 1766: 1758: 1749: 1748: 1746: 1745: 1740: 1735: 1730: 1725: 1720: 1718:NHL–WHA merger 1714: 1712: 1708: 1707: 1705: 1704: 1699: 1694: 1689: 1684: 1679: 1673: 1671: 1667: 1666: 1664: 1663: 1658: 1653: 1648: 1643: 1637: 1635: 1631: 1630: 1628: 1627: 1622: 1617: 1612: 1607: 1601: 1599: 1595: 1594: 1592: 1591: 1586: 1581: 1576: 1571: 1565: 1563: 1559: 1558: 1551: 1550: 1543: 1536: 1528: 1522: 1519: 1518: 1509: 1508: 1500: 1499:External links 1497: 1495: 1494: 1468: 1443: 1420: 1394: 1383: 1376: 1351: 1325: 1318: 1283: 1257: 1252:Calgary Herald 1242: 1237:Calgary Herald 1227: 1220: 1196: 1174: 1159: 1108: 1082: 1075: 1057: 1050: 1026: 1007: 1005: 1002: 1001: 1000: 995: 990: 985: 983:AFL–NFL merger 980: 978:ABA–NBA merger 973: 970: 958:Salt Lake City 832:Anders Hedberg 818: 815: 782:Ralston Purina 760:Atlanta Flames 747: 744: 726:manager/coach 646:Atlanta Flames 622:Molson Brewery 529: 526: 401: 398: 374:Harold Ballard 367:1977–78 season 292:Paul A. Mooney 284:Harold Ballard 259: 256: 192:reserve clause 137:reserve clause 120: 117: 33:(NHL) and the 27:NHL–WHA merger 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 4099: 4088: 4085: 4083: 4080: 4078: 4075: 4073: 4070: 4068: 4065: 4063: 4060: 4058: 4055: 4053: 4050: 4048: 4045: 4043: 4040: 4038: 4035: 4034: 4032: 4011: 4008: 4006: 4003: 4002: 4000: 3996: 3990: 3987: 3986: 3984: 3980: 3974: 3971: 3970: 3968: 3964: 3958: 3955: 3951: 3948: 3947: 3946: 3943: 3941: 3938: 3934: 3931: 3929: 3926: 3925: 3923: 3921: 3918: 3916: 3913: 3911: 3908: 3907: 3905: 3901: 3895: 3894: 3889: 3888: 3883: 3881: 3880: 3875: 3873: 3872: 3867: 3866: 3863: 3859: 3852: 3847: 3845: 3840: 3838: 3833: 3832: 3829: 3817: 3814: 3813: 3811: 3807: 3800: 3796: 3793: 3792: 3790: 3786: 3780: 3777: 3776: 3774: 3770: 3764: 3761: 3759: 3758:Award winners 3756: 3754: 3751: 3749: 3746: 3744: 3741: 3740: 3738: 3734: 3728: 3725: 3721: 3718: 3717: 3716: 3713: 3711: 3708: 3704: 3701: 3699: 3696: 3695: 3693: 3691: 3688: 3686: 3683: 3681: 3678: 3677: 3675: 3671: 3665: 3664: 3659: 3658: 3653: 3651: 3650: 3645: 3643: 3642: 3637: 3636: 3633: 3629: 3622: 3617: 3615: 3610: 3608: 3603: 3602: 3599: 3587: 3586:Brass Bonanza 3584: 3583: 3581: 3577: 3571: 3568: 3566: 3563: 3561: 3558: 3556: 3555:Boston Garden 3553: 3551: 3548: 3547: 3545: 3541: 3535: 3532: 3530: 3527: 3525: 3524:Award winners 3522: 3520: 3517: 3515: 3512: 3511: 3509: 3505: 3499: 3496: 3492: 3489: 3488: 3487: 3484: 3482: 3479: 3475: 3472: 3470: 3467: 3466: 3464: 3462: 3459: 3457: 3454: 3452: 3449: 3448: 3446: 3442: 3436: 3435: 3430: 3429: 3424: 3422: 3421: 3416: 3414: 3413: 3408: 3407: 3404: 3400: 3393: 3388: 3386: 3381: 3379: 3374: 3373: 3370: 3358: 3350: 3348: 3340: 3339: 3336: 3329: 3325: 3323: 3320: 3318: 3315: 3313: 3310: 3308: 3305: 3303: 3300: 3298: 3295: 3293: 3290: 3288: 3285: 3283: 3280: 3278: 3275: 3273: 3270: 3268: 3265: 3263: 3260: 3259: 3257: 3253: 3247: 3244: 3241: 3239: 3236: 3234: 3231: 3228: 3227: 3225: 3221: 3215: 3212: 3210: 3207: 3205: 3202: 3200: 3197: 3196: 3194: 3190: 3184: 3181: 3179: 3176: 3175: 3173: 3169: 3163: 3162: 3158: 3156: 3153: 3151: 3148: 3147: 3145: 3141: 3135: 3132: 3130: 3127: 3124: 3122: 3119: 3116: 3114: 3111: 3108: 3105: 3101: 3098: 3095: 3094: 3092: 3088: 3082: 3079: 3077: 3074: 3072: 3071:Award winners 3069: 3067: 3064: 3060: 3057: 3056: 3055: 3052: 3051: 3049: 3045: 3039: 3038: 3034: 3032: 3029: 3025: 3022: 3021: 3020: 3017: 3015: 3012: 3010: 3007: 3003: 3000: 2998: 2995: 2994: 2992: 2990: 2987: 2985: 2982: 2980: 2977: 2976: 2974: 2970: 2964: 2963: 2959: 2954: 2952: 2951: 2946: 2944: 2941:Formerly the 2940: 2939: 2936: 2932: 2925: 2920: 2918: 2913: 2911: 2906: 2905: 2902: 2886: 2885: 2881: 2879: 2878: 2869: 2868: 2865: 2859: 2856: 2854: 2850: 2847: 2845: 2842: 2840: 2837: 2835: 2832: 2830: 2827: 2825: 2822: 2820: 2817: 2815: 2812: 2810: 2807: 2805: 2802: 2800: 2797: 2795: 2792: 2788: 2785: 2784: 2783: 2780: 2778: 2775: 2771: 2768: 2766: 2763: 2762: 2761: 2758: 2757: 2755: 2751: 2743: 2740: 2736: 2733: 2732: 2731: 2728: 2726: 2723: 2721: 2718: 2716: 2713: 2712: 2711: 2708: 2706: 2703: 2701: 2698: 2694: 2691: 2689: 2686: 2684: 2681: 2679: 2676: 2674: 2671: 2669: 2666: 2664: 2661: 2660: 2658: 2657: 2655: 2653: 2649: 2643: 2640: 2638: 2635: 2633: 2630: 2626: 2623: 2621: 2618: 2617: 2615: 2611: 2608: 2606: 2603: 2601: 2598: 2597: 2596: 2595:Outdoor games 2593: 2591: 2588: 2586: 2583: 2579: 2576: 2575: 2574: 2571: 2567: 2564: 2562: 2559: 2558: 2557: 2554: 2552: 2549: 2547: 2546:All-Star Game 2544: 2542: 2539: 2535: 2532: 2530: 2527: 2525: 2522: 2518: 2515: 2513: 2510: 2508: 2505: 2504: 2503: 2500: 2499: 2498: 2495: 2491: 2488: 2487: 2486: 2483: 2482: 2480: 2476: 2472: 2459: 2454: 2450: 2445: 2441: 2436: 2432: 2427: 2423: 2418: 2414: 2409: 2405: 2400: 2396: 2391: 2387: 2382: 2379: 2372: 2367: 2363: 2358: 2354: 2349: 2345: 2340: 2336: 2331: 2327: 2322: 2318: 2313: 2309: 2308:Boston Bruins 2304: 2300: 2295: 2292: 2285: 2284:Winnipeg Jets 2280: 2276: 2271: 2267: 2262: 2258: 2253: 2249: 2244: 2240: 2235: 2231: 2226: 2222: 2217: 2213: 2208: 2205: 2198: 2193: 2189: 2184: 2180: 2175: 2171: 2166: 2162: 2157: 2153: 2148: 2144: 2139: 2135: 2134:Anaheim Ducks 2130: 2126: 2121: 2118: 2117: 2114: 2109: 2105: 2100: 2095: 2088: 2083: 2081: 2076: 2074: 2069: 2068: 2065: 2053: 2050: 2048: 2045: 2043: 2040: 2038: 2035: 2033: 2030: 2028: 2024: 2021: 2020: 2017: 2011: 2008: 2006: 2003: 2001: 1998: 1996: 1993: 1991: 1988: 1986: 1983: 1981: 1978: 1976: 1973: 1971: 1968: 1967: 1965: 1959: 1953: 1952: 1951:Winnipeg Jets 1948: 1946: 1943: 1941: 1940:Toronto Toros 1938: 1936: 1933: 1931: 1928: 1926: 1925: 1921: 1919: 1916: 1914: 1911: 1909: 1906: 1904: 1903:Ottawa Civics 1901: 1899: 1896: 1894: 1891: 1889: 1888: 1884: 1882: 1879: 1877: 1874: 1872: 1869: 1867: 1864: 1862: 1859: 1857: 1856:Houston Aeros 1854: 1852: 1851: 1847: 1845: 1842: 1840: 1837: 1835: 1832: 1830: 1827: 1825: 1822: 1820: 1817: 1815: 1812: 1810: 1807: 1805: 1802: 1800: 1797: 1796: 1794: 1790: 1786: 1779: 1774: 1772: 1767: 1765: 1760: 1759: 1756: 1744: 1741: 1739: 1736: 1734: 1733:All-Star Game 1731: 1729: 1726: 1724: 1721: 1719: 1716: 1715: 1713: 1709: 1703: 1700: 1698: 1695: 1693: 1690: 1688: 1685: 1683: 1680: 1678: 1675: 1674: 1672: 1668: 1662: 1659: 1657: 1654: 1652: 1649: 1647: 1644: 1642: 1639: 1638: 1636: 1632: 1626: 1623: 1621: 1618: 1616: 1613: 1611: 1608: 1606: 1603: 1602: 1600: 1596: 1590: 1587: 1585: 1582: 1580: 1577: 1575: 1572: 1570: 1567: 1566: 1564: 1560: 1556: 1549: 1544: 1542: 1537: 1535: 1530: 1529: 1526: 1520: 1513: 1506: 1503: 1502: 1482: 1478: 1472: 1457: 1456:media.nhl.com 1453: 1447: 1431: 1430:"Golden Guts" 1424: 1409: 1405: 1398: 1392: 1387: 1379: 1377:0-7710-5769-5 1373: 1368: 1367: 1358: 1356: 1339: 1335: 1329: 1321: 1319:1-57243-213-6 1315: 1311: 1307: 1300: 1298: 1296: 1294: 1292: 1290: 1288: 1272: 1268: 1261: 1253: 1246: 1238: 1231: 1223: 1221:1-897277-07-5 1217: 1213: 1209: 1208: 1200: 1193: 1189: 1184: 1178: 1170: 1166: 1162: 1160:0-929091-26-4 1156: 1152: 1145: 1143: 1141: 1139: 1137: 1135: 1133: 1131: 1129: 1127: 1125: 1123: 1121: 1119: 1117: 1115: 1113: 1097: 1093: 1086: 1078: 1076:0-88850-800-X 1072: 1068: 1061: 1053: 1051:0-7710-6727-5 1047: 1043: 1039: 1038: 1030: 1022: 1018: 1012: 1008: 999: 996: 994: 991: 989: 986: 984: 981: 979: 976: 975: 969: 967: 963: 960:to stock the 959: 954: 952: 948: 944: 939: 935: 930: 926: 920: 917: 913: 909: 904: 902: 898: 894: 890: 886: 882: 878: 874: 870: 866: 862: 858: 854: 850: 844: 841: 837: 833: 829: 825: 814: 812: 808: 803: 801: 796: 791: 787: 783: 779: 775: 770: 768: 764: 761: 756: 752: 743: 739: 737: 731: 729: 724: 719: 717: 713: 709: 704: 702: 698: 694: 690: 686: 682: 676: 674: 670: 666: 662: 658: 654: 649: 647: 643: 638: 635: 631: 627: 623: 618: 615: 611: 607: 602: 600: 596: 592: 591:Boston Bruins 588: 584: 578: 575: 571: 567: 563: 559: 558:Winnipeg Jets 555: 550: 548: 543: 540: 539:Wayne Gretzky 536: 525: 523: 517: 515: 511: 507: 503: 498: 496: 492: 487: 486:Jeremy Jacobs 483: 482:Boston Bruins 479: 478:Houston Aeros 474: 471: 467: 463: 459: 455: 451: 447: 443: 439: 435: 431: 427: 426:shopping mall 423: 419: 415: 406: 397: 395: 391: 387: 383: 379: 375: 370: 368: 364: 360: 355: 352: 346: 344: 339: 338: 333: 329: 328:J.C. Tremblay 324: 320: 316: 311: 308: 303: 301: 297: 293: 289: 285: 280: 277: 273: 269: 265: 264:Bill Jennings 255: 253: 249: 248:Omni Coliseum 245: 241: 237: 233: 232:Toronto Toros 229: 225: 220: 216: 212: 211:Winnipeg Jets 208: 203: 201: 197: 193: 188: 187:Winnipeg Jets 184: 180: 176: 172: 168: 164: 163:Gary Davidson 160: 159:Dennis Murphy 155: 153: 149: 145: 140: 138: 134: 130: 126: 116: 114: 110: 105: 103: 99: 95: 91: 86: 84: 80: 76: 72: 66: 64: 60: 56: 55:Winnipeg Jets 52: 48: 44: 40: 36: 32: 28: 24: 19: 3891: 3885: 3877: 3869: 3661: 3655: 3647: 3639: 3550:Boston Arena 3534:Broadcasters 3432: 3426: 3418: 3410: 3302:Oilogosphere 3297:Rod Phillips 3287:Paul Lorieau 3161:Rogers Place 3159: 3125:Team captain 3081:Broadcasters 3035: 3018: 2956: 2948: 2942: 2882: 2875: 2782:Hall of Fame 2720:Original Six 2239:Dallas Stars 2052:Broadcasters 2041: 2022: 1949: 1922: 1885: 1848: 1844:Denver Spurs 1839:Dayton Aeros 1584:Philadelphia 1574:NY Islanders 1485:. Retrieved 1481:Sportsnet.ca 1480: 1471: 1459:. Retrieved 1455: 1446: 1434:. Retrieved 1423: 1411:. Retrieved 1407: 1397: 1386: 1365: 1342:. Retrieved 1328: 1305: 1274:. Retrieved 1270: 1260: 1251: 1245: 1236: 1230: 1206: 1199: 1182: 1177: 1150: 1099:. Retrieved 1096:Edmonton Sun 1095: 1085: 1066: 1060: 1036: 1029: 1020: 1011: 966:Alex Meruelo 955: 951:Evander Kane 921: 905: 899:, replacing 897:Rogers Place 845: 820: 804: 771: 757: 753: 749: 740: 732: 720: 705: 677: 650: 639: 619: 613: 603: 579: 551: 544: 531: 518: 499: 475: 411: 371: 356: 350: 347: 335: 315:John Ziegler 312: 304: 286:, Chicago's 281: 261: 258:Merger talks 204: 196:Philadelphia 156: 141: 133:World War II 129:Original Six 122: 106: 93: 89: 87: 73:products in 67: 26: 22: 20: 18: 3945:Draft picks 3868:Founded in 3715:Draft picks 3638:Founded in 3486:Draft picks 3409:Founded in 3113:Stan Bowman 3106:, chairman) 3014:Draft picks 2947:Founded in 2616:Hockey Day 2561:Association 2497:Stanley Cup 1728:Entry Draft 1651:Los Angeles 1021:Leader Post 925:Gordie Howe 916:Stanley Cup 889:Cal Nichols 853:Stanley Cup 840:Ulf Nilsson 774:Bill Hunter 765:, becoming 728:Glen Sather 701:Black Hawks 693:Maple Leafs 681:Gordie Howe 606:New England 514:Gordon Gund 343:Guy Lafleur 296:Gordie Howe 244:Long Island 171:Bill Hunter 4031:Categories 3307:Oil Change 3282:Mark Lewis 3192:Affiliates 3117:Head coach 3104:Daryl Katz 2849:Television 2834:Valuations 2693:Since 2017 2507:tied games 1963:and awards 1661:Pittsburgh 1589:Washington 1579:NY Rangers 1004:References 943:Dan Snyder 929:Bobby Hull 893:Daryl Katz 767:archrivals 697:Bobby Hull 665:Birmingham 661:Cincinnati 438:Pittsburgh 418:bankruptcy 416:filed for 288:Bill Wirtz 183:Bobby Hull 119:Background 102:basketball 63:ice hockey 3903:Franchise 3876:Based in 3788:Rivalries 3673:Franchise 3646:Based in 3444:Franchise 3417:Based in 3292:Joey Moss 3272:Blue Mile 3171:Rivalries 3090:Personnel 2972:Franchise 2955:Based in 2794:Rivalries 2688:1992–2017 2683:1967–1992 2678:1942–1967 2673:1917–1942 2524:champions 2490:structure 1697:Vancouver 1692:St. Louis 1615:Minnesota 1461:April 18, 1436:April 15, 1413:April 15, 1276:April 15, 1101:August 3, 887:, led by 795:a brewery 786:Saskatoon 746:Aftermath 689:Red Wings 685:Dave Keon 673:Nashville 272:Ed Snider 173:. By its 3940:Captains 3924:Players 3710:Captains 3694:Players 3481:Captains 3465:Players 3347:Category 3328:La Bamba 3246:630 CHED 3100:OEG Inc. 3096:Owner(s) 3009:Captains 2993:Players 2958:Edmonton 2877:Category 2844:Lockouts 2819:Uniforms 2814:Violence 2809:Fighting 2777:Droughts 2590:Captains 2502:playoffs 1961:Trophies 1738:Playoffs 1711:See also 1702:Winnipeg 1687:Edmonton 1682:Colorado 1656:Montreal 1646:Hartford 1487:June 25, 1192:E.D. Pa. 1169:22708949 972:See also 811:Hamilton 669:Columbus 491:Sun Belt 428:magnate 150:for the 77:led the 3966:History 3957:Seasons 3920:Coaches 3753:Records 3736:History 3727:Seasons 3690:Coaches 3519:Records 3507:History 3498:Seasons 3461:Coaches 3357:Commons 3066:Records 3054:History 3047:History 3031:Seasons 2989:Coaches 2962:Alberta 2787:members 2760:Streaks 2652:History 2620:America 2556:Players 2485:Seasons 1677:Chicago 1641:Detroit 1625:Toronto 1610:Buffalo 1569:Atlanta 1562:Patrick 1310:Chicago 877:Houston 824:Finland 780:owners 634:Chicago 452:). The 448:of the 422:Seattle 274:of the 266:of the 240:Atlanta 59:1979–80 3543:Arenas 3143:Arenas 2799:Arenas 2770:losses 2753:Others 2735:merger 2625:Canada 2585:Awards 2517:Finals 2478:Events 1670:Smythe 1634:Norris 1620:Quebec 1605:Boston 1374: 1344:May 9, 1316: 1218: 1190: ( 1186:, 1167: 1157: 1073: 1048: 838:, and 828:Sweden 817:Legacy 610:Quebec 597:, and 560:, and 510:George 484:owner 388:, and 234:, and 217:, and 75:Canada 71:Molson 53:, and 41:- the 3982:Arena 3772:Arena 3242:Radio 3223:Media 2804:Rules 2659:Eras 2551:Draft 2096:(NHL) 1792:Teams 1598:Adams 934:Brett 181:star 3910:Team 3893:1996 3871:1972 3680:Team 3663:1995 3641:1972 3451:Team 3434:1997 3412:1972 3233:City 3209:ECHL 2979:Team 2950:1972 2851:and 2765:wins 1489:2024 1463:2024 1438:2009 1415:2009 1372:ISBN 1346:2014 1314:ISBN 1278:2009 1216:ISBN 1165:OCLC 1155:ISBN 1103:2023 1071:ISBN 1046:ISBN 912:2011 826:and 691:and 683:and 671:and 568:and 512:and 456:and 270:and 250:and 242:and 161:and 100:and 21:The 3933:NHL 3928:WHA 3890:in 3703:NHL 3698:WHA 3660:in 3474:NHL 3469:WHA 3431:in 3199:AHL 3002:WHA 2997:NHL 2730:WHA 663:or 450:NFL 107:An 94:new 90:not 4033:: 3229:TV 2960:, 2025:: 1479:. 1454:. 1406:. 1354:^ 1336:. 1308:. 1286:^ 1269:. 1214:. 1212:13 1163:. 1111:^ 1094:. 1044:. 1042:74 1019:. 834:, 830:. 601:. 593:, 589:, 556:, 384:, 254:. 230:, 226:, 213:, 209:, 65:. 49:, 45:, 3850:e 3843:t 3836:v 3801:) 3797:( 3620:e 3613:t 3606:v 3391:e 3384:t 3377:v 3330:" 3326:" 3102:( 2923:e 2916:t 2909:v 2086:e 2079:t 2072:v 1777:e 1770:t 1763:v 1547:e 1540:t 1533:v 1491:. 1465:. 1440:. 1417:. 1380:. 1348:. 1322:. 1280:. 1224:. 1171:. 1105:. 1079:. 1054:.

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Knowledge

1979 NHL expansion

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