WHA Hockey.TV: A Tribute to the Legends of the World Hockey Association by Mark Willand

It Was a Golden Age for Hockey -- The WHA's Last Champions

Final Avco Cup for Jets one for the ages

By PAUL FRIESEN, Winnipeg Sun

Pink Floyd's The Wall was huge, the Sony Walkman was the latest gadget and bungee jumping was becoming all the rage.

That's how long it's been since Winnipeg celebrated any kind of pro hockey championship.

With the Manitoba Moose four wins away from the Calder Cup, it's time to take a look back at the 1979 Winnipeg Jets, who captured the Avco Cup on home ice in the final year of the old World Hockey Association.

Three leagues, three decades and an arena have come and gone since this city had a reason to hold a puck parade.

Jim Dorey, Ron Plumb, Fred O'Donnell and Rick Smith at International Hockey Hall of Fame with Tim Gassen

Scoring on the big screen Posted By Whitney Fleming

When it comes to the topic of the World Hockey Association and the Indianapolis Racers, Tim Gassen knows that the true fanatic in himself comes out. Gassen’s passion for the team that survived less than five seasons that led him to produce a two-DVD set on the Racers, the launch of Wayne Gretzky’s pro career in 1978. The film, Gretzky, Indy and The WHA, features restored game footage of the Indianapolis Racers and Wayne Gretzky playing in his only game in Indy.

EXCLUSIVE: Kevin Smith Making WHA GOON Hockey Movie With Mitch Albom Based On Warren Zevon Song ‘Hit Somebody’

Published by Eric Ditzian on Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 3:00 pm.

To my mind, one of the coolest trends in movies these days is the wacky collaborations that keep making the news. Michel Gondry, Seth Rogen and “The Green Hornet”? Kenneth Branagh and “Thor”? Add another unlikely, though definitely dynamic, duo to the group: Kevin Smith and Mitch Albom.

The “Clerks” director and the “Tuesdays with Morrie” author will be teaming up for a movie adaptation of the Warren Zevon song, “Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song).”

You heard that right. Nothing in the previous sentence is a typo. This mad scientist alliance is happening, as Smith exclusively revealed to MTV News, and he’s pumped up about it.

WHA Documentary Part 2 ... Hometown Heroes, the Howes and Houston

WHA Documentary Part 3 ... A League of Their Own

WHA Documentary Part 1 ... The Beginning

Rare WHA Footage: Winnipeg's Hull, Hedberg Score vs. San Diego

Rare 1974-75 WHA film (Winnipeg at San Diego) shows goals by Bobby Hull and Anders Hedberg. Also a Save by Curt Larsson and Ulf Nilsson being attacked by San Diego's Dean Boylan.

Paul Shmyr - Hockey's Second Free Agent *

San Diego Mariner Paul Shmyr is interviewed prior to the 1976-77 season.

He had just signed with the Mariners after leaving the Cleveland Crusaders in a contract dispute.  He would become a free agent again a year later when the Mariners folded.

*The first free agent was teammate Andre Lacroix who was free agent at least five times in his WHA career due to club contract violations and team foldings.

WHA Profile: Wayne "Moon" Rivers San Diego Mariners

Wayne "Moon" Rivers was a skilled offensive player in the minor leagues who hit the WHA jackpot when he was teamed with the legendary Andre Lacroix in San Diego.

A long-time minor leaugue journyman,  Rivers joined the fledgling WHA in 1972, signing with the New York Raiders. In the WHA, Rivers' style of play was well adapted to the wide-open play he encountered. He soon became a prolific scorer, netting 37 and 30 goals in his first two seasons. In his third season, the team moved to San Diego and Rivers with teamed with playmaker Lacroix.  Rivers converted Lacroix's deft passes and scored a career-high 54 goals with the Mariners.

After his standout performance in 1974-75, Rivers wanted more money than the Mariners were willing to pay. The Mariners realized that Rivers' production was a direct result of Lacroix's amazing passes. They placed him on waivers along with a handful of other players. He slipped through the waiver net untouched, however, and eventually reconciled with the club.

However, Rivers no longer rode "shotgun" with Lacroix and, his production plummeted to just 19 goals in 1975-76 and 18 tallies in 1976-77.

He skated two more years with the team and then rounded out his career with the San Francisco Shamrocks of the PHL in 1978.

WHA Profile: Tom Webster, New England Whalers

A long-time Bruins farmhand,  Tom "Hawkeye" Webster's NHL career come to life in 1970-71 when he joined the Detroit Red Wings.  Webster scored 30 goals, assisting on 37 others for a highly productive 67-point season. 

After a stint with the Californa Golden Seals, he joined the WHA's England Whalers in 1972 and enjoyed six WHA productive seasons. In his first WHA year, Webster scored 53 goals and 50 assists for 103 points playing on a line with Terry Caffery and Brit Selby.  The Whalers went on to win the WHA championship that year, led by Webster's 12-14-26 performance in 15 games.

Webster was chosen to play for Team Canada in 1974 in the Summit Series vs. the Soviet Union.  He played sparingly but is remembered for a spectacular end-to-end rush and goal in game three.  He also played in the 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976 WHA All-Star games.

Webster's brilliant WHA career was plagued by injuries.  In 1977-78, Webster played on a line with Mark and Gordie Howe and and amassed 15 goals in his first 20 games.  But his ailing back faltered
and he never played another WHA game.

In 352 WHA games, he amassed 220 goals, 205 assists and 425 points. He added 28-26-54 in the playoffs.

Note:  The 1971-72 Californaia Golden Seals wore white skates.  Webster took those skates to New England's training camp where he posed for the above photo.