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

1973-74 WHA Preview by Sports Illustrated

So the Bobby Hull Money Crusade is skating out for an encore. Despite Hull's charismatic presence and his unceasing office efforts to promote the league in its rookie year, the WHA's 12 owners suffered a net loss of some $15 million, ranging from a low of $300,000 in Winnipeg to more than $2 million in New York. Among the consequences: during the off-season the Philadelphia Blazers moved to Vancouver and the Ottawa Nationals became the Toronto Toros—or the Toronto Lawn Mowers, as the rival Maple Leafs call them—while the showcase New York team underwent a superficial facial.

  So what promise does Season II hold for the bookkeepers? Even with the legendary Gordie Howe performing alongside sons Marty and Mark in Houston, the WHA faces another red ink flood unless people begin coming to the games. Only four franchises—the champion New England Whalers, Hull's Winnipeg Jets, the Quebec Nordiques and the Blazers in Vancouver—seem likely to lose less than $500,000. The Houston Aeros have increased their season-ticket sales from 600 to 2,500 since signing the Howe family en masse, but the total revenue from those 1,900 additional tickets will not even cover the club's salary payments to the three Howes.

John "Tonto" Tonelli -- Houston Aeros WHA Legend

Welcome to WHA Hockey.TV

The World Hockey Association was a major professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse 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 supremacy, it was by far the most successful.

In fact, the WHA was home to many of hockey's all-time greats, including Bobby Hull, Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky, Frank Mahovlich, Mark Messier, Mike Gartner, Michel Goulet and many more.

A key part of its success was its firm stance in not recognizing the reserve clause that found its way onto NHL contracts of the time, and its active scouting of players from all over the world, in contrast to the mainly North American NHL. However, the WHA was also known for its unstable franchises, and the multi-million-dollar salaries it introduced to the game have remained a source of contention.

Anders Hedberg - 1975 Article - "An Outspoken View of Pro Hockey"

In is this 1975 article, Winnipeg Jet Anders Hedberg discusses his hockey career from childhood to the WHA.  Click on the images/pages on the left to enlarge the article.

 

Kevin Morrison Shows Hockey Fighting Techniques to TV Reporter

San Diego Mariners blueliner Kevin Morrison show his punching strategies to a San Diego TV reporter (sorry, no audio).

Morrison turned pro in 1969 with New Haven of the EHL. After two seasons there he bounced around between the CHL and the AHL before finally getting his chance at playing at an elite level.  Morrison was selected by the Los Angeles Sharks in the 1972 WHA General Draft although he did not play in the league until he was traded to New York. He played one season in the Big Apple and then played three years in San Diego with the Mariners. He also had short stints in Indianapolis and Quebec.

He was the WHA's top-goal scoring backliner while with San Diego and recorded his best year in 1974-75 with a 20-61-81 performance.  He was also one of hockey's most feared fighters.

In 1979-80 Morrison signed a free-agent contract with the NHL's Colorado Rockies, fulfilling a lifelong dream to play in the league. He lasted 41 games with the hapless Rockies, scoring four goals and 15 points.

Morrison last played semi-pro hockey in Newfoundland in 1985-86 with the Stephenville Jets.

Chicago Cougars 1973-74 WHA Highlite Film on MYHockeyTV.com

The complete 1973-74 Highlite film of the WHA Chicago Cougars can be viewed here at MyHockeyTV.com

Minnesota Fighting Saints 74-75 Team Video Now at MyHockeyTV.com

The Minnesota Fighting Saints 1974-75 Team Video -- "Center Ice" -- can now be viewed  at MyHockeyTV.com.