[OLYMPIA STADIUM]

This thread will cover the old WHA of the 1970s.lets hear from you. did you have a favorite team back then. lets hear from you.

 

[NICEGUY]

Don, this is before my time :laugh: :thumbsdow

 

[OLYMPIA STADIUM]

Wha

Don, this is before my time :laugh: :thumbsdow

Sorry about that. like i said before this will bring into the board some older fans that were around back then and also educate the younger fans on the WHA.

 

[masterofhockeyknowledge]

I despised the WHA. IT was so boring to watch and none of the teens at my school liked it. We all liked watching the Capitals in 1974 being annihilated by some strong team. Same with those Jets, Scouts, and Golden Seals. Gordie Howe may have been in it but that was nothing. WHA was like the AHL nowadays. It was a defensive league that made hockey how it is today. WHA was so defensive. Wayne Gretzky could barely get 100 points along with Kent Nilsson. Oh well, this thread is about what you liked about the WHA I guess. No one I knew really watched it.

 

[OLYMPIA STADIUM]

Wha

I despised the WHA. IT was so boring to watch and none of the teens at my school liked it. We all liked watching the Capitals in 1974 being annihilated by some strong team. Same with those Jets, Scouts, and Golden Seals. Gordie Howe may have been in it but that was nothing. WHA was like the AHL nowadays. It was a defensive league that made hockey how it is today. WHA was so defensive. Wayne Gretzky could barely get 100 points along with Kent Nilsson. Oh well, this thread is about what you liked about the WHA I guess. No one I knew really watched it.

There was alot of people that liked the WHA and there were people that did not like it.here in detroit we had the michigan stags for only half a season.they played at cobo arena. i use to follow the toronto toros and the cincinnati stingers.the WHA also had bobby hull besides gordie howe.the toros had frank mahovlich.the WHA was a hit in winnipeg, quebec and new england(HARTFORD)plus edmonton.

 

[OLYMPIA STADIUM]

1972-73 Wha Season

The first season of the WHA was 1972-73. the league started with 12 teams in two divisions.

EASTERN DIVISION

new england whalers 46-30-2 94pts
cleveland crusaders 43-32-3 89pts
philadelphia blazers 38-40-0 76pts
ottawa nationals 35-39-4 74pts
quebec nordiques 33-40-5 71pts
new york raiders 33-43-2 68pts

WESTERN DIVISION

winnipeg jets 43-31-4 90pts
houston aeros 39-35-4 82pts
los angeles sharks 37-35-6 80pts
minnesota fighting saints 38-37-3 79pts
alberta oilers 38-37-3 79pts
chicago cougars 26-50-2 54pts

The new england whalers won the WHAs first avco cup by beating the winnipeg jets in 5 games. the avco cup was the WHAs version of the stanley cup
some former NHLers who played in the WHA in there first season where
BOBBY HULL,JIM DOREY,ERNIE WAKELY,BRIT SELBY,TED GREEN
GARY JARRETT,AL SMITH,GERRY CHEEVERS,WAYNE RUTLEDGE,JOE DALEY,
J..C TREMBLAY,ANDRE LACROIX, POUL POPIEL,JOHN PIE McKENZIE,TED HAMPSON,WAYNE CARLETON and WAYNE CONNELLY,DEREK SANDERSON.

 

[shanny14]

I have a couple jets hockey cards. man , those are obsolete, they dont even make the beckett guide anymore. IM A HUGE card collector. my best ones are Devecchio and howe.

but thats besides the point. this was also before my time. I really couldnt shed much light on the situation.

 

[jgdeadrabbit]

Didnt see a lot of it at the time due to lack of tv exposure.I have a couple tapes now of fights and the Houston Aeros.They did give Gordie Howe the chance to play on a team with his sons which never would have happened in the NHL.

They did help get players some decent $$$ as they were woefully underpaid then.Now the pendulum has swung back the other way.They make a bit too much now,but compared to what guys make for some of these weenie sports,more power to 'em.At least hockey is a collision sport,unlike golf,tennis and the b-balls.

When watching WHA tapes it has to be remembered that the game was played at a slower pace then.

The goon factor was higher too as a lot of border line thugs were playing.The Quebec-Calgary brawl was,from written accounts,a real street fight.I wish I could post an account from Stan Fishlers book-'Hockeys Bad Boys' but I'm a computer moron and don't know how.

Guys like Steve Durbano,Paul Baxter,Jimmy Mann and Curt Brackenbury were crazed.I have a few of their stunts on tape.Gonna try to acquire more vintage stuff.

 

[OLYMPIA STADIUM]

1973-74 WHA season

EASTERN DIVISION

new england whalers 43-31-4 90pts
toronto toros 41-33-4 86pts
cleveland crusaders 37-22-9 83pts
chicago cougars 38-35-5 81pts
quebec nordiques 38-36-4 80pts
new york golden blades-JERSEY 32-42-4 68pts



WESTERN DIVISION

houston aeros 48-25-5 101pts
minnesota fighting saints 44-32-2 90pts
edmonton oilers 38-37-3 79pts
winnipeg jets 34-39-5 73pts
vancouver blazers 27-50-1 55pts
los angeles sharks 25-53-0 50pts

Well the WHA started its second season with a few changes.the alberta oilers became the edmonton oilers,ottawa moved to toronto to become the
toronto toros and philadelphia moved to vancouver to become the vancouver
blazers.the new york raiders were sold and renamed the new york golden blades then they moved to new jersey.
GORDIE HOWE came out of retirement and played for the houston aeros and scored 31 goals and 100 points.he also played with his sons mark and marty on houston.the saints mike walton lead all scorers with 57 goals and 117 points.houston goaltender Don Mcleod lead all goalies with average of 2.56.and minnesotas Gord Gallant lead the league in penalty minutes with 223.
Houston won the AVCO cup in the leagues second season by beating the chicago cougars in 4 games. also some former and future NHLers in the league were
RALPH BACKSTROM, GILLES GRATTON, JOHN GARRETT,PAT STAPLETON, ROSAIRE PAIEMENT,BOBBY HULL,TOM WEBSTER,MARC TARDIF, ANDRE LACROIX,WAYNE HILLMAN,LARRY HILLMAN, EDDIE JOYAL,ERIC NESTERENKO, BOB WOYTOWICH AND J C TREMBLAY.

 

[ts8586]

I started following hockey about 2 years before the WHA folded. I didn't even hear about that league until my dad told me that the NHL was getting 4 new teams! Anyway, I had (have) some WHA videos I bought years ago. I moved twice since I bought them, so I'm sure they're in a box somewhere. One was a documentary on Gerry Cheevers and the Cleveland Crusaders. It was funny to see him walking around the locker room between periods chain smoking like there was no tomorrow!

 

[STARS DAWG]

Try these links for some Cheevers and Crusaders vids!

YouTube - Gerry Cheevers WHA Cleveland vs. New England Whalers

YouTube - Cleveland Crusaders 1973-74 WHA hockey action​