Player Losses to the WHA

[FiveForDrawingBlood]

Which NHL teams were hit the hardest by losing players to WHA? I just noticed team like th Flyers did not lose any top players while the Bruins, Habs, Leafs and Hawks were raided of stars. Bobby Hull, JC Tremblay, Keon, Big M, Cheevers, etc...

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[Dennis Bonvie]

Which NHL teams were hit the hardest by losing players to WHA? I just noticed team like th Flyers did not lose any top players while the Bruins, Habs, Leafs and Hawks were raided of stars. Bobby Hull, JC Tremblay, Keon, Big M, Cheevers, etc...

Biggest loss for Bruins was a guy they had drafted but went to the WHA, Mark Howe.
The B's also drafted Brad McCrimmon years later. Could have been like the big 3 in Montreal in late 70's as Howe-McCrimmon was one of the best combos ever in Philly.

 

[FiveForDrawingBlood]

I can't recall the Flyers losing any. While the Habs, Chitown and Bruins were hard hit. Which could explain why Philly won 2 Cups starting in '74.

 

[SealsFan]

I don't think any team was gutted as badly as the Seals. In 71-72 they were in playoff contention until a late flop but had the nucleus of an exciting young team put together.

The following players were all 25 and under and were gone to the WHA next year:
Wayne Carleton
Tom Webster
Gerry Pinder
Bobby Sheehan
Norm Ferguson
Paul Shmyr
Ernie Hicke
Don O'Donoghue
Ken Baird
Gary Kurt

along with
Gary Jarrett (28)
Tom Williams (31)

Defenseman Rick Smith stuck around for one more season before going to Minnesota in 73-74.

72-73 and 73-74 were brutal seasons for the Seals.

 

[eastcoaster]

Biggest loss for Bruins was a guy they had drafted but went to the WHA, Mark Howe.
The B's also drafted Brad McCrimmon years later. Could have been like the big 3 in Montreal in late 70's as Howe-McCrimmon was one of the best combos ever in Philly.

This is really a stretch. Mark Howe had already played a year in the WHA when the Bruins drafted him. If anything, drafting him was a gamble that just turned out badly for Boston.

In addition Boston drafted Howe 25th overall in 1974 and there is no way in the world that he would have lasted that many picks had he not been under contract to Houston. He wouldn't have been available when the Bruins picked 18th overall either. Detroit had the 9th pick that year and I doubt that Howe would have gone any lower than that.

There is no way that I would consider this to be a WHA defection from the Bruins.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Hawks lost the best player to defect - Bobby Hull along with a good D Pat Stapleton

Hawks also lost out on Real Cloutier who we selected in 1st round because he went to the Nordiques and played in WHA

But I believe losing Hull was biggest blow for any NHL team.

Who knows how 72-73 finals goes with Bobby still a Hawk

Hawks also probably stay relavent longer in 70's instead of fading into average team

 

[WheatiesHockey]

Camille Francis was one of the few that took the WHA threat seriously. The Ranger payroll escalated seriously and he raised a few eyebrows.
Francis made sure that he signed all the key players to the Rangers.
Market wise the New York Raiders did not last long with their bad secondary lease on MSG.
The WHA broke the NHL monopoly on big name talent and forever changed the game.
The WHA was labelled bush league until it became competitive with the NHL several years later.
The WHA has some weird chemistry. Players long past their prime and kids trying to break into the pro ranks.
I wonder how many people out there remember Gary Davidson the handsome young lawyer who broke the basketball monopoly.
Those were wild and wonderful times. Derek Sanderson got a huge contract with the Philadelphia Blazers. Pat Price and Dennis Sobchuk were labelled Million Dollar Babies. Bobby Hull signing at the corner of Portage and Main in Winnipeg.
The Miami Screaming Eagles franchise that never existed.
Hockey was so much fun back then.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

This is really a stretch. Mark Howe had already played a year in the WHA when the Bruins drafted him. If anything, drafting him was a gamble that just turned out badly for Boston.

In addition Boston drafted Howe 25th overall in 1974 and there is no way in the world that he would have lasted that many picks had he not been under contract to Houston. He wouldn't have been available when the Bruins picked 18th overall either. Detroit had the 9th pick that year and I doubt that Howe would have gone any lower than that.

There is no way that I would consider this to be a WHA defection from the Bruins.

You're right. My post was full of crap.

I never realized Mark Howe played when he was 18 (and had a pretty good year). I always assumed (you know what happens when...) he had been drafted before he ever played pro.

Always be sure to double check anything that happened during your college years.

 

[kdb209]

Camille Francis was one of the few that took the WHA threat seriously.

Camille??? Was that Emile's wife?

 

[WheatiesHockey]

Sorry spelling mistake should have been Emile.
But yes the rest of the story is right.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Flyers

I can't recall the Flyers losing any. While the Habs, Chitown and Bruins were hard hit. Which could explain why Philly won 2 Cups starting in '74.

The Flyers were a non-playoff team during the 1971-72 season.

They did lose some players to the WHA - Jean Guy Gendron and Michel Pariseau to the Nordiques and a few forgettable players.

Cleared roster space for younger players who cut their teeth in the NHL during the 1972-73 season. Flyers benefited from the Bernie Parent situation - lost by Toronto but returned to the NHL with Philly in time for the two Stanley Cups.

 

[WheatiesHockey]

I still remember the WHA Nordiques.
Very tough with lots of skill.