Remembering the WHA

[Original6]

Just last nite I went into our house cellar and we have a bunch of old videos and pulled out a video labeled "Hockey - Winnipeg vs Quebec." It was taped by someone in my house. Anyways I popped the tape into my VCR thinking it was a NHL game and all of a sudden I see a poorly producted game from the defunct hockey league the WHA. I found it quite interesting because it had Bobby Hull and the jersey were probably the funniest things I've ever seen. There was an advertisement in the intermission that said "The WHA the worlds best hockey players" and I thought it was quite funny. Anyways I was intrigued to Google WHA after watching that and learn some of its history which is pretty interesting. I suggest if you're a hockey fan that lives in North America you should check the history as well. You would be surprised what city had teams back then.

Here is a pretty cool site I found on google about the WHA.
http://www.geocities.com/Pipeline/5206/

Click to read more...

 

[Ogopogo*]

As much as I hate talks of rival leagues today, I do have a soft spot for the WHA. I have done a fair amount of research into the league and I am fascinated by the cities, teams and logos.

The league was definitely inferior to the NHL but, from all accounts, it was quite entertaining.

And, of course, the WHA is responsible for giving us the Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets - now Phoenix Coyotes, Quebec Nordiques - now Colorado Avalanche and the Hartford Whalers - now Carolina Hurricanes.

 

[Rather Gingerly 1*]

The only thing I remember about the WHA is that it robbed the Habs of some very good players. Players like J.C. Tremblay, Marc Tardiff, Frank Mahovlich to name a few.

No telling how GOOD that Habs dynasty in the '70s would have been if not for the WHA

 

[Evil Homer]

Ironically, the league was at its best just before the merger. There weren't that many teams, and there was some pretty good talent.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

The only thing I remember about the WHA is that it robbed the Habs of some very good players. Players like J.C. Tremblay, Marc Tardiff, Frank Mahovlich to name a few.

No telling how GOOD that Habs dynasty in the '70s would have been if not for the WHA

True, but all the top teams lost some good talent, so I don't see the Habs being any more dominant than they were. Although, having JC would have made a hell of a big 4 on D. IMO JC is the best player from that era not in the HOF. If he hadn't left, he'd probably be in.

As for the WHA, I actually have alot of fond memories from what I recall. It was very exciting, free flowing hockey. IMO the top WHA teams were on par with the middle of the road NHL teams.

 

[Hawker14]

at the least, the wha gave players an option of where they played, and for most the ability to make a decent buck, instead of the indentured servitude of the nhl at the time.

 

[Ogopogo*]

at the least, the wha gave players an option of where they played, and for most the ability to make a decent buck, instead of the indentured servitude of the nhl at the time.

LOL.

They could have worked at Wal-Mart instead of playing in the NHL. Servitude? Hardly.

 

[reckoning]

That was the owners claim for decades. "This is our league and if you don`t like it go somewhere else". So when another league came up a lot of players decided to do just that. Then the owners screamed "It`s not fair! It`s not fair!". Most ridiculous was Chicago taking Bobby Hull to court to stop him from playing in Winnipeg, even though he`d already played out the years in his contract. They had this absurd idea that a player shouldn`t be allowed to sign anywhere else even after his contract was fulfilled; even in another league. They felt they should own a player in perpetuity. That`s what people mean by indentured servitude.

 

[Ogopogo*]

That was the owners claim for decades. "This is our league and if you don`t like it go somewhere else". So when another league came up a lot of players decided to do just that. Then the owners screamed "It`s not fair! It`s not fair!". Most ridiculous was Chicago taking Bobby Hull to court to stop him from playing in Winnipeg, even though he`d already played out the years in his contract. They had this absurd idea that a player shouldn`t be allowed to sign anywhere else even after his contract was fulfilled; even in another league. They felt they should own a player in perpetuity. That`s what people mean by indentured servitude.

Although trying to bar Hull from making the jump is wrong and was deservedly shot down, my point is that the players didn't have to play hockey for a living. They earned 5 - 10X the average working man's wage so I don't see it as an evil thing to play in the NHL at that time.