WHA
1972-1979 |
WHA Most Valuable
Players
Gary L. Davidson Award
Gordie Howe Trophy in 1976-79 |
|
1973
Bobby Hull
LW, Winnipeg Jets |
|
1974
Gordie Howe
RW, Houston Aeros |
|
1975
Bobby Hull
LW, Winnipeg Jets |
|
1976
Marc Tardif
LW, Quebec Nordiques |
|
1977
Robbie Ftorek
C, Phoenix Roadrunners |
|
1978
Marc Tardif
LW, Quebec Nordiques |
|
1979
Dave Dryden
G, Edmonton Oilers |
|
WHA Stars
and Team Canada 1974 in the
HOCKEY
RETROSPECTIVE
|
|
|
Mr.
Hockey about the WHA |
|
"If
I ever had fun in
my life, it was there"
Gordie
Howe |
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SEVEN SEASONS: WHA 1972-1979
World Hockey Association
(WHA)
The World Hockey Association began
its first season in 1972-73 as a 12-team rival of
the 56-year-old NHL. The WHA played for the AVCO
World Trophy in its seven playoff finals (Avco Financial
Services underwrote the playoffs).
WHA: AVCO World Trophy
Winners
Year |
Winner |
Finalist |
Playoff
MVP |
1973 |
New England Whalers |
Winnipeg Jets |
- |
1974 |
Houston Aeros |
Chicago Cougars |
- |
1975 |
Houston Aeros |
Quebec Nordiques |
Ron Grahame, G
Houston Aeros |
1976 |
Winnipeg Jets |
Houston Aeros |
Ulf Nilsson, C
Winnipeg Jets |
1977 |
Quebec Nordiques |
Winnipeg Jets |
Serg Bernier, C
Quebec Nordiques |
1978 |
Winnipeg Jets |
New England Whalers |
Bobby Guindon, C
Winnipeg Jets |
1979 |
Winnipeg Jets |
Edmonton Oilers |
Bobby Guindon, C
Winnipeg Jets |
|
Bill Hunter Trophy Scoring
Leader
Year |
Player |
Gm |
G |
A |
Pts |
1973 |
Andre Lacroix, Philadelphia
Blazers |
78 |
50 |
74 |
124 |
1974 |
Mike Walton, Minnesota
Fighting Saints |
78 |
57 |
60 |
117 |
1975 |
Andre Lacroix, San
Diego Mariners |
78 |
41 |
106 |
147 |
1976 |
Marc Tardif, Quebec
Nordiques |
81 |
71 |
77 |
148 |
1977 |
Real Cloutier, Quebec
Nordiques |
76 |
66 |
75 |
141 |
1978 |
Marc Tardif, Quebec
Nordiques |
78 |
65 |
89 |
154 |
1979 |
Real Cloutier, Quebec
Nordiques |
77 |
75 |
54 |
129 |
|
Ben Hatskin Trophy Best
Goaltender
Year
|
Player |
Record
|
GAA |
1973 |
Gerry Cheevers, Cleveland
Crusaders |
32-20-0 |
2.84 |
1974 |
Don McLeod, Houston
Aeros |
33-13-3 |
2.56 |
1975 |
Ron Grahame, Houston
Aeros |
33-10-0 |
3.03 |
1976 |
Michel Dion, Indianapolis
Racers |
14-15-1 |
2.74 |
1977 |
Ron Grahame, Houston
Aeros |
27-10-2 |
2.74 |
1978 |
Al Smith, New England
Whalers |
30-20-3 |
3.22 |
1979 |
Dave Dryden, Edmonton
Oilers |
41-17-2 |
2.89 |
|
Dennis A. Murphy Trophy
Best Defenseman
Year
|
Player |
1973 |
J.C. Tremblay, Quebec
Nordiques |
1974 |
Pat Stapleton, Chicago
Cougars |
1975 |
J.C. Tremblay, Quebec
Nordiques |
1976 |
Paul Shmyr, Cleveland
Crusaders |
1977 |
Ron Plumb, Cincinnati
Stingers |
1978 |
Lars-Erik Sjoberg,
Winnipeg Jets |
1979 |
Rick Ley, New England
Whalers |
|
Lou Kaplan Trophy Rookie
of the Year
Year |
Player |
G |
A |
Pts |
1973 |
Terry Caffery, C, New
England Whalers |
39 |
61 |
100 |
1974
|
Mark Howe, LW, Houston
Aeros |
38 |
41 |
79 |
1975
|
Anders Hedberg, RW,
Winnipeg Jets |
53 |
47 |
100 |
1976
|
Mark Napier, RW, Toronto
Toros |
43 |
50 |
93 |
1977
|
George Lyle, LW, New
England Whalers |
39 |
33 |
72 |
1978
|
Kent Nilsson, C, Winnipeg
Jets |
42 |
65 |
107 |
1979
|
Wayne Gretzky, C, Indianapolis
Racers - Edmonton Oilers |
46 |
64 |
110 |
|
Paul Deneau Trophy
Most Gentlmenly Player
Year
|
Player |
1973 |
Ted Hampson, Minnesota
Fighting Saints |
1974 |
Ralph Backstrom, Chicago
Cougars |
1975 |
Mike Rogers, Edmonton
Oilers |
1976 |
Vaclav Nedomansky,
Toronto Toros |
1977 |
Dave Keon, New England
Whalers |
1978 |
Dave Keon, New England
Whalers |
1979 |
Kent Nilsson, Winnipeg
Jets |
|
Howard Baldwin Trophy Coach
of the Year
Year |
Coach |
Improvement |
1973
|
Jack Kelley, New England
Whalers |
- |
|
46-30-2* |
1974 |
Billy Harris, Toronto
Toros |
35-39-4 |
to |
41-33-4 |
1975 |
Sandy Hucul, Phoenix
Roadrunners |
Expan. |
to |
39-31-8 |
1976 |
Bobby Kromm, Winnipeg
Jets |
38-35-5 |
to |
52-27-2* |
1977 |
Bill Dineen, Houston
Aeros |
53-27-0* |
to |
50-24-6* |
1978 |
Bill Dineen, Houston
Aeros |
50-24-6* |
to |
42-34-4 |
1979 |
John Brophy, Birmingham
Bulls |
36-41-3 |
to |
32-42-6 |
|
Note: *Won Division.
WHA All Star Games
Best Defenseman
Year
|
Host City |
Teams/Results |
Attendance |
1973 |
Quebec |
East 6, West 2 |
5,435 |
1974 |
St. Paul |
East 8, West 4 |
13,196 |
1975 |
Edmonton |
West 6, East 4 |
15,326 |
1976 |
Cleveland |
Canada 6, U.S. 1 |
15,491 |
1977 |
Hartford |
East 4, West 2 |
10,337 |
1978 |
Quebec |
Quebec 5, WHA 4 |
6,413 |
1979 |
Edmonton |
WHA 4, Moscow 2
WHA 4, Moscow 2
WHA 4, Moscow 3 |
8,038
11,220
15,590 |
|
WHA 1972-1979 All-Time
Leaders Points, Goals,
Assists, PIMs, Games
Category |
Players |
Top
50s |
Points |
1.
Andre Lacroix - 798
2. Marc Tardif - 666
3. Bobby Hull - 638
|
Top
50 |
Goals |
1.
Marc Tardif - 316
2. Bobby Hull - 302
3. Real Cloutier - 283 |
Top
50 |
Assists |
1.
Andre Lacroix - 747
2. J.C. Tremblay - 358
3. Marc Tardif - 350 |
Top
50 |
Games |
1.
Andre Lacroix - 551
2. Ron Plumb - 549
3. Paul Shmyr - 511 |
Top
50 |
PIM |
1.
Paul Baxter - 962
2. Kim Clackson - 932
3. Cam Connor - 904 |
Top
50 |
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