The Complete Historical and Statistical Reference

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY, JUNE 25,1977

For a price WHA teams are in

CHICAGO (CP) – Barring some unforeseen difficulties, it appears the National Hockey League will swell its ranks for the 1977-78 season by at least six clubs from the World Hockey Association.

"The NHL board of governors this morning approved a resolution authorizing the fact-finding committee to pursue negotiations with the WHA seeking to, lead to an expansion of the National Hockey League this coming season by not less than six teams," John A. Ziegler, Jr., president elect of the NHL, announced Friday.
..
"The proposal would be to have those teams play in their own division for this coming season and on some form of integration over a period of the following two years.

"We have no further details.. We have not met with the WHA 'to find Silt if this sort of program would be satisfactory." The go-ahead was given despite the fact the league has not completed arrangements with the NHL Players' Association on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Quebec, New England, Cincinnati and Edmonton are rated as definitely interested in joining the NHL with Winnipeg and Houston likely. Birmingham is another possibility.

In Winnipeg, councillor Jim Ernst, chairman of Winnipeg
Enterprises Corporation, said Friday he is pleased, to see Winnipeg being considered for an NHL franchise but added that city council would need a
stronger commitment before building a new arena.

Council voted earlier this month to hold a special meeting on arena expansion or construction of a new building as soon as the city had a concrete commitment from the NHL. Ernst said the NHL announcement doesn't warrant holding immediate talks, although he said he personally would support a plan which would allow more people to watch the Jets play.

The calibre of play will be substantially improved with the elimination of weaker teams from the league, and this is likely to attract larger audiences to local games, Ernst said.

The owners and players will meet again in Toronto on July 13 with the two groups meeting separately in the morning before getting together for an afternoon session.' "The position of the players has been clear from our meetings in Bermuda," said Alan Eagleson, executive director of the NHLPA. "Upon reasonable conditions applying to adjustment in the compensation of equalization clause, we were in favor of an expansion, merger or accommodation.

"From the collective bargaining point of view, the owners are taking a position, which they are justified in taking, that they are not looking at a merger with the WHA but rather an expansion. "That gets into some technical labor law and anti-trust law problems that we require time to study with our counsel in the States. Hopefully by the 14th of July we will be in a position to finalize all of these aspects."

The NHL owners, by virtue of their constitution, need unanimity in order to change
any aspects of the collective bargaining agreement. Jack Kent Cooke, owner of Los Angeles Kings, was fingered Thursday as the man responsible for delaying any agreement on a new pact.

Under the proposal to the WHA clubs, they will play a balanced 80-game schedule among themselves and four clubs from their division will likely qualify for the playoffs.
They will play some exhibition games against the established NHL clubs and in 1978-79, they will likely be able to participate in some form of interlocking schedule.

Ziegler said the cost to the WHA clubs to enter the NHL would be less than the widely reported $3.3 million, but he would not divulge the figure mainly because members of the fact-finding committee were communicating it to the WHA clubs.

"At this point we have said not less than six teams for next year," Ziegler added. "It's up to them to determine. How many teams they will have we don't know. "They must meet the requirements of the constitution that each team must file a separate application and meet those requirements."

Ziegler added that WHA teams accepted into the NHL "would be full members except that their schedule would be different from the rest"

The distribution of money gained from the expansion will be decided by the players and the owners, he said. "The concept that we are operating on is that we would seek to use that fund to clean up the obligations that may be existing within and outside the National Hockey League that affect the National Hockey League." Ziegler explained.

"This may be hoping to correct some mistakes with the amateur hockey bodies." Both Ziegler and Eagleson feel that one stumbling block — the agreement with the players and the owners — should be resolved by the Toronto meeting.

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SATURDAY, JUNE 25,1977

NHL Presents Formula For Merger With WHA

CHICAGO (UPI) — The National Hockey League Friday voted to explore setting
up a separate NHL division of six World Hockey Association teams that would play among themselves this year and participate in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

John Ziegler, newly elected NHL president, and Alan Eagelson, director of the NHL Players Association, held a joint press conference to announce the first step in an expansion formula that will be pursued in a meeting July 13 in Toronto.

The committee will have to meet with the NHL Players Association and work out details of the merger plans.

But Bobby Clarke, president of the association, said, "The only thing that can foul this (merger) up is opposition from the WHA, but that may have already been worked out." Ziegler said, "The (Board of) Governors have approved a resolution authorizing the fact-finding committee to study the possibility of a separate division of at least six WHA teams playing among themselves this year.

"No details have been worked out on anything except the idea of the separate division in which four of their top teams would then participate in the playoffs. There would be no regular season play between the divisions this year.

"Next year some integration might take place and thefollowing year more, until the new division is"" completely integrated with the National Hockey League after four years." " No money figures were revealed, Ziegler said, because the WHA teams were now being asked for their reaction.

A minimum of six WHA teams would join the NHL for the 1977-78 season if the negotations succeed, an NHL spokesman said at the Board of. Governors threeday meeting in Chicago.

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, MONDAY, JUNE 27,1977

Eagle's boys could create hangup

TORONTO (AP) - The National Hockey League is much closer to accommodating franchises from the World Hockey Association than it is to closing matters with the NHL Players' Association to facilitate the expansion.

Alan Eagleson, NHLPA executive director, said the NHL "is95 per cent committed" to the expansion with WHA teams.

"I feel the NHL maybe rushed toward the deal with the WHA a bit quickly," Eagleson said Monday. "I think they're a little at the players' association's mercy right now and it's the best time for us to be bargaining wh them.

"All the world now knows that the NHL wants an accommodation with the WHA. But the NHL must strike a deal with us first. We have a great deal of hard negotiating before a deal is finalized.

"The deal to the NHL in ringing about the accommodation. I think some NHL owners felt that they'd be able to say that the expansion with WHA teams was Impossible because the player's association just wanted too many concessions.

"They found out at our meeting in Bermuda in May that they'd have to find another scapegoat. Each side made a list of demands and they found out that we would be fair."

The equalization clause remains the major stumbling block between the owners and players' association. Under the present five-year agreement, if a free agent player changes teams, his new team needs to compensate his old club, subject to binding arbitration.

The players' association wants equalization altered before it will agree to expansion. Eagleson has suggested a set equalization based on a player's salary.

If a free agent who changes teams has an annual salary of $100,000 or more, the existing compensation rule would apply. If the player earns from $75,000 to $100,000, compensation would be a first-round amateur draft; S45,000 to $75,000, a second-round pick; below $45,000, a thirdround pick.

"We leel that's an extremely fair deal," said Eagleson. "But the NHL seems to think the present arrangement should go on forever. With the WHA going out of business, though, we want to give some degree of mobility to hockey players, especially those earning under $45,000."

Although owners of the Birmingham Bulls and the Indianapolis Racers claim they will apply for new NHL franchises, all indications are that only six teams from the WHA will be in the new NHL division next season—the New England Whalers, the Quebec Nordiques, the Edmonton Oilers, the Winnipeg Jets, the Cincinnati Stingers and the Houston Aeros. The Indianapolis franchise is broke despite having the highest average attendance (9,500) last season.

Birmingham owner John Bassett insists he'll apply for an NHL franchise. But the Birmingham bid depends on the selling of 8,000 season tickets in the next two weeks. Bassett says 3,500 season tickets have been sold to date.

There also is a strong possibility of a merger between the Edmonton and Birmingham franchises. It has been learned that Bassett has offered most of his players to other WHA teams in deals conditional on the season's ticket sales. If the sales' campaign fails, then the players would be available.

[JETStender]

Wednesday June 29 1977

Report Claims WHA Nixed Previous League Merger

CLEVELAND (UPI) - A one-time World Hockey Assn. team official said Tuesday WHA executives four years ago turned down a merger agreement on "astoundingly good terms" into the National Hockey League.

Joe Zingale, president of the Cleveland Nets of World Team Tennis and once a major investor of the WHA's Cleveland Crusaders, said he "just couldn't believe it" when the merger terms were turned down.

He spoke to the Cleveland Press as indications spread that the two leagues would reach some form of accommodation within a year or two and possibly before the upcoming season begins.

"Nick (Mileti, his cousin and owner of the Crusaders) received a feeler from Bill Jennings, president of the New York Rangers, asking whether something couldn't be worked out between the two leagues," Zingale recalled.

They met with Jennings promptly at his home at Rye, N. Y., and before long there were "more meetings involving more people in both leagues," which led to "some very specific proposals for a merger," Zingale said.

"Frankly, I thought they were astoundingly good terms for the WHA." He added. "In fact, because of that," he continued, "we insisted that the NHL owners agree to them first and then we would present them to the rest of the WHA owners. I figured that part would be easy."

Word came back that after a tough battle, the NHL owners had agreed. Zingale said. "We took the news to the rest of the WHA owners and to our total amazement, they turned it down flat. "They reacted with something like, 'The hell with the NHL. We've got them on the run now. Who needs them?'," Zingale said.

"I just couldn't believe it. There wasn't even any sense in arguing, they were so adamant. Nick and I just walked out of the room and called the NHL and gave them the bad news," he said. There was one more overture, he recalled, asking whether the Crusaders and New England would be willing to bolt the WHA and join the NHL on their own.

But the WHA bylaws, requiring a $2 million payment to each of the WHA survivors by any teams which left, and the threat of legal action forestalled any such jump, he said.

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29.1977

Answer within a week?
By REYN DAVIS
The deadline for applications-from World Hockey Association teams for their admission into the National Hockey League is July 13, but Winnipeg should know within a week if the Jets will be among them.

"Hopefully, we can raise the money back home needed to make the deal," said the Jets' trustee, Oscar Grubert, from his hotel room in New York City Tuesday, Grubert and team president Jack McKeag are attending a "housecleaning" meeting in New York. It ends today.

"We'd like to see eight teams from the WHA go into the NHL," said Grubert. "The more that go, the less the burden on us." The cost of entering the NHL and leaving the WHA could ultimately cost the Jets $3.5 million. Grubert said it appears six teams are going to the NHL, and the Jets are one of them.

"Calgary wants a future option to go into the NHL," said Grubert. "And Indianapolis is a real question mark. Nobody has really surfaced on Indy's behalf financially, so it doesn't look good.

"Birmingham? Well, they're still trying to sell 8,000 season tickets down there. Bassett called and said they were going gangbasters." ' "Bassett" is John F. Bassett, president of the Birmingham Bulls.

The application to enter the NHL must be accompanied by a deposit. A month later, a large sum is due. Meanwhile, at home, Jets' chairman of the board, Bob Graham, said would-be investors in the club have been encouraged by the possibilities of tax concessions. "Not until an actual ruling is made will we know for sure," said Graham. "But so far we're encouraged."

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29.1977

$20 million a nice, round total
WHA president lays out some figures

NEW YORK (CP) - The World Hockey Association discussed Tuesday the total cost of joining the National Hockey League next season and WHA president Bill MacFarland came up with a figure of more than $20 million.

The WHA's board of trustees, represnting nine clubs still active in the league, met here for six hours to assess the real costs of an accommodation with the NHL. Last week, the NHL board of governors agreed to accept no fewer than six WHA clubs in a separate division provided they meet certain conditions.

MacFarland said that the trustees basically heard a report from the WHA committee that has been negotiating the accommodation with the NHL. "Obviously, with nine teams remaining active in the WHA and embarking on a six-team expansion of the NHL, we have to negotiate indemnification agreements with the people who don't want to apply," MacFarland said. "And we have been working on that for about a month, and we're pretty much there with everybody."

MacFarland said he could not list the teams that will be part of the NHL next season although there have been reports that they' will be New England Whalers, Quebec Nordigues, Cincinnati Stingers, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets and Houston Aeros.

All nine surviving WHA clubs have a right to apply for for membership in the NHL by July 13, when NHL owners meet to discuss the so-called merger in Toronto. MacFarland said that John Bassett, president of Birmingham Bulls, has indicated that he is in the process of deciding whether he will apply, depending on financing and season ticket sales.

"John Bassett has indicated that assuming financing comes together in Birmingham and there are sufficient ticket sales by a certain date, he will make a decision at that time," MaeFarland said. MacFarland said the date for such a decision would be July 1.

"He (Bassett) isn't ready to make that decision right now, but he's ready to make an agreement with the WHA for indemnification if he doesn't go ahead." MacFarland said a similar situation exists for the financiallytroubled Indianapolis Racers. But Calgary Cowboys, handicapped by their small arena, are not ready as far as their building is concerned for an NHL franchise, MacFarland said. "However, my understanding is that some future (in the NHL) will be negotiated for them."

The WHA president said that the trustees had to be given a "clear understanding" of all of the costs of merger as they relate to all nine teams.

These include, he said, the cost of assuming contracts for teams that don't apply, or are not accepted, plus the costs of the accounts receivable. Items that also have to be dealt with include the players' pensions that have to be brought current.

"Basically, we were trying to add the numbers to see what it really costs plus plugging in the NHL franchise fee."

Asked to give a ballpark figure, MacFarland explained the costs this way: "I would say that six teams indemnifying three, and assuming players' contracts for approximately 50-odd players plus the costs of bringing pensions to the status that we've agreed to with the WHA Players Association, it will run somewhere between $3.5 million and $4 million per club."

He said it was up to each individual team, having analysed the costs and the indemnification it would receive if it doesn't apply, to decide whether to go ahead or not.
"But we have been assured that a minimum of six will go ahead." He was asked whether all the teams will apply anyway. "I don't know if all will. I'm certain that six will. The others, three of them are not definite yet."

MacFarland also disclosed that the WHA will close its headquarters in Toronto on Thursday and move its archives and records to a small office in Hartford, Conn., home of the Whalers.

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29.1977

Nordiques may be in red
QUEBEC (CP) — Quebec Nordiques could have a $1 million deficit if they are part of an expanded National Hockey League next season, team president John Dacres said Tuesday.

"The total cost for us joining the NHL will be somewhere between $1 million and S3 million." said Dacres before leaving for a meeting of WHA member teams in New York.

"That's quite a debt. Just the interest on the debt is $400,000 a year. Our payroll is going Jo increase and it is safe to estimate our club will lose between $800.000 and $1 million."

Dacres said the Nordiques need a new rink to replace the Quebec Coliseum, which holds just over 10.000 seats.

[JETStender]

Thursday, June 30, 1977

Howe Believes Merger Will Help Ice Health

By BARRY WILNER
NEW YORK (AP) - Gordie Howe thinks hockey is headed for healthier times now that a merger between the National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association appears imminent.

"It's a great step for the sport, a definite step in the right direction." Howe said in a telephone conversation Wednesday. "A merger will eliminate the negative thinking that has been associated with hockey for the last few years."

Hockey's all-time leading scorer and a 29-year veteran of the professional ranks, the 49-year-old Howe, along with sons Mark and Marty, has helped keep the WHA alive since its inception five years ago.

"I think the league could keep going." said Howe, "Some teams actually made money last year, but that was overshadowed by the clubs that folded.”Both leagues need a financial strengthening, and that's what would happen with a merger. The WHA has been looking for a breakthrough, a feeler, that might lead to one league and now we have gotten it."

Howe likes the proposed format that would bring at least six WHA teams into the NHL in a separate division. The teams would compete only among themselves until the playoffs, when the top four squads would qualify to play for the Stanley Cup.

"It's a good idea to ease us into the league," noted Howe, whose New- England Whalers are expected to be one of the new NHL members. "I'd like to see our teams incorporated into the other divisions a little quicker than three years, but the chance to play for the Stanley Cup next season is what the players want

[JETStender]

Thursday, June 30, 1977

Racers against time

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — July 6 is the newest deadline facing the financially-troubled Indianapolis Racers tin their battle for survival.

David Givens', general counsel for the Indiana National Bank, which holds the World Hockey Association team's assets due to non-payment of a past-due loan, said Wednesday the team still could apply for membership in the National Hockey League.

Givens told a news conference called after he returned from meetings with other WHA teams in New York that many details are up in the air concerning a possible merger between WHA teams and the NHL.

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY. JULY 2,1977

Hal Sigurdson
SPORTS EDITOR

SHORT TAKES: One of "the unadvertised concessions WHA teams agreed to in their proposed merger with the NHL is surrendering a full season of amateur draft choices.

WHA teams are free to sign anyone they can this year, but if they do, next year when the leagues enter a common draft they'll be obliged to surrender a draft choice to the NHL team which also claimed him.. .

Recently the Houston Aeros signed junior defenceman Scott Campbell, their first round choice..Campbell was also claimed in the first round by the NHL St. Louis Blues

.Next season the Aeros will be required to cede their first choice to St. Louis.

That is, if St. Louis is still in business.

The Blues are for sale and recently a deal for new ownership fell through.. .Now, apparently, the Blues are pursuing the idea of merging with a WHA team.. .Would you believe Houston?

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1977


Hull hasn't heard a word
Golden Jet on way out?
By REYN DAVIS
Bobby Hull says he is no longer informed about the affairs of the Winnipeg Jets and that if he isn't consulted abort the coaching job "then I guess I'm gone."

Hull said he has spent "less than half an hour" speaking to the Jets since the end of the season. "I haven't talked to anybody over there about anything," be said. "I haven't been told about who they're considering for the coaching job. "Bat, if they don't consider me, then I guess I’m gone."

The 58-year-old Hall, No. 2 among hockey's all-time scorers, didn't say he definitely wanted the job but he expects to have a large say in who is lured.

The last coach, Bobby Kromm, was Hulls choice and the present general manager, Rudy Pilous, was also his selection.

As for his own plans for the coming season he has made no commitments.
I may not even be here," he said. Right now I’m waiting for the other people to make my plans for the future

His personal situation has been complicated by the fact his wife. Joanne, has sued for divorce and custody of their five children. He has serious doubts a merger or accomodation with the National
Hockey League will occur before next season.

"The NHL must get its own teams in order first before they take on us," he said. "And so far, they haven't done anything to get their teams straightened out"

If six World Hockey Association teams are admitted to the NHL in mid-July, they will play strictly within their own division.

The Jets, being a non-profit, publicly- owned team, are likely to change their structure and become a profit-sharing, publicly-owned team.

A huge initial investment of three companies is expected to be announced shortly, once all tax deals have been cleared up.

Reported sums to be posted are $1.5 million by each of Labatts and Sony and $2 million by Great West Life Go Jets Go Co.

Terms of payment to NHL will be $1 million up front and $250,000 the next three seasons, followed by another $1 million when full integration begins.

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1977

Company hopes to keep Blues in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Ralston Purina Co. is studying purchase of St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League, R. Hal Dean, chairman of the board said Tuesday. "If there were another alternative for keeping the St. Louis Blues in St. Louis, Ralston Purina Co. would never consider investigating the possibility of purchasing the franchise," Dean said.

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1977

NHL hasn't received formal applications

MONTREAL (CP) — The National Hockey League has not received any applications from World Hockey As'sociation clubs to join an expanded NHL for the 1977-78 season, Brian O'Neill, executive director of the NHL, said Thursday.

"We haven't got anything to say on expansion now. We haven't had any applications." The NHL has indicated it will except no fewer than six WHA teams and the apparent deadline for the applications is next Wednesday when the NHL board of governors has scheduled a special meeting in Toronto.

WHA officials have expressed confidence that the requirements set down by the NHL ' will bs met, including an entry fee reported to be $2.9 million.

• Also at the meeting in Toronto, the NHL - governors will sit down with representatives of the NHL Players' Association to thrash out a new collective bargaining agreement If a new agreement is not reached, then any expansion plans could be blocked by the players' group. The players' association has, said it would support the union of the NHL "and WHA provided the new collective agreement can be reached.

Bob Graham, chairman of the board for Winnipeg Jets, said Thursday his team's application will be sent in sometime within the next week or two.

Graham said the problem is determining what has to be included in the application and that be has spent some time discussing the matter with NHL lawyers.

But despite the lack of formal applications, -there is still some behind-the-scenes work progressing towards the fusion of the two leagues.

It has been learned that Scotty Morrison, the NHL referee in-chief, has already met
with Bob Frampton, the WHA director of officials to discuss the work of the WHA
officials.

Morrison indicated at the NHL meetings in June that he did not know how many officials he would have to add to his staff if there was an expansion of the NHL to include the WHA teams however it is likely he will need 1 or 2 referees and 4 linesman

Meanwhile the NHL board met by a conference telephone hookup Thursday, out they were unable to reach an agreement on a new playoff structure.

"These proposal dealt strictly with our current members," said O'Neill. "No decision was made today. We will discuss in Toronto next week."

While the plans discussed Thursday did net include the possibility of an expanded league, John Ziegler, president-elect of the NHL, said last month in Chicago that four teams from the expansion division would likely make it into the playoffs.

Several proposals have been put forth in recent weeks including one which would see the top two teams in each division make the playoffs along with four wild-card teams.

Others included the first two teams in each division qualifying for the playoffs, plus the next highest team on a points basis, in each conference, plus two wild-card teams;

the first two teams is each division as qualifiers plus the next two teams in each conference;

the first-place team in each division making the playoffs plus the next eight teams, bypoints, regardless of division

and the top two teams from each division plus the two best third place finishers and two wild card teams

[JETStender]

Tuesday, July 11, 1977

The off season
Racers have all but drawn the final berth

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The demise of Indianapolis Racers doestnot mean professional hockey is dead here for the future, says an official of Indiana National Bank, creditor of the penniless and apparently doomed World Hockey Association team.

The Racers, admittedly under-capitalized from the beginning and thwarted in an unsuccessful, last-minute bid to secure the needed financial commitmetit, were turned down by a potential investor and apparently will not apply for admission to the National Hockey League.

"But with the superb facility (the 17,000-seat downtown Market Square Arena) and the excellent market, we have to believe Indianapolis will be closely looked at for a minor or major league franchise in the future," said David Givens, general counsel for the bank.

Givens told a news conference on Monday that efforts to obtain the needed capital to join the NHL had fallen through. "We had an interested investor. We talked with him this morning and he advised us he was not interested in further discussion. The one serious inquiry has seemed to disappear."

The Racers, members of the WHA for three years, needed about $8.3 million dollars to clean up all debts and make entry payments to the NHL, which has invited at least six WHA teams for the 1977-78 season.

"It appears there will be no application (by the Racers) for an. NHL franchise," Givens said. "I want to emphasize the word 'appears,' because lightning "does strike every now and then. But there is now no one on the horizon." ;

Meanwhile in Edmonton, the Oilers have hired a general manager to reduce the load of coach Glen Sather, who has been doing both jobs since the WHA season ended. Oiler co-owner Nelson Skalbania Monday wouldn't reveal the identity of the GM, but said he "was a hockey man currently with another team."

It's considered possible the new GM may be Brian Conacher — GM of the dying Racers.

Skalbania and partner Peter Pocklington are also busy getting their application to join the NHL in order. As well, Skalbania is attempting to cover.all the bases. It was confirmed by Denver oilman Jack Vickers that the Edmonton owner had offered to buy the Colorado Rockies — if the proposed merger between the leagues falls through. Vickers, principal owner of the NHL Rockies, says he wants to keep the team.

"My desire and my intent is to see hockey go in Denver," Vickers said. "Until such time as I see that it isn't going to happen, I'm going right ahead with my plans. "I witl say this, if the thing fell. . . here, Edmonton would be a likely spot to move it. But I don't have any intent of doing that until I see that it can't work here."

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1977


Team braintrust drafts its own application form
Jets doing their utmost to see a merger happens
By REYN DAVIS

Lest anyone be concerned, Winnipeg Jets are doing their level best to promote the possibility of National Hockey League expansion to this city.

A week ago, when application forms were supposed to be mailed to expansion-minded World Hockey Association teams, none arrived. So the Jets' braintrust drafted its own application form, anticipating the NHL's questions, and prepared their answers.

Finally, a letter arrived by phone and the conveniences of a telecopier, from NHL president John A. Ziegler informing WHA teams of the questions they should be prepared to answer in Toronto this week.

But no application forms were issued, so the WHA teams could hardly be blamed if they had less than all of the information the NHL' needed Wednesday in Toronto.

"I don't think it's a case of lack of preparation by the WHA," said Al McInnes, legal counsel of the Jets. "If anything it's a lack of preparation by the NHL." McInnes said the Jets have had all of the necessary information for over a week.

"Our stuff, is down there," he said. Though the possibility of expansion struck a grim note Wednesday when anti-merger forces in the NHL seemed to be mounting support, the merger committees from both leagues met again in the evening with a subsequent meeting scheduled that night with the governors.

"Nothing seems to be accomplished in the NHL until the wee hours," said Bob Graham, the Jets' chairman of the board and the chief architect of Winnipeg's bid.

McInnes believes the NHL Players' Association, headed by Alan Eagleson, will strike the last positive blow for a merger by dropping its demand for a no compensation clause in its collective bargaining agreement.

The NHLPA has indicated it will not agree to a merger unless the clause is added. Stubbornly refusing to wilt to the demands of the NHLPA are Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings, ostensibly to spoil the possibility of a merger.

A unanimous vote of all 18 NHL clubs is required to effect any change in the bargaining agreement. But if the demand is dropped, the possibility of one or two teams posing a veto on the question of merger would then be erased.

Then a 75 per cent majority is all that would be necessary for NHL governors to approve expansion. But a merger, for all its possibilities, still seems like a pipe dream away for many Manitobans.

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1977

All facts aren't in

TORONTO (CP) — The National Hockey League's expansion fact-finding committee still has some work to do and there will be no final decision taken this week on accommodation of learns from the World Hockey Association.

"We had hoped by this time to have the necessary documents, the applications and all of the work that would be necessary to consider going through with the proposal on expansion," said John A. Ziegler, president elect of the NHL after a one-hour meeting with the league's governors and the NHL Players' Association Wednesday.

"Because of the breadth and length the legalities and the work that had to be done, -we were not in a position to process applications. As a matter of fact, they are just now being finalized to be delivered. "We were not in a position to discuss with the players on a meaningful basis the question of any amendments to the collective bargaining agreement in the event of an expansion."

Ziegler said the NHL board still has a great deal of work to do with regard to the expansion and could not and would not speculate on when a final decision would be reached on the matter.

The board and the players met separately Wednesday morning and again after their joint' meeting adjourned. "The expansion question is continuing,'' said Ziegler. 'The question will not be finalized in Toronto. "The applications have not been presented yet. We can't act until we have the applications. M this point, I can't tell you when that will be."

No deadline for WHA bids

Ziegler declined to speculate on how long the NHL can wait before deciding they cannot go ahead with an accommodation of WHA teams.

The NHL board of governors voted in Chicago last month to have its fact-finding committee pursue negotiations with WHA teams with regards lo expansion of the NHL by not fewer than six WHA teams for the 1977-78 season. While admitting (here might be some difficulties, Ziegler expressed confidence at the lime that a decision on the question would be made at these meetings.

"We passed a resolution calling for a proposal to expand which called for a submission of applications by present members of the World Hockey Association." Ziegler added. "There were also a number of conditions attached to that. These conditions had to be fulfilled and we are working on seeing that those conditions are fulfilled.

"There are documents and materials that must be delivered and examined by our lawyers and accountants. We do not have a complete application, or did not have as of yesterday, but we will probably have that by the time we leave here."

Once the applications are received by the NHL from the individual WUA clubs, they will each be examined and a vote will be taken on whether to admit the teams.

Renegotiation not required

Ziegler said the expansion of the NHL could take place without a renegotiation of the current collective bargaining agreement with the players.

A unanimous vote is needed lo make changes in the collective bargaining agreement and Los Angeles Kings. Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs all indicated here that they would oppose any changes apparently feeling they can effectively block any accommodation of WHA teams. Alan Eagleson executive-director of the players' group agreed the NHL could go ahead with the expansion without the players' consent.

"I would be surprised if the owners embarked on an expansion without full consultation with the players.”They would have one opinion which would be that they don't need our consent or participation in the decision making on that issue.

"We could take the position that while it's not a merger it is a constructive merger and has the same effect as far as the players arc concerned.

"It would remove competition from the market place." Eagleson added the players' association has not decided what it will do in the event the NHL goes ahead with expansion without its consent.

"The players have adopted a wait-and-see attitude. We want to find out whether a merger, expansion or accommodation is going lo take place. We indicate^ to the owners that when they make that decision. They can presume that we will be reasonable.

"We may no! be toiaily in agreement with their portions.. .but we will adopt a position that will be reasonable for the future of (he game."

Early enthusiasm declines

Both Eagleson and outgoing presides: Clarence Campbell agreed that some of the enthusiasm exhibited by NHL owners in Chicago for the expansion project had waned.

Eagleson said the chances of an accommodation of WHA teams in time for the 1977-78 season was 25 per cent while Zigler commented it “was just his call”

Campbell said there is a legal check list regarding accommodation of WHA teams that is three pages long. He also noted that the fact-finding committees’ authority expires July 21, a week from today.

“The owners are not in a position to decide on a merger, expansion or an accommodation or whatever they want to call it.” Eagleson said.

[JETStender]

Thursday, July 14, 1977

Racers begin to pack up

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The penniless Indianapolis Racers, their general manager in Canada and most of their World Hockey Association office staff already laid off, began closing operations Wednesday.

As the National Hockey League considered applications for membership from other WHA clubs at a meeting in Toronto, the Racers slipped into oblivion, victims of a financial burden.

The Racers, members of the WHA for three years, could not come up with the necessary cash to pay off existing debts or join the NHL, and when a potential investor backed out 'Monday, their fate was certain.

Actual closing of the office will wait until general manager Brian Conacher returns from Edmonton, probably next week. He has been named general manager of the WHA's Edmonton Oilers. But, for all practical purposes, the team ceased to exist when Iowa banker William
Callahan informed the Indiana National Bank on Monday that the financial commitment — estimated between $5 million and $8 million — was simply too great.

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1977

Hal Sigurdson
SPORTS EDITOR

Now that merger talks between the WHA and NHL are at least temporarily stalled if not permanently side-tracked, the suspicious among us have taken to finding sinister plots under every bed.

The NHL never had the slightest intention of co-habitating with the WHA, they exclaim with hand-wringing indignation. It was all subterfuge. The sweet-talking devil never really meant to marry the girl.

When the universe fails to unfold to our satisfaction, some find it therapeutic to find a villain to blame it on. In this case the villain-seekers are over-estimating the people they perceive as the enemy. NHL governors aren't that smart. During their five-year battle with the WHA for the hearts and minds of the hockey public and the services of the playing mercenaries, the NHL governors, many of them at least, have come across as not bright enough to get arrested. What has kept the WHA in business this long? NHL stupidity is the answer many WHA people will give you.

Faced with real, live competition, these barons of free enterprise promptly panicked. Instead of closing ranks and improving their own product, they lashed about in all directions seeking self-preservation. They countered absurd spending by the WHA with insane spending of their own. Instead of correcting the problem of imbalance that has plagued their league since their original 1967 expansion, they intensified it. They left their weaker franchises easy pickings for WHA recruiters. (One season the California Seals lost half its roster and most of its talent). While the WHA concentrated on bringing quality players into the league, the NHL preferred to let prospects go to "the other league" instead of a rival.

No plotters here

These are the people we are now expected to view as capable of hatching Machiavallian plots? Of carrying out a three-month charade of the sort we used to watch on Mission: Impossbile? Hardly!

What the NHL suffers from is terminal indecision. The story is told of a governor forced to miss a meeting through illness. A colleague proposed sending a get well card. His motion was carried. The vote was 9-8.

The story, of course, is apocryphal. But what is going on this week in Toronto is merely another example of the sort of thing which inspired it.

There are no devious plots hatching in those NHL board rooms in Toronto, merely vigorous protection of what certain owners perceive to be their self interest. Typically, no two can agree on what that is.

NHL governors hurt themselves

The Boston Bruins, who used to look on sell-outs as a divine right, have been playing before numerous empty seats lately They choose to ignore the public relations disaster in which Bobby Orr left their employ and blame it all on visiting teams of meagre talent and no identity. They view adding half a dozen WHA teams as a means of assuring more of the same.

Harold Ballard of the Toronto Maple Leafs claims to embrace similar views, though there are those who will tell you the main reason he is against merger is because Ed Snyder of Philadelphia is for it. That also happens a lot in the NHL.

If asked, Los Angeles Kings' owner Jack Kent Cooke would be delighted to explain his opposition. At length. If you understand it, report immediately to the United Nations as an interpreter.

Avoiding the mirror

But despite all the noise those three have been making this week, merger will happen because it must. If not this week, then next. Or next year. Merger will solve far more problems for professional hockey than it creates. It will reduce operating costs, eliminate costly court battles, simplify player negotiations.

All WHA owners and most NHL owners already understand this. Even the NHL Players Association, which has most to lose, accepts the inevitable.

The players are driving the hardest bargain .they can. And who can blame them? Once merger is accomplished their negotiating wedge is gone, but they prefer taking less money to watching franchises and jobs fold all around them. The NHL's problems have nothing to do with merger.

They will continue until it does something about correcting imbalance and goofy scheduling. Fans in places like Montreal and Boston don't like watching teams like Detroit, Cleveland and Washington, but it is NHL by-laws which help create these dull, no-talent teams. Meanwhile, because it has so many weak sisters, it insists on playing an almost balanced schedule. Nobody wants to give up the gate attraction of a visit from a Montreal, Boston or Philadelphia. This requires fans to keep track of players on 18 teams, which is almost impossible. It also increases travel costs and precludes developing the natural rivalries which would almost surely result from a schedule emphasizing divisional play.

Some NHL owners, obviously, still prefer blaming their problems on the WHA to looking in the mirror. But surely sanity will carry the day. One lives in hope.

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, TUESDAY, JULY 19. 1977

Meetings leave teams perplexed
WHA boss doesn't have the answer
By REYN DAVIS

The president of the World Hockey Association is unable to say his league will function another season if the result of a proposed merger with the National Hockey League is negative.

"That's a hard question to answer," said Bill MacFarland. "I'm assuming there would be a WHA next season. I know we're attempting to draft a schedule so we'll have one whether we go in the NHL or stay out."

He said most WHA teams are perplexed following the negative nature of a merger meeting in Toronto last week.

"We believed the concept of a merger had already been approved at the meeting in Chicago three weeks ago," said MacFarland. But, he cautioned, the pessimism that arose in Toronto was most attributable to a less-than-positive local press.

"I know from the NHL committee's point of view we shouldn't be discouraged. My understanding of the situation is that it's encouraging." MacFarland expects it will be a week into August before the NHL accepts or rejects the applications of seven WHA teams — Houston Aeros, Birmingham Bulls, Cincinnati Stingers, New England Whalers, Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets.

Of the seven, only one franchise— Birmingham's—is unlikely to be accepted by the NHL. Despite its new facility and rabid fans, Birmingham has a minor league reputation that disinterest most NHL franchises, save nearby Atlanta's.

Yet the color of Birmingham's money is the same as Cincinnati's, and therein lies probably the greatest interest factor of all. Most WHA teams have done precious little recruiting this summer while the merger question is resolved. MacFarland cited the main reason why.

"You can't ignore the fact thai WHA teams will be asked to honor the contracts of players around the league whose clubs have folded," said MacFarland. "It would be a little ridiculous to be out signing new talent now knowing that all these other players must be looked after. "Picking up the cost of those contracts will represent a greater expense than the cost of an expansion fee."

Trustees of WHA teams are meeting this week in Toronto for a complete briefing from the negotiating committee of all terms of the proposed merger or, more precisely, expansion of the NHL.

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JULY 20. 1977

Applications in the mail

TORONTO (CP) — Eight World Hockey Association franchises seeking entry into the National Hockey League met Tuesday to discuss details of their applications and WHA president Bill McFarland said the documents will be in the hands of NHL officials by the end of the week.

McFarland said he expects a meeting between the NHL fact-finding committee on merger and the WHA candidates— Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Cowboys, New England Whalers, Birmingham Bulls, Cincinnati Stingers and Houston Aeros—to take place after the applications are received by the NHL.

The papers ''are all in order as far as we're concerned, based on the assumptions that we're making," he added. "The markets in those cities are acceptable (to the NHL). Some of the buildings are short of NHL standards, but they'll all be adding seats to bring them up to the 13,000 minimum capacity. Quebec, Winnipeg and New England will have to expand their facilities over the three-year period."

McFarland said the eight clubs are financially solvent, a fact which will be of the utmost concern to the NHL fact-finding committee. "The teams might have lost money, but the principles behind them are on a sound financial base."

Johnny-F. Bassett, owner of Birmingham Bulls, said Tuesday night that each team included a little something extra in its application form—a cheque for an amount he wouldn't specify. "It wasn't a very big one, but they indicated that they wanted one as an act of good faith."