The Complete Historical and Statistical Reference

[JETStender]

THE VICTORIA ADVOCATE, Monday, June 26,1978
By NHL Governors
Merger to be Discussed

NEW YORK (AP) – The National Hockey League's Board of Governors will meet in
Detroit this week lo decide whether to accept certain clubs from the World Hockey Association.

After reports on the status of the Colorado Rockies and New York Islanders, William Wirtz president of the Chicago Black Hawks and chairman of the NHL board - will report on negotiations he has held with WHA officials.

Sources said three WHA clubs - Edmonton, Quebec and New England — would he proposed for admission to the NHL for the 1978-79 campaign. A fourth, Winnipeg, would be considered but probably would be admitted for the 1979-80 season.

WHA clubs not included in the plan —Indianapolis, Birmingham, Cincinnati and Houston would be paid by the clubs shifting lo the NHL. The format is similar to the payments made lo American Basketball Association teams which did not join the National Basketball Association two seasons ago.

Doubt over Colorado's plans, however, has clouded the number of clubs that would be admitted tor next season. Rockies President Jack Vickers has been unsuccessful in attempts to negotiate a new lease for his franchise, and has mentioned moving to Houston — a concept not viewed favorably by the NHL directorate.

Should Colorado continue operation, three new members would boost the NHL complement lo 20 teams if the Rockies bow out , the assumption is that only two teams Edmonton and Quebec - would enter, leaving NHL membership at 18 teams and giving New England time lo reconstruct its arena following the collapse the Hartford, Conn., Civic Center last winter.

Decision on the proposed acceptance will be made at the meeting, two well-placed sources said. The matter will not linger as it did last year, when the proposed admission of six WHA clubs was voted down "If Wirtz twists enough arms, it will happen this week," said one source. "If it's not done at this meeting," said another, "it won't gel done at all." A positive vote of three quarters of the NHL board would be needed for approval of the proposal.

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, MONDAY, JUNE 26, 1978

Merger could cost Gretzky a fortune

EDMONTON (CP)— Nelson Skalbania has a 17-year-old problem and he does nol know what to do with him. The 17-year-old difficulty is Wayne Gretzky, the native of Brantford, Out., and an up-and-coming superstar.

Skalbania owns Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association for the time being. But if the WHA and National Hockey League are successful in their merger talks in Detroit next week, Skalbania will not have a hockey club because Indianapolis is not included in the merger plans.

Gretzky was signed lo a seven-year personal services contract worth an estimated $1.75 trillion. He played last year with Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League.

Basically Skalbania now has three options:

—He can keep paying him until 1985.
—He can rent him out to the highest bidder.
—He can let him out of his contract if the NHL gets nasty concerning merger compensation. Then he might be able to get something back from his WHA counterparts.

"The boy will get whatever funds he's already been given by me—down payments or whatever you want to call them," said Skalbania. "If merger conies about . . . I don't have to keep him."

Skalbania has already heard from some people in the Western Canada Hockey League. He said the WCHL clubs are willing to kick in a healthy chunk of box office receipts to defray Gretzky's salary.

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 1978

Stickhandling around questions on merger
NHL governors tight-lipped

DETROIT (CP) — The National Hockey League board of governors reconvened their annual meeting Monday in a downtown hotel ballroom.

While most interest was concerned with what discussions were taking place concerning a possible fusion with four World Hockey Association teams, those emerging from the meeting were guarded in their comments.

"It's hard to say what will happen," said Ted Lindsay, general manager of Detroit Red Wings. "There are a lot of legal problems. "I thought they were going to adjourn this thing at 4 p.m. and we just adjourned for lunch at 4 p.m."

Among things to be discussed aside from the accommodation problem was the status of New York Islanders and their position in the league. The Islanders were ordered to come up with a plan for refinancing by July 18 in meetings in Montreal earlier this month and then presented a progress report at Monday's session.

"We've had no setbacks," said Islanders' general manager Bill Torrey. "We think the job will be done under the terms that the league wants. "Now we're being mothered by the league. Our problem is long-term financing."

The Islanders are behind in payment of their expansion notes to the league and did not make a territorial indemnification payment of $300,000 to New York Rangers on May 31. It was the first payment to the Rangers that the Islanders had missed.

The governor's session resumed about 90 minutes after the lunch break, during which NHL president John Ziegler went upstairs as did Bill Wirtz, chairman of the board. A WHA representative made a presentation to the governors during the morning session and apparently was told to return with a revised presentation for the afternoon session.

They have reportedly given each of the other four WHA clubs $300,000 to start an indemnity payment and are supposed to give another $1 million this week if they are accepted into the NHL.

It would take a three-quarters majority to have the NHL expand to accept the WHA clubs if that is the route chosen. Speculation is Boston, Los Angeles and Toronto are among the clubs opposed to accommodating the WHA teams. Ziegler said he would not comment on any legal aspects of any acceptance of WHA clubs into the fold.

"As an officer of the league, in any event there are legal problems with respect to any area, any expression on my part might be deemed by someone at a later time to be an expression of the position of the league, even if it is a general description of a position.

"That might work to the detriment of people. As my own lawyer I say that. Until there are definite lines or there is some definite shape. . .it is not wise for myself or other league officers to publicly start declaring positions.

"You don't want to interfere with possible accomplishments. That's just a personal method of opera tion."

Ed Snider, one of the chief movers of last season's merger plans, said it was likely a vote on this year's plan would be taken this morning

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 1978

Canadian votes dies the key
By REYN DAVIS

Somebody is going to have to change his mind today If a merger is about to happen.

At one point yesterday afternoon It was off, an all-but-dead issue when the three Canadian clubs — Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadlens and Toronto Maple
Leafs —and the American-based Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings rejected a proposed merger In a straw vote of National Hockey League governors.

But before they left their suite at the Detroit Plaza Hotel talks of expanding to include the best of the World Hockey Association resumed under the coaxing of Bill Wirtz, president of Chicago Black Hawks and chairman of the NHL's powerful board of governors.

Clearly, Wirtz is a leader of his league's pro-merger forces. But to succeed no more than four governors can vote against the issue, and five indicated they would yesterday. Word leaked out and instantly there was a flood of calls from outraged Canadians, notably Sport minister Iona Campagnolo, Urban Affairs minister Andre Oulette and Montreal businessman Charles Bronfman.

In no uncertain terms, they made their feelings known. How gaulling it is for many Canadians to accept the fact WHA teams in Winnipeg, Quebec City and Edmonton seeking admission to the NHL would be refused by the opposition of businessmen in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto.

Ironically, the snub of the Maple Leafs, Canadiens and Canucks is one of the country's great embarrassments during Canada Week.. "Hockey is more than a question of money in Canada," said Campagnolo last week. "It's our national passion."

Of the American-based clubs, certainly the two that have the strongest Canadian ties are the Bruins, whose president, Paul Mooney, has lived in Canada most of his life, and the Kings, whose founder and owner is Jack Kent Cooke, a Canadian. However, Boston and Los Angeles were also opposed to a merger.

The WHA's case was presented by Michael Cordoza, the New York lawyer who successfully negotiated the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association.

"I feel this matter is going to be resolved before we leave this city," said Howard Baldwin, the WHA president. "I have no reason to be optimistic and 1 have no reason to be pessimistic."

Today is the final day merger negotiations can continue for the hopeful WHA teams from Winnipeg, Edmonton, Quebec and New England. If nothing develops, they will be obliged to turn their attention to the WHA again.

One of the conditions of a merger appears to be that the NHL expand to no more than 20 teams. To accommodate that figure, there is talk all four WHA teams will be admitted and one of the 17 existing NHL franchises, Colorado Rockies, will fold.

Colorado doesn't have a lease in its arena and hasn't sold a season ticket for next season. Houston Aeros have attempted to buy the Rockies' franchise but the NHL appears less than excited about having a team in southern Texas.

The Jets have some clout at the talks. Although their WHA partners would seem to have even more going for them — Edmonton has money, a building and a booming market; Quebec has heavy money and political punch; and New England is the toy of a billion dollar insurance empire — the Jets have a good track record, committed owners, a building on the books and, most of all, the right to be satisfied before anything can happen.

However, the Jets have been a touchy nerve for some NHL interests. After all, it was Winnipeg that led the conspiracy to steal Bobby Hull from the Black Hawks and Chicago.

Wirtz has never forgotten. Neither the Black Hawks nor their fans have been the same since. Winnipeg is not the NHL's favorite city. But for a merger to happen it will be necessary to please the Jets and their owners, who may stoutly refuse anything less than a franchise right away to begin play this fall.

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 1978

Hal Sigurdson
SPORTS EDITOR

The thing that could enable those merger talks in Detroit to come out as a neat, tidy package is the fact the Colorado Rockies still don't have a lease with their McNichols Arena landlords in Denver.

That could make them the free pawn which could solve the dilemma of what to do with 21 teams.

Apart from the anticipated hostility of Toronto's Harold Ballard, Boston's Paul Mooney and LA's Jack Kent Cooke (all present or former Canadian citizens, by the way), the biggest stumbling block In the path of the latest effort of the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association to climb into the same bed is the number of teams involved.

There are presently 17 of them in the NHL. Four WHA cities -- Winnipeg, Edmonton, Quebec and New England — are anxious to join the lodge. That adds up to 21, a total which would foul up scheduling and the NHL's four division format.

The most popular suggestion is that If merger happens at all, one of the four WHA hopefuls will be left In the wings, nose pressed against the glass. The team most frequently mentioned is the Winnipeg Jets. It has even been suggested the Jets want to sit out until they get a larger playpen. Do not believe that. If the Jets happen to wind up as odd man out, it won't be voluntarily.

But the Rockies inability to strike a rental agreement with their landlords could clear the traffic jam. They could simply be moved to one of the four WHA cities or they could follow the lead of the Cleveland Barons and merge with another NHL team.

But will merger happen at all? It would certainly be the most sensible solution to hockey's problems. But given the NHL's track record, perhaps that's a strike against it.

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TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 1978

No NHL Expansion Yet
Officials Mum On Possible Merger

DETROIT (AP) – The National Hockey League is at 17 teams and holding. World Hockey Association teams wanting to squeeze into the NHL, meanwhile, have to hold their breath a little longer.

The much-discussed possibility that WHA teams would be assimilated by the NHL remained in limbo after Monday's meeting of the NHL Board of Governors. The board was scheduled to meet again today at the Plaza Hotel and another meeting could be held Wednesday if various agenda items aren't resolved.

Merger of up to four WHA teams — Edmonton, Quebec and New England this year and Winnipeg next season — was reportedly among the items debated Monday. Most officials remained tight-lipped. But Seymour Knox, president of the Buffalo
Sabres and their representative at the Plaza Hotel meeting, said: "Don't bank on a merger happening at this meeting — but it's possible."

Three-quarters of the board members would have to approve a merger proposal for it to pass. The admission of six WHA clubs was voted down last year. "We have 17' teams and that's our posture at this point," said John Ziegler, NHL president.

Howard Baldwin, president of the WHA, Was checked into the hotel.

Ziegler did say the board has extended, from July 18 to July 29, the deadline for the New York Islanders to restructure their financial situation. The date corresponds with the board's meeting in Toronto with the players association. Islanders President Roy Boe could lose control of the team unless it pays its debts to other clubs and solves its other financial problems. Ziegler also said, "there have been no decisions with respect to Colorado."

The Colorado Rockies haven't been able to negotiate a new lease for their building in Denver, and, "they have no lease as of today," Ziegler said. "That's all I can say at this point. We have until Oct. 13 or whenever the opening date is (to resolve this matter)." The 43-year-old former vice-president and general counsel of the Detroit Red Wings was evasive on merger questions.

"Until there are definite lines formed into some definite shape," he said in legalese, "it's not wise for myself or other officers to declare positions ... You don't want to interfere with getting to objectives." Come again?

"Any time 18 semi-independent entities , in different regions, areas and makeup meet, you're bound to have different ideas," Ziegler said. "It's a matter of always trying to find a common ground." He refused to be specific, but whatever was discussed it was "frank, • candid, comprehensive," he said with a grin. There were "no. surprises."

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 1978

Winnipeg? NHL? Forget it says Sinden
By TOM HENDERSON'
The Detroit News

DETROIT —Harry Sinden pulls no punches when discussing merger, particularly when Winnipeg is mentioned.

While the National Hockey League's board of governors continued "face-to-face" merger discussions with officials from the World Hockey Association Tuesday. Sinden left no doubt concerning the Boston Bruins" stand on the matter.

"The best thing would be if we took zero (WHA clubs) into the NHL," said the Bruins' general manager. "The next best would be one, then two, then three. Four teams would be the worst." As for Winnipeg, last year's WHA regular season and playoff champions, "forget it," said Sinden. "Winnipeg is a small, small community and declining," he said. "There is less than 500.000. Do you call that major league?"

According to several sources close to the discussions, the terms of a merger would not be finalized until later in the summer, possibly at the next scheduled governors meeting July 25 in Toronto. According to these sources, the major disagreement Tuesday was over how many WHA teams will join the NHL. The WHA's proposal called for Edmonton.

Quebec, New England and Winnipeg to join the NHL. The NHL steadfastly refuses to accept Winnipeg and possibly one of the other three as well. The number of teams accepted affects an indemnification agreement signed by the eight WHA teams. Should four WHA teams join the NHL the four defunct WHA teams would get $1.8 million each. If only two teams were allowed to join, they would have to reimburse six teams a total of $10.8 million, an unaffordable sum.

According to the source, the indemnification agreement runs out at -1 p.m. today and may cost more to extend, a major reason for Tuesday's session stretching into today.

There were other NHL demands as well. "They (the demands) were so stiff, we (the.WHA reps) were swearing when we got them," said the WHA source. He said if merger talks broke down, the WHA would continue in operation next season with as many of its eight teams as possible. Houston is sure to fold and Birmingham is reportedly in deep financial trouble.

The Winnipeg situation has been discussed, said Ed Snider, the owner of the Philadelphia Flyers. "There seems to be some feeling that we ought to wait until their building is ready." he said. Winnipeg's current arena holds 10.300, but the city promises it can build a 15.000 seat arena by September of 1979. By that time, the WHA, and its merger chances, could be long dead.

Sinden said there had been a number of proposals discussed relating to the merger. Reportedly, one of them involved the folding of the Pittsburgh and Colorado franchises of the NHL and the admittance of Edmonton, Quebec and New England. With the prevous demise of the Cleveland franchise, that would leave the NHL with 18 teams and a balanced schedule.

"There are a lot of options," said Sinden. "That's why we won't have anything tonight." The meetings were running much later than scheduled. -Detroit Red Wings' general manager Ted Lindsay had told his office he expected them to end at noon, and most of the out-of-town people had to cancel plane reservations to make the evening session, then cancelled them again when the talks dragged on.

Sinden said the reason for the length of the meetings was "the opposing stances taken by the two leagues. "They (WHA) came here thinking they could steal their way in. And we came here thinking we'd rob them — not rob them, but go for the gold in their teeth," he candidly phrased it.

Robert Steen, the mayor of Winnipeg whose franchise was community owned until a consortium led by Bobby Hull bought it several months ago, was candid-too. Steen said Tuesday afternoon he was told by Michael Gobuty. the Jets' president who was staying at the Plaza, that the NHL didn't want Winnipeg but that New England, Edmonton and Quebec were nearing acceptance.

"It would be disappointing and downright discriminating, if Winnipeg was excluded," said Steen from his Winnipeg office. "I telegrammed Bill Wirtz (chairman of the board of governors) this morning and I've been leaving messages all over the place. The NHL would be very foolish not to take the four as a package."

John Zeigler, the NHL president, admitted "face to face" talks were being held, but wanted to avoid the word "merger" for legal reasons. He is afraid of anti-trust action by the WHA Players' Association. "I wouldn't call it a merger," he said. "It's expansion. We're considering expansion. We have precedent for expanding. We don't have precedent for a merger.

"As you can understand and expect, there are a myriad of considerations that have to be dealt with. There are no agreements. There are discussions to see if there is a position that is mutually agreeable. The discussions were initiated by the WHA. We are really in the exploratory stage."

When asked about the anti-trust laws, Zeigler. A lawyer who loves to speak in legalese, answered: "We have satisfied ourselves that the risk of saying we are meeting — that that risk has been eliminated."

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 1978

Hatskin likes Jets' chances
By REYN DAVIS

They have never been this far before. Pum, pum, pum.

That's the word out of Detroit city, where Barry Shenkarow. Michael Gobuty, John Shanski and Rudy Pilous plead the case of Winnipeg Jets for the privilege of competing in the National Hockey League.

"I think it's going to happen," said Ben Hatskin, the man who founded the Jets who today are on the brink of becoming an NHL franchise. "Every five minutes I hear they're out or they're in. My guess is that they're getting close to resolving something."

There was no discernible sign that the quick assurances of Winnipeg mayor Robert Steen to expand the Arena to 15.000 seats by Sept. 1 of 1979. had any real effect on the NHL's
board of governors.

If Shenkarow thought so he didn't tell Councillor Jim Ernst, the chairman of Winnipeg Enterprises Corp.. the Arena landlord.

Shenkarow seemed more concerned with the difficulties the Jets are experiencing in their attempts to gain admission into the NHL with a facility that holds only two-thirds the number of fans that a bona fide major league hockey arena should hold.

Mayor Steen's promise to provide the additional seats could be two years too late. City fathers have steadfastly insisted they would have to have an NHL franchise first before they would provide a building. Now the NHL is threatening to judge Winnipeg's bid on what it has now, rather than what it might have in the future.

Coun. Ernst believes the size of the Arena is not the real reason why the NHL is cool toward Winnipeg. "It's gotta be more than the seats," he said. "The seats arc a small thing. Remember Buffalo went into the NHL with only 10,400 seats their first year."

Meanwhile, the Jets and their WHA partners, and the NHL governors, have until 1 p.m. today to make up their minds.

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Wed., June 28, 1978

World Hockey fate may be settled soon

DETROIT (AP)-The fate of the World Hockey Association may be decided today.

National Hockey League officials admitted Tuesday they are listening to proposals at the NHL Board of Governors' meeting to expand by absorbing some WHA teams. The board met until the early hours of this morning, then adjourned with a final session scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.

John Ziegler, president of the NHL, said the matter would be resolved by 4 p.m. Things are "clear as a muddy lake," said Cliff Fletcher, Atlanta Flames' general manager, after Tuesday's second day of marathon talks a.t the Plaza Hotel.

A decision on expansion involving WHA teams would be made today "one way or another, "Fletcher said. Several hours before the meeting broke up, Ziegler ended his "no comment" on the WHA posture for the first time. "We are meeting face-to-face with the World Hockey Association," the 43-year-old former Detroit Red Wings vice-president and general counsel said. "We will continue to work to consider if the National Hockey League should expand...as of now, there are definitely no agreements." Later, Ziegler told reporters: "We're in no different position now than when I last talked with you."

Indications are Edmonton, Quebec, New England and Winnipeg are the teams under consideration for assimilation into the NHL. The other WHA franchises — Birmingham, Cincinnati, Houston and Indianapolis — would be left out. However, it was likely that the teams not picked up would be paid off by the other four.

One report said the four new teams would shell out $16 million, with $8 million going to the NHL and $2 million to each of the teams left out in the cold. "In relation to expansion at this time," Ziegler said, "you understand we cannot discuss numbers. Over the past three years, we have had the questions asked us whether we would consider expansion (with the WHA) but no plans were ever formulated."

Current discussions "were initiated by the WHA," Ziegler said. "We're satisfied ourselves that legally we can talk about expansion face-to-face.'' The league prefers to use the term expansion rather than merger. Bill Wirtz, president of the Chicago Black Hawks, said the meetings have been lengthy because "We are taking a full assessment of the proposals.''

Three-quarters of the board members from the 17 NHL teams would have to approve any expansion for it to occur.

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Wed., June 28, 1978

NHL may absorb four WHA teams
By RICHARD L. SHOOK
UPI Sport* Writer

DETROIT (UPI) – The National Hockey League is earnestly considering "expansion" to include four World Hockey Association franchises.

"There are no agreements yet," President John Ziegler of the NHL said Tuesday, after emerging from more than 16 hours of talks directed toward what one man called a "bottom line marriage" of the established league with four of the more entrenched members of the younger league.

ZIEGLER DECLINED to disclose the identities of the franchises or even the number involved, but it was learned they are Edmonton, Winnipeg, Quebec and New England.

The two parties are up against a deadline of 4 p.m. EOT today, when WHA granted immunity from legal action against the four applicants runs out. Negotiations were to begin again at 9 o'clock this morning. "It's as clear as a muddy lake," a weary but not dejected General Manager Cliff Fletcher of the Atlanta Flames said as he trudged from the last meeting. "One way or the other, we should know by Wednesday."

Ziegler said earlier in the day when he first admitted the two leagues were conversing, "As all of you probably realize by now, we are having meetings with the WHA, face to face.

"WE'RE WORKING to see whether or not the NHL should expand," he said, "I say expand because we have precedent for expansion and we have no precedent for a merger to work with." But several formidable issues are in the way of a settlement which would stabilize hockey salaries, reduce the number of players and trim the bidding wars for free agents and rookies.

Neither the NHL nor the WHA players' associations has been heard from — a sign taken by most to mean consent.

The NHL has already been reduced by one team with the folding of the Cleveland club into the Minnesota franchise and the Colorado Rockies have no lease, and hence no place to play next season.

EACH OF the new members would be asked to pay $1.8 million to join the NHL, a welcome figure to some since nearly every club in both leagues lost money last season

The NHL also was believed to be asking for several "key" players to be handed over to member teams claiming they hold negotiation rights — such as New England's Mark Howe being sent to the Boston Bruins. The question of what to do with the remaining players from the other WHA franchises also was believed to be a major topic under discussion.

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, JUNE 29.1978

No merger .. just progress

By TOM HENDERSON
Detroit Free Press

Despite almost non-stop negotiations that ran for more than two days 'at the Detroit Plaza hotel, the president of the National Hockey League announced Wednesday there will be no merger this year with the World Hockey Association.

"Within the time frame, we could find no common ground," said NHL president John Ziegler the former counsel of the Detroit Red Wings. "Therefore there will be no expansion of the NHL."

Howard Baldwin, the WHA president, said his league would be back in operation next season with probably seven 'of the eight teams intact. Houston will likely fold.

Ziegler made the announcement at his first ever public meeting with Baldwin following the emergency meeting of the NHL's board of govenors, which was convened on 48 hours notice over .the weekend to discuss the WHA's merger offer.

Under terms of that offer, four WHA teams would join the NHL — Edmonton, Winnipeg, New England and Quebec. The board of governors was known to be adamantly opposed to the entry of Winnipeg and possibly one of the other three. The time limit Ziegler referred to was an indemnification deadline of 4 p.m. set by the WHA. According to that, agreement, the owners of any WHA teams that became defunct in a merger would be paid $1.8 million, for which they would promise not to initiate anti-trust suits.

The deadline expired at 4 p.m. along with permission to negotiate. The indemnification money was to come from the surviving WHA teams, which is why the question of how many WHA teams would merge was so crucial —the more survivors, the less the indemnity per team.

"From the NHL standpoint, every effort was made to reach an agreement within the time frame which was presented to us," said Ziegler, who repeatedly emphasized that both sides bargained in good faith throughout. "I'd like to thank Howard Baldwin and the .VVHA.fo/ the effort they put forth in these discussions. The main thing that happened here is that we ran out of time.. .the NHL has no more interest in continuing discussions- as of this afternoon.

"Now we have to get on with our own business — schedules, etc. —for the coming year. But the gap between the leagues has been narrowed and tremendous progress has been made."

The WHA tried to get into the NHL last summer, too, but was soundly and embarrassingly rebuffed.. The atmosphere this year was much more serious, and both Ziegler and Baldwin made it clear that merger—" expansion" in Ziegler's terms —was likely next summer.

Baldwin was. more reserved than Ziegler in hk< assessment of the "good will" surrounding the talks. When Ziegler was asked what the main difference was between the talks this summer and last, Baldwin interrupted: "They kept their mouth shut in the paper."

But both insisted their goal was for a unified league. "It would be good for hockey." said Ziegler when asked if he would prefer one league. "I still agree in the one league theory." agreed Baldwin. "But we're going to operate next year. You (the press) have been saying for six years that we've been going to fold. You've been wrong for MX years. If I was wrong that many times, I'd lose my job.

"We're interested in operating as a major league next season. I've got commitments from six teams, but I haven't been able to get through to the Birmingham people. We would hope to have Houston, too, but I won't kid you.. .that would be difficult."

Despite the long-winded, and according to some sources, acrimonious talks, which went to 4 a.m. Tuesday and 3 a.m. Wednesday. Ziegler said, "we were never at the point of final proposals: we never got to the proposal stage. We were looking for common ground and we ran out of time.

"Had a proposal to merge come to a vote, it would have taken a three-quarter majority of the NHL board to approve. Technically, the merger would have been termed an expansion—- for anti-trust purposes and because a merger under that name would require a unanimous vote of "the board. An impossibility."

There was far more for the two leagues to disagree about" than just the number of WHA teams that would join the NHL. According to some sources there were up to 44 points of contention that were raised by the NHL's 17-member board, most of which hadn't been settled in the discussions.

Among them was the question of what would become of the players of the defunct WHA teams? Many of the NHL governors wanted those players' rights to revert to the NHL club that drafted them: the WHA wanted the right to join in drafting them.

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WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, JUNE 29.1978

By Hal Sigurdson

Shortly after 3 p.m. yesterday the stories on the latest abortive attempt to merge the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association started moving across our newswires.

First came an unofficial report which turned out to be wrong. It said the patient wasn't dead, only sleeping. The Detroit effort failed. A further attempt at revival would be made in Toronto starting July 25. The next report came from Ottawa where federal fitness and amateur sport minister Iona Campagnolo announced she would be highly indignant and prepared to fight if U.S. anti-trust legislation were used to block an event viewed favorably in Canada.

Then the unhappy truth was revealed. Merger was dead. Perhaps a further effort would be made at some future date, but NHL and WHA owners had run out of time before they ran out of unresolved issues. The NHL would continue with 17 teams: the WHA would take the pulse rate of its surviving members and carry on with all those which show detectable signs of life.

The honorable Iona hasn't said what she plans to do now, but I would respectfully submit a few suggestions in case, the situation should ever arise again.

The first thing she should do is forget about Boston GM Harry Sinden's lamentable ignorance of Winnipeg demographics and the don't-confuse-me-with-facts-my-mind-is made- up attitude of Los Angeles owner Jack Kent Cooke. The chief reason why merger didn't take this week in Detroit and why it finally rah aground last year in New York is the NHL's three Canadian entries ganged up and killed it. And that's where the charming Iona should be concentrating her efforts. But she shouldn't waste all her heavy artillery on Toronto owner Harold Ballard.

He has been most outspoken in his opposition to merger, but he casts only one vote. Friend Harold shouldn't be overlooked, but remember Vancouver's Frank Griffiths is equally opposed and is two-for-two in voting "nay." Montreal's Jacques Courtois came out against merger this year after supposedly championing the cause a year ago. Why the change of heart? Could it be because last year his vote wasn't needed to defeat the idea and this time it was?

You might consider the possibility, Iona that Courtois is no less opposed to merger than Ballard or Griffiths, but merely a shrewder politician.

The reason why none of the NHL's Canadian owners want any part of a merger is the same. It is simply because three of the WHA cities under consideration are also Canadian. If Winnipeg, Edmonton and Quebec City are added to the NHL, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver will have to split Hockey Night in Canada TV loot six ways instead of three.

If, dear honorable Iona, you really want lo do something to help merger along, you could start by convincing ownership in the NHL's Canadian cities that TV money isn't everything. If merger discussions come up again soon, friendly persuasion is recommended. For instance: The next time you run into Ballard you might say something subtle like. "Say, Harold, I was talking to the income tax people-the other day and they were wondering if it isn't time for another complete audit of your books. Why Harold! Is that any way to talk in the presence of a lady?"

Then you could sidle up to Courtois, smile sweetly, and say, "Ah mon cheri, I have been noticing how your general manager Sam Pollock always seems to wind up with four or five choices in the first two rounds of your league's amateur draft. He is obviously a very clever man, but I was talking to some of the people in our justice department the other day and they were wondering if this isn't a contravention of our Bill of Rights.

You have a very good team, Jacques. It is very difficult for a rookie to make your lineup even though he might be good enough to play for someone else. The people in Justice were wondering if this isn't illegally restricting his ability to earn a living. In fact, they were wondering about the legality of your entire draft system. Just thought I'd pass it on. What's that Jacques? Well. I certainly hope you feel better soon."

Then it would be Griffiths' turn. On him you might try a conversational opener something along these lines: "Gosh Frank, it sure is too bad about all the terrible luck your Canucks keep having. How many coaches have you fired now? Yes. I'd heard it's getting harder to sell tickets in Vancouver and that profits are down. But look on the bright side, Frank. You still hold controlling interest in Western Broadcasting don't you?

Profits are still going up in that area aren't they? By the way, Frank, aren't the licences for several of your radio and television stations coming up for renewal soon? I was talking to Jeanne Sauve the other day — she's the Communications minister, you know —and she was wondering about your renewal applications in Winnipeg and Edmonton.

It's got nothing to do with me. Of course, but she was muttering something abort whether it would be in the public interest to renew them in view of your company's position on refusing to accept those cities into your hockey league? Just thought Id pass it on. Frank, where are you going? Frank? Frank?"

If you followed this advice, ma'am, some narrow-minded people might consider seen actions an abuse of political power. Do not listen to them. Look on it as merely as our little contribution to national unity.

After all, this is Canada week.

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, JUNE 29.1978

Jilted Jets eye future
By REYN DAVIS

Jilted again, Winnipeg Jets and the World Hockey Association have started the task of rebuilding a team and a league.

The WHA has scheduled a three-day meeting next week in New York, and the Jets were slated to hold a press conference at 11 a.m. today.

Though a merger has not happened, the prospects of one in the future are generally conceded to have improved tremendously. "A lot of progress has been made," said Ben Hatskin, the WHA's chief executive officer. "These things don't happen overnight. It took the ABA (American Basketball Association) 10 years to get a merger and we almost did it in six."

Hatskin believes a merger will become a reality a year from now. What has become obvious, however, is that Winnipeg is an ugly duckling in the eyes of the National Hockey League.

A merger might have actually happened this week had the Jets not carried the power of veto over the ambitions of Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers and New England Whalers.

"They always say Winnipeg is too small," said Hatskin. "You expect that from them. They don't know. But you've got to have 15,000 seats so nobody can say that Winnipeg isn't prepared."

Mayor Robert Steen, However, has already said that the city won't provide the additional seats until Winnipeg is assured of having a NHL franchise.

Mayor Steen needed only half an hour Tuesday morning to decide that the Arena could be expanded to 15,000 seats by September of 1979, if the Jets were included in the 'NHL's immediate expansion plans.

But for WHA use, his answer is no. Rudy Pilous, the Jets' executive director of hockey operations, said he is certain that the "blue-printing and ground rules" were laid in Detroit for a merger of the future.

Meanwhile, he's contemplating the moves the team must make to be a contender again. "They've hurt us by taking three or four of our players," he said. "Now the owners tell me 'Rudy, go to the store'. I would but the shelves are empty."

[JETStender]

THURSDAY, JUNE 29.1978

NHL decides against merger...for now

DETROIT (UPI) — The National Hockey League has rejected a merger with the World Hockey Association for at least another year.

The heads of the NHL and WHA, in their first joint appearance, said yesterday, after three days of intense negotiations, expansion is off for. -the time being and both leagues will go their Separate ways for the 1978-79 season.

Edmonton, Quebec and New England of the !WHA had sought entry into the NHL but the obstacles proved too great to overcome. Neither side ruled out another try following next season. "Within the time frame we were operating," President John Ziegler of the NHL said, "we could not find that common ground we were looking for. There will be no expansion of the NHL this season."

"Another year of operation solves a lot of problems for us," President Howard Baldwin of the WHA said. He agreed several NHL owners had yet to be convinced the newer league was in business to stay.

"The WHA will go about its business. Each team has made a committment to operate this season," Baldwin said. "We have seven teams — the Houston situation is still unresolved." "The main thing that happened to us is that we ran out of time," Ziegler said of the talks, which began Monday morning and expired an hour before the 4 p.m. EDT deadline did.

Cincinnati of the WHA had granted the four supplicants until 4 p.m. Wednesday to make a move into the NHL without fear of legal reprisal. Had the four been admitted to the older league they would have had to pay an indemnity fee of $1.8 million to each of the four WHA teams that would cease to exist.

The NHL chose to approach the proposed absorption of the four as expansion rather than a merger or confederation for legal reasons. Any consolidation of the leagues faced the possible legal wrath of both league's player associations. The items that doomed the ultra secret talks were "the obvious things you think about when you talk about expansion," Ziegler said.

"There was the schedule, divisions, players, money, the legal situation, player associations, television, territorial rights — all of those and some others that don't jump into my mind." A key item was reluctance on the part of Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver to share with Edmonton, Winnipeg and Quebec the television revenue from their contract with the Canadian Broadcasting Company.

Some NHL owners didn't even want Winnipeg in the league at first while others proposed one of the four buy the Colorado team and. assume its considerable debts

A New Jersey party now reportedly is interested in assuming ownership of the troubled Rockies, who currently don't have a lease on a place to play next season.

The older clubs also were hungrily eyeing several key WHA players they held negotiating rights to.

"With a deadline of 4 p.m., and in order to accomplish all the things that would have had to be accomplished, there just wasn't enough time," Ziegler said.

The two leagues talked merger last summer. But the WHA was rebuffed then, too.

[JETStender]

ALTON TELEGRAPH Frt., June 30, 1978

Houston anxious to get into NHL

HOUSTON (AP) - The World Hockey Association Houston Aeros have been cliff dwellers since the close of the 1978 season, hanging onto life by their fingertips.

The financially strapped franchise likely would have been a bleach-boned carcass, at the bottom of the canyon by now had it not been for the tireless efforts of Kenneth Schnitzer, the majority owner. The death knell was forecast once again Thursday when Schnitzer called a news conference one day after the WHA and National Hockey League broke off merger talks and a move by Schnitzer to, bring the NHL Colorado Rockies to Houston had failed.

Since all efforts to enter the NHL had apparently fallen through and Schnitzer had said many times he would not be a part of the WHA next season, speculation was high that the two-time WHA champions would fold.

Instead, Schnitzer announced the Aeros had applied to enter the NHL as an expansion team and if that failed, there still was a remote chance of getting the Rockies here and if that failed, they might even play in the WHA next season.

The Aeros offered the NHL $2.5 million plus an indemnity against any possible litigation from the WHA to let them compete in the NHL next season. "The NHL board of governors has not acted on that proposal, so we still have slight hopes of getting in," Schnitzter said.

The Aeros are the only team that finished the 1977-78 season which has. not yet committed itself to playing in the WHA next season.

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, JUNE 30,1978

For WHA: Six is enough?

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - An eventual accommodation between the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association is inevitable, but until that occurs the WHA can exist on its own with as few as six teams, Indianapolis Racers general manager Don LeRose said Thursday.

"Our posture throughout the entire period (of recent merger talks) was that we would be in WHA," said LeRose, whose team was not among the four WHA franchises that would have been included in the NHL this year.

"Of course, Nelson (Skalbania, the Racers' owner) stated that emphatically when he was here for the signing of Wayne Gretzky. He had no interest in talking with the NHL because their price of admission was too expensive."

Gretzky, 17, was signed by Skalbania to u seven-year, $1.75-miillon contract. The failure of the two leagues to reach agreement on a merger for the second straight year means Indianapolis will have hockey, LeRose said. "They'll have the WHA as long as the WHA stays viable. And I feel the WHA can stay viable even as a six-team league. The NHL did it for 30 years as a six team league."

LeRose said speculation about whether Indianapolis might seek an NHL franchise next year is "a little premature." "To do that, you're talking 8,000 to 10,000 season tickets, Absolutely. You're also talking about an average audience of 12,000 or better. And to get the people in here, we also have to have a competitive team. Nelson doesn't duck that issue. Gretzky was one step in the right direction:"

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, JUNE 30,1978

Road too rocky in Colorado

DENVER, (AP) – Jack A. Vickers, majority owner of Colorado Rockies, says it is a "shame" the enthusiasm the National Hockey League team was building in Denver did not extend to the city administration.

He made his remarks Thursday after It was reported agreement has been reached to sell the franchise to a New Jersey trucking company operator for $5 million.

The owner and city officials have clashed over the club's contract to use McNIchols Arena for the 1978-1979 season. Vickers said the city's rates were too high for the arena's use.

In a prepared statement, Vickers said that because of difficulties with the city's immovable position on the team's lease at McNichols Arena, "difficulties that go back all the way to July, 1978," club officials went to Detroit to obtain a full airing of all the options available to the Rockies.

Included in those options was the sale or the transfer of the club to Houston, Edmonton,
New England and New Jersey, he said. "Although no definitive agreement was reached, the NHL governors suggested that a formal proposal for sale to the (New Jersey) Meadowlands be made," said Vickers, who owns 58 per cent of the Rockies. "We will be developing the necessary data for such an application over the next several days."

Vickers said during his absence he learned several "grass roots" efforts were being made by groups interested In trying to retain professional hockey in Denver. "I offer my sincere and heartfelt thanks to those people and, indeed, to our many other loyal fans for all their efforts and support," he said.

"It's certainly a shame that with the kind of enthusiasm that was building here that the city administration did not think National League hockey staying in Denver was an issue worthy enough to merit their detailed and thoughtful involvement back in early May.

"In light of the NHL governors' suggestion to make a formal proposal, I would urge that our supporters discontinue their efforts until a definitive conclusion is reached by the NHL board of governors. As additional details become available, I will keep our fans informed." The Post says Arthur Impcratore, the New Jersey trucking company operator, hopes to move the team east and split its home schedule between New York's Madison Square Garden and the Philadelphia Spectrum for two seasons until the 21,000- seat Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., is completed.

Any move of the franchise would 'have to be approved by the NHL board of governors. The learn, formerly in Kansas City, has been in Denver for two years

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, JUNE 30,1978

Ottawa to probe NHL stand
By PAUL MOLONEY
Federal Corporate Affairs Minister Warren Allmand has instructed his officials to produce a report on whether positions taken by the NHL regarding a proposed merger with WHA teams "raise any questions under the Combines Investigation Act," a spokesman for Allmand said Thursday.

The spokesmen said Allmand's instructions were not specific and no deadline was given for completion of the report, which will be undertaken by R. J. Bertrajid, director of the combines investigation and research branch of the department's bureau of competition policy.

George Orr, director of the services branch of the competition bureau, said one aspect of any review might be the apparent unwillingness of the three Canadian NHL teams to allow the Canadian WHA teams into their league.

In a straw vote taken by the NHL at meetings in Detroit this week, the three Canadian teams — Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver — voted against expansion. Some suggestion exists that the teams would not want to share television revenue with the three Canadian WHA teams which would join their league — Winnipeg, Edmonton and Quebec City.

Orr was careful to note his department has no grounds for suspicion on this subject but, generally speaking, such action would contravene the combines act To reach a conclusion on this question, Orr said proof would be required that Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver had agreed among themselves to vote no as a means of protecting television revenue they currently receive from Hockey Night in Canada. He added that any agreement could be either verbal or written.

If "a conspiracy or common arrangement" was suspected, the competition bureau would conceivably begin a formal inquiry, at which time evidence to support or refute the suspicion would be gathered, he said.

On the other hand, the three teams would satisfy the competition bureau if it were found that each had voted against the merger on its own initiative, he noted. For example, the federal officials would have no objection if each team had decided on its own to oppose the merger — even though the teams had the same reason. A report would go to Allmand regardless of the outcome of the competition bureau's activity, the spokesman said.

Orr emphasized that competition cases were very complex and it was impossible to determine beforehand which aspects of the expansion proposal, if any, might warrant investigation. He said it would be necessary to examine the rules under which the NHL operates. For example, the officials would want to know the impact the three teams would have on an expansion proposal if they voted in a bloc.

Under NHL rules, an expansion vote is defeated if five of the 17 teams are opposed.

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, JUNE 30,1978

City's image Jets’ burden
ByREYN DAVIS

Winnipeg has a wart on the end of its nose in the National Hockey League's datebook.

Nobody seems to like the place. It's viewed as backward, small, cheap and slightly revolutionary.. .where the government owns the telephones and, people once put up money in the names of their dogs and cats and kids and bought the hockey team.

Today the Jets are privately owned by some of the same people who honestly believe that this city has the money and the interest to make major league hockey a viable business. "You're young and wealthy," Bill Wirtz told Barry Shenkarow, one of the owners. "You could lose money for one. two, three or four years in that building. Hell, what price glory?"

Wirtz, the powerful chairman of the NHL's board of governors, best remembers Winnipeg as the town that pooled the money of its league partners to give Bobby Hull a $1 million signing bonus so he'd play for the Jets. Yet it was that same Winnipeg and its bastard-sized arena that prevented an expansion from happening this week that would have ended hockey's senseless war.

That's the opinion of Michael Gobuty, the president, of the Jets who tends to agree with Wirtz that it would be senseless to operate much longer in a building capable of accommodating only 10,300. "I believe that there would have been a merger if we would have had a major league facility," said Gobuty.

"Our arena was the major stumbling block. They kept telling us 'you had one of the most attractive teams in hockey and you played to 95 per cent capacity. Why didn't they build a building then? When you really needed it? We've heard Winnipeg is building for the last four years now'."

The NHL.governors made it clear that New England Whalers and Edmonton Oilers were especially welcome. Grudgingly, they indicated they would accept Quebec Nordiques whose Colisee can seat and stand 13,000.

"At one point we were out of hockey," said Gobuty.. "The NHL wanted the other three. But our league /partners said 'hell, we came as four and we'll go in as four and we'll walk out as four'."

He said the Jets did not threaten to exercise their veto power. They didn't need to. The WHA teams stood as a united front.

Gobuty said the merger issue "in no way is dead". Arguments over players' rights and television splits were quite solvable in his opinion.

Bob Graham, the Jets' chairman, said the big difference in merger negotiations compared to a year ago is that "last year it was very emotional and this year it was so businesslike". The Jets now face a critical situation. They have graced this city with fast, entertaining hockey that has produced two championships and three consecutive league finalists. The product has been excellent and fans have consistently filled the Arena, small as it is.

Gobuty said it would be self-defeating if the Jets ever attempted to put a cheaper product on the ice that the Arena could support profitably. "The fans just wouldn't buy it," he said, being one himself.

[JETStender]

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, JUNE 30,1978

Hal Sigurdson
SPORTS EDITOR

During last year's merger talks between the NHL and WHA Boston Bruins' president Paul Mooney dismissed Winnipeg as a "one-horse town . . .a place you fly over on your way to somewhere else."

Earlier this week in Detroit during still another (unsuccessful) round of merger negotiations Bruins general manager Harry Sinden described us as a "small, small community and declining. There is less than 500,000. Do you call that major league?"

One can only speculate on where Mooney and Sinden (he seems to have misplaced about 120,000 of us) are getting their information on Winnipeg, but obviously it is incomplete. They should not be condemned for this gap in their education, they should be helped.

Surely there might be thousands of you out there who, in the name of sweet charity, would be prepared to assist in this worthwhile cause. We must make Mooney and Sinden aware there are many of us here who haven't declined as drastically as Harry seems to think. I mean, how can we expect them to display wit in future merger negotiations when they are obviously only half prepared?

It seems here only a matter of simple kindness to offer assistance. Perhaps you could send something useful to their offices in Boston Garden . . .kindly advice, suggestions on how to improve their love life, some little memento or souvenir. Perhaps a souvenir of our one horse, carefully gift-wrapped of course, would be appropriate. The address is Boston Garden, 150 Causeway Street, Boston, Mass. 02114.
* * *
There was, "however, one knock against Winnipeg offered by the NHL which is more difficult to shrug off than the animosity of the Bruins' management.

When Mayor Robert Steen sent his telegram pledging a 15,000-seat arena to be ready by the start of the 1979-80 hockey season, at least one governor was not impressed.

"The Jets have been in the WHA final the last three years," he said. "If Winnipeg is such a great hockey town and if the city is serious about building a bigger arena why hasn't it been done already? And why should we believe it is serious now?"

A fair question. Why should expanding Winnipeg Arena binge on an entry into the NHL? Either we need a bigger arena or we don't. Either we are prepared to spend tax dollars on the project or we aren't. It is a matter of how much confidence we really have in our own future. Hanging arena expansion on whether or not we will be anointed by the NHL merely suggests that perhaps Sinden isn't as far off the mark as we'd like to believe.