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Post by JETStender on Feb 4, 2009 23:57:29 GMT -5
Winnipeg Free Press Saturday, June 9, 1979
Jets provide feast for five NHL clubs
By Reyn Davis
Like hungry wolves, five National Hockey League clubs ripped into the belly of Winnipeg Jets yesterday.
Ten players were reclaimed and seven appear to be lost in a wholesale decimation of the three-time World Hockey Association champions. Unable to consummate a deal that might have spared the Jets of some of the wrath of expansion, general manager John Ferguson saw his lineup torn to bits.
Chicago Black Hawks, avenging Winnipeg's signing of Bobby Hull seven years ago, flatly refused to deal with Ferguson and helped themselves to Hull and Terry Ruskowski after signing Rich Preston earlier.
Next season the Black Hawks could possibly have a line of former Jets. Ferguson had a chance to recover Ruskowski late last night when the former WHA teams named their priority selections of two skaters and two goaltenders.
But instead of taking the leader of the team, Ferguson chose defenceman Scott Campbell along with left winger Morris Lukowich — his first choice over-all — while adding Markus Mattsson as a goaliender.
Also lost were veteran defenceman Barry Long and rookie left winger Glenn' Hicks to Detroit Red Wings; defenceman Paul MacKinnon to Washington Capitals; forward Kent Nilsson to Atlanta Flames; and rugged defenceman Kim Clackson to Pittsburgh Penguins.
What seems difficult to believe is that Hull, one of the seven owners of the Jets, could put his own club in such an awkward position. He has consistently said he would want the Jets to receive some form of compensation if he chose to return to Chicago.
But, just as there is little love lost between Hull and the Black Hawks' general manager, Bob Pulford, relations are also strained between Hull and Ferguson.
The Jets hired Ferguson despite Hull's objections. And when the Jets' ownership stopped listening to Hull he suddenly lost all interest in playing. With seven appearing to be gone, the Jets' roster is now reduced to nine players — goaltenders Gary Smith, Joe Daley, Mattsson and Karl Friesen, signed yesterday; defencemen Lars- Erik Sjoberg, Paul Terbenche, Campbell, Mike Amodeo, Barry Legge and Craig Norwich; and forwards Peter Sullivan, Willy Lindstrom, Lyle Moffat, Bill Lesuk, Bobby Guindon, Roland Eriksson, John Gray, Steve West, Dale Yakiwchuk and Jamie Hislop.
Winnipeg was hurt far worse than the other three WHA clubs entering the NHL.
Quebec Nordiques successfully engineered deals that allowed them to isolate Marc Tardif, Serge Bernier and Buddy Cloutier. For Tardif's immunity, the Nordiques promised Montreal Canadiens not to touch either Alain Cote or Danny Geoffrion in next Wednesday's expansion draft; for Bernier, they paid Los Angeles Kings the sum of $200,000; and for Cloutier, they surrendered a first-round draft choice either this year or next.
Then the Nordiques named defencemen Paul Baxter and Garry Lariviere as two of their priority selections. Baxter, had been reclaimed by Pittsburgh while New York Islanders chose Lariviere. '. .
The only other reclaimed Nordique was semi-retired Chris Bordeleau, by St. Louis Blues.
A bundle of Edmonton Oilers were reclaimed. But, by previous arrangements, two of their top players were overlooked — centre Ron Chipperfield, by Philadelphia; and B.J. MacDonald, by Los Angeles. Chosen were Doug Berry, by Colorado Rockies; Stan Weir, by Toronto Maple Leafs; Dennis Sobchuk, by Philadelphia; Dave Langevin, by the Islanders; Dave Dryden, by Buffalo Sabres; John Hughes, by Vancouver Canucks; Steve Carlson, 'by Los Angeles; Bengt-Ake Gustafsson, by Washington; Paul Shmyr, Cal Sandbeck, Eddie Mio and Dave Semenko, by Minnesota North Stars; Wes George, by Detroit Red Wings; Jim Mayer, by New York Rangers; and Risto Siltanen, by St. Louis.
To no one's surprise, the Oilers protected 18-year-old Wayne Gretzky as one of their priority selections. Gustafsson, a rookie from Sweden, was the other skater protected, while Dryden and Mio were the two goaltenders kept. The Oilers made a deal with Montreal to keep rookie Dave Hunter, one of the Canadiens' first-round draft choices last summer. Other Oilers who stay in the fold are left wingers Brett Callighen and Peter Driscoll, and defencemen Joe Micheletti and At Hamilton.
Hartford (New England) Whalers fared fairly well too. They were able to swing Gordie Roberts' immunity from Montreal. Then they named Mark Howe and rookie Jordy Douglas as their.priority selections, plus goaltender John Garrett. Douglas had been reclaimed by Toronto while the Bruins had picked Mark Howe. Some of the other Whalers reclaimed were defenceman Alan Hangsleben, by Montreal; left wingers Warren Miller, by the Rangers, and George Lyle, by Detroit; and defenceman Rick Ley, by Toronto.
Untouched were Gordie Howe, Andre Lacroix, Brad Selwood, Ron Plumb and Al Smith.
BENCH BITS: The rumor mill has it that the Jets will
trade their NHL rights to Barry Legge and Jamie Hislop to
Quebec Nordiques for defenceman Barry Melrose.. .Peter
Marsh, the high-scoring right winger from Cincinnati drafted
by the Jets last weekend, was reclaimed by Montreal
Canadiens. . .The only way the new NHL teams can obtain
some of their players again is if they are left off the "15 and
2" protected lists before the expansion draft. . .
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Post by JETStender on Feb 4, 2009 23:57:49 GMT -5
Winnipeg Free Press Saturday, June 9, 1979
Key to future success lies in expansion draft
By Reyn Davis
What happens next week in Montreal could profoundly affect the enjoyment of winters to come in Winnipeg.
This is the expansion draft, the fifth in the 62-year history of the National Hockey League.
How it works and who it affects, follows:
June 8 (5 p.m.) — Deadline for NHL member clubs to, reclaim their players who defected to the WHA. Players not reclaimed by the NHL member clubs shall be taken off their reserve lists.
June 9 (noon) — Deadline for new NHL teams (former WHA members) to submit their lists of priority selection players, numbering no more than two goaltenders and two skaters.
June 9 (8 p.m.) — Deadline for NHL member clubs to make any amendments to their reserve lists, including trades or the removal of free agents,
June 10 (8 p.m.) — Deadline for NHL member clubs to submit their expansion draft protected lists of two goaltenders and 15 skaters.
June 10 (11 p.m.) — Each NHL member club's protected list shall be made available for inspection by the new NHL teams at the NHL offices.
July 11 (9 a.m.) —The new NHL teams will have a chance to examine the contracts of unprotected players on the reserve lists of the NHL member clubs. Only the contracts of players left unprotected (not among the 15 and 2) can be examined.
July 13 (10 a.m.) —The expansion draft will begin.
NHL plan of fifth expansion
Players:
Between the dates of Jan. 1,1979, and June 16, 1979, no new NHL teams shall be allowed to amend the contracts of any defected players.
Between Jan. 1, 1979, and the NHL amateur draft in 1979, none of the new NHL teams shall be able to acquire the playing rights of any under-age player nor. shall they be able to amend his contract or can they trade, assign or acquire any players not under contract to them.
Draft Procedure:
Each new NHL club received its own NHL Reserve List on June 1, 1979, on which all players to whom they have contractual rights will be placed.
Phase 1:
Between June 1, 1979, and June 9, 1979, each NHL member club will have the right to reclaim its defected players. All existing contracts must be assumed by the clubs that reclaim players. No reclaimed player can be transferred to any other NHL member club without first being offered on waivers to the new NHL clubs, the first of which must be the team for whom the player played. The waiver price will be $100, A reclaimed player cannot be traded or loaned by a NHL member club to another NHL member club until the end of the 1980-81 season without first being offered on waivers to the new NHL clubs, the order to be decided by lot. Once again, the waiver price will be $100.
Players who were eligible but not reclaimed cannot be transferred to the NHL teams that had their rights until after the 1979-80 season without first being offered on waivers to the new NHL clubs, <the order to be decided by lot. Again the price will be $100.
Effective June 16,1979, (1) all defected players left unclaimed shall be removed from the reserve, inactive or free agent lists of the respective NHL member clubs; (2) new NHL clubs can place on their reserve lists all players who previously played for them who were left unclaimed; (3) players left unclaimed who are not put on the reserve lists of the new NHL clubs will be sold at a price to be mutually agreed upon by the NHL president and a designated representative of the new NHL clubs, to NHL member clubs according to the inverse order of their total points standing following the 1978- 79 season. The draft will be conducted within 30 days of the 1979 amateur draft.
Phase 2:
On June 9, 1979, each new NHL team may submit to the NHL a list of not more than two goaltenders and two skaters to be called priority selections chosen from the lists of reclaimed players and under-age players. Each priority selection must have been on the WHA playing list of the new NHL teams.
For the first priority selection taken from the reclaimed list of an NHL member club the club will receive as payment for the loss of said player the sum of $125,000 in the currency of the country of the new NHL club that made the priority selection.
For each additional priority selection taken from an NHL member club the club can chose to either receive as payment for the said player in the sum of $125,000, or exercise "claim and fill" compensation in which case a team could then protect 16 skaters and two goaltenders.
If the extra priority selection is a goaltender, then the losing NHL member club can either collect $125,000 or merely count it as the loss of a goaltender in which case the protected list of 15 and 2 is unaffected. Cash to be used to pay for priority selections will be deducted from expansion payments before pro-rata distribution of funds to NHL member clubs.
Phase 3:
Once the NHL member clubs have their protected lists secured, the expansion draft will start with the new NHL clubs, selecting in an order determined by lot, drafting until each NHL member club has lost four players and not more than one goaltender. They must take four. If an NHL member club has lost more than one player off its protected list following the priority selections of the new NHL clubs, the second one will then count as one of the team's four losses in the draft. After the loss of each player other than a goaltender the NHL member club can protect another player other than a goaltender,
Exempt from the draft are first-year professionals and unsigned draft choices from the 1978 amateur draft and unsigned draft choices from previous amateur drafts who are currently attending college.
All players on reserve, inactive, voluntarily retired and free agent lists, including suspended players, shall be available in the draft. Players on the free agents list who are-drafted but continue being free agents shall provide their drafting NHL teams with the same benefits under equalization rights as the losing club would have otherwise had.
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Post by JETStender on Feb 4, 2009 23:58:08 GMT -5
Winnipeg Free Press, Monday, June 11, 1979
Hull unprotected, will Jets select him?
Hal Sigurdson
Sports Editor
MONTREAL — Do not give up quite all hope of seeing Terry Ruskowski in a Winnipeg Jets uniform next season after all. It seems the final returns are not all in.
Late last night when the 17 existing National Hockey League teams submitted their protected lists of 15 skaters and two goaltenders to the four refugees from the WHA who will be stocked with players in Wednesday's expansion draft, there was one major surprise as far as Winnipeg was concerned.
The name of Robert Marvin Hull did not appear on the Chicago Black Hawks' list of 15 protected skaters. And suddenly it was a whole new ball game.
First you must understand the pain experienced by Winnipeg general manager John Ferguson when he was forced last Friday to leave Ruskowski's name off his own list of two protected skaters.
During his playing days in Montreal, there was no tougher operative than John Bowie Ferguson, but reliable witnesses say there were tears in his eyes Friday when he handed in his priority list of defenceman Scott Campbell, left winger Morris Lukowich and goaltender Markus Mattson to Don Ellis of the NHL's central registry.
"Terry Ruskowski has every quality I admire in a hockey player," he offered in a way of explanation. But the part that hurt him most is he had been forced into a decision he didn't expect to have to make. When he arrived home Wednesday from the player-owner meetings in Nassau, it was in the firm belief he had a deal with the Black Hawks to keep his gutsy little centre.
"They (president Bill Wirtz and general manager Bob Pulford) promised me we had a deal," Ferguson insists, "but then Thursday morning Pulford called to say it was all off." Then Fergie promised this was a deception he would not soon forget. But not even he expected an opportunity for vengeance to appear this quickly.
Or is it an opportunity for vengeance? Winnipeg has the first choice in Wednesday's expansion draft and Fergie could 'use it to claim Hull and demand the return of Ruskowski as ransom.
He could, but he's already made a deal with Montreal to use that first choice to claim Peter Marsh, a large right winger whom he wants and Montreal doesn't. This would allow the Canadiens to add Pierre Larouche to their protected list and for this favor they have promised to deliver a useful player to Winnipeg after the draft.
Even if it wasn't a matter of honor, Ferguson would still be forced to keep his word to Montreal. Les Canadiens are the most powerful organization in the NHL. It is not good strategy to annoy them.
However, if Ferguson doesn't make Hull his first choice it may be too late.
In the first round of expansion the order of selection will be Winnipeg, Edmonton, Hartford, Quebec. In the second it reverses — Quebec, Hartford, Edmonton, Winnipeg.
By the time the Jets make their second selection, Hull could be gone. The new boys have made an internal agreement not to draft one another's former players (except by pre-arranged deal) but if the Hawks lose any player they are allowed to add another to their protected list.
Presumably they would add Hull at their first opportunity.
It has already been arranged that the first three players selected Wednesday will all be claimed from Montreal.
That takes care of Edmonton and Hartford, but not Quebec and Les Nordtques owe the Black Hawks ah important favor for not reclaiming talented Buddy Cloutier. And knowing Ferguson's mood, would the Hawks leave Hull open unless they were sure they could protect him before the Jets could get to him? And make no mistake. The Hawks want Hull badly. At 40, it's debatable how much Hull will help them in the standings, but Wirtz is convinced he's the answer to bringing the fans back into Chicago Stadium.
Ferguson, however, is so upset about losing Ruskowski, you know he's going to spend every waking minute plotting ways to get him back. And the unexpected appearance of Hull on Chicago's list of available players at least gives him a chance.
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Post by JETStender on Feb 4, 2009 23:58:33 GMT -5
Winnipeg Free Press , Tuesday, June 12, 1979
Hollow ring to deals
Jet plans go awry as best players lost in draft scramble
By Reyn Davis
Winnipeg Free Press
MONTREAL —Winnipeg Jets are becoming known as the Joe Bisplicks of the National Hockey League.
Like the cartoon character, they seem to have a knack for turning gold into coal, rain into snow, laughter into tears.
They came to Montreal thinking they had made deals that would allow them to salvage most of their best players. But in the space of hours they were burned by Chicago Black Hawks and singed by Quebec Nordiques, a lodge brother of the World Hockey Associaton.
Both deals were as hollow as a tunnel. Chicago general manager, Bob Pulford, has managed to grab Terry Ruskowski, a player who seemed to have the ability to make all of his teammates a little bit better, and Rich Preston, the man Tom McVie describes as the most compete hockey player he had in Winnipeg.
"I talked to Terry last night and he's as upset as I am," said John Ferguson, Jets' general manager, who was close to tears last weekend when he announced that he had protected Morris Lukowich and Scott Campbell, instead of Ruskowski.
According to Ferguson, the Black Hawks were supposed to ignore Ruskowski and take Bobby Hull. Now Ferguson is tempted to choose 'Hull again in tomorrow's expansion draft so that he has at least one player the Black Hawks want.
But if Hull then refuses to play, and stays retired, the Jets will have wasted a draft choice.
Deal becomes involved
The deal with Quebec became more involved when the Nordiques selected Cincinnati defenceman Barry Melrose in an auxiliary draft of players on old WHA franchises.
Ferguson had made arrangements to take the burly defenceman. Now, to the delight of the Nordiques, he's had to trade Barry Legge and Jamie Hislop to Quebec for Melrose.
"Charlie," said Ferguson, snearing over breakfast yesterday morning, "we're going to get those guys one by one."
Charlie Hodge, the Jets' newest scout, nodded in agreement. Tomorrow morning is the expansion draft and the new teams are scrambling to make the best picks possible. Quebec would seem to have the best club so far. . .even before they plunge deep into the draft.
They have successfully protected Marc Tardif, Buddy Cloutier, Serge Bernier, Garry Lariviere and Paul Baxter. They are also getting Robbie Ftorek, Hislop and Legge, and in the expansion draft they are eyeing New York Islanders' defenceman Gerry Hart, who has apparently already signed with them; and Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Wayne Stephenson.
The Jets' choices in tomorrow's draft are first, eighth, ninth, 16th, 17th, 24th, 25th, 32nd, 33rd. . .until 68 players have been selected, or four from each of the 17 clubs who previously belonged to the NHL.
Among those who might interest the Jets are:
Curt Bennett, of Atlanta Flames, a six-foot three-inch, 195-pound left winger, who apparently worked as a sportscaster in the Atlanta area, and would seriously consider retirement if somebody else drafted him. He's big, strong, tough and very smart. Al Sims, of Boston Bruins, a sixfoot, 185-pound defenceman, who loves to hit and is only 26 years old. Lee Fogolin, a six-foot, 204-pound defenceman from Buffalo Sabres, who was their first round choice in the 1974 amateur draft.
Miles Zaharko, 22, from Chicago Black Hawks, a six-foot, 197-pound defenceman, who was Atlanta's firstround choice two seasons ago. Doug Hicks, 24, an older brother of Glenn Hicks, a defenceman who was Minnesota North Stars first-round choice in 1974. Ralph Kl.assen, 23, the first-round and third over-all choice of California Golden Seals in 1975, who had six goals and 13 assists in 64 games for Colorado Rockies this season.
Ron Low, a quality gpaltender from Detroit Red Wings. Centre Greg Carroll, who had seven goals and 15 assists in 60 games for Washington Capitals and the Red Wings. Carroll's contemporary lifestyle off the ice is worriesome.
Kings offer Apps
Los Angeles Kings offer Syl Apps Jr. a six-foot, 195-pound centre who has a big contract and only seven goals and 30 assists to show following the past season.
Pete LoPresti, a good goaltender, prone to moody streaks, is available from Minnesota North Stars, while Montreal Canadiens offer several good players, among them Rick Chartraw, Cam Conner, Pat Hughes, Pierre Larouche, Bill Nyrop, and Ron Wilson. The Islanders are expected to lose two defencemen — Gerry Hart to Quebec, and Pat Price, to Edmonton.
Ferguson's penchant for defencemen is bound to lead him to six-foot, 195- pound Dave Farrish, and experienced Paul MacKinnon from New York Rangers. He also likes a Swedish goaltender, Hardy Aastrom and forwards Pierre Plante and Ed Johnstone.
Philadelphia Flyers will probably lose Barry Dean, a 200-pound right winger who was chosen in the first round and second over-all by Kansas City Scouts in the 1975 amateur draft. Colin Campbell, 26, a defenceman, has been left unprotected by Pittsburgh Penguins as has Dale Tallon, the very first choice of the expansion Vancouver Canucks in 1970.
Robert Hess, 24, a defenceman, who has not lived up to expectations, is available from St. Louis Blues as is a Winnipeg product Neil Komadoski. Bob Neely, a big left winger, from Toronto Maple Leafs is free to be chosen while no one from either Vancouver Canucks or Washington Capitals appears to be exciting anyone any more.
Typical of most expansion drafts, precious little is available to the draftees. However, the real agony is being experienced by the 17 clubs who would love to help themselves to some of the players left unprotected.
"Don't worry," said Glen Sonmor, coach of the North Stars. "You guys are going to be a lot better off than you think. You are going to be better than any of the expansion teams in the past. Now those were bad hockey clubs."
The Nordiques, Jets, and Whalers hate to think how bad they were.
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Post by JETStender on Feb 4, 2009 23:59:03 GMT -5
Winnipeg Free Press, Wednesday, June 13,1979
Oiler payment only missing item
By Reyn Davis
MONTREAL — The stage was set. The trophies glittered. Everyone was there.
What a great opportunity to welcome four new teams to the fold. Peace at last!
But nothing happened.
As explained later, the National Hockey League has postponed the official granting of franchises to Edmonton, Quebec, Hartford and Winnipeg until on or before June 22,1979. Edmonton Oilers, the team from the land of great wealth, have not come up with all the money.
The club that boasts the sale of 14,200 season tickets and claims a waiting list of 2,200 hasn't been able to post a letter of credit as part of its share of an indemnification payment of $1.5 million to Cincinnati Stingers. . .the World Hockey Association team that agreed to fold to accommodate expansion of the NHL to four new cities.
"We had hoped that the granting of the franchises would have taken place here in Montreal," said NHL president John Ziegler. "However, not ail of the necessary documents were completed and thus this aspect of the expansion has been postponed. We expect that the remaining matters will be finalized on or before Friday, June 22."
Pocklington caught short of cash
Peter Pocklington, the man who buys shopping centres and rows of apartment blocks, has been caught short of cash.
And unless he meets his obligations in a hurry this whole extravaganza could be called off. "It's all a misunderstanding," apologized John Short, the man who worries about the Oilers' public relations.
"Our owner was not aware about a letter of credit. The other three clubs were. But it's only a technicality. We'll have it as quickly as possible."
Drawing an analogy, Short said even the Kennedy family has problems raising large amounts of cash on short notice.
But the Kennedys do not often embarrass their partners.
Jets' governor, Barry Shenkarow, is fit to be tied.
There is much disappointment in a lodge brother from the WHA. Earlier, Pocklington's general manager, Larry Gordon, denied there were any problems. "The money's been there," he said. "The documents have been signed. We're going ahead with the draft. In fact, we've paid off Birmingham and Cincinnati. That was $1.2 million, and a letter of credit was posted for the other $1.5 million.
"On top of that we have filed our entry fee of $4.6 million."
Nonetheless, the Oilers have met only 13 of the 15 points of the expansion agreement. Meanwhile, all four teams were busy finalizing their plans for this morning's expansion draft.
Jets' general manager John Ferguson and his men pored over their reports. If nothing else, the Jets have their WHA brothers badly outnumbered. Ferguson's staff includes Mike Doran, Les Binkley, Bill Sutherland, Charlie Hodge and Jets' coach Tom McVie, who knows the players in the NHL as well as anyone.
Decisions could have lasting effects
They were fretful. Some of the decisions they make today will have a profound effect on the team for seasons to come.
Most observers believe the WHA teams will be able to draft only three players who will truly be able to help them in the coming season. "The new teams are damn lucky," said Bobby Kromm, former Jets' coach who'became coach of the year in the NHL with Detroit Red Wings in 1977-78.
"They are coming into this league with a few good players. The other expansion teams had none."
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Post by JETStender on Feb 4, 2009 23:59:20 GMT -5
Winnipeg Free Press, Wednesday, June 13,1979
Jets' choices criticized
By Reyn Davis »
Winnipeg Free Press
MONTREAL — They sat at 21 separate tables draped in yellow linen. Blue cigar smoke billowed above their grey heads.
Looks of agony crossed the faces of some as favorite players left for strange teams. There were smiles too, as overpayed floaters were dispatched to the new National Hockey League teams participating in the expansion draft.
It was only an opinion, but a Montreal writer said out loud: "What's Winnipeg doing? Their picks are just awful." Tom McVie, Bill Sutherland, Mike Doran, Les Binkley and Charlie Hodge crowded around John Ferguson at the Winnipeg microphone.
As predicted, they chose Peter Marsh first, obliging Montreal Canadiens. Nexy to be selected was Lindsay Middlebrook, a goaltender Ferguson grew to like in New York. To do so, he overlooked Wayne Thomas.
Then they picked Bobby Hull, infuriating Chicago Black Hawks. Chosen too was Al Cameron, a defence from Detroit Red Wings who can help.
Then came the stunner. Edmonton Oilers took Colin Campbell from Pittsburgh and the Penquins filled with a Winnipeg favorite, Kim Clackson. But the Jets were ready. Instantly they chose Dave Hoyda, a big winger from Philadelphia who yearns to play and earns the respect like Clackson does. "They're not names, but they can play," said McVie, lifting his head at the end of the table.
Meanwhile, back at the press room, the phones were ringing. Bill Wirtz was calling from his yacht, wanting to know what had happened to Bobby Hull. Would Winnipeg dare pick him? They had. The Jets have chosen the great left winger, now 40 years old. What was Hull's reaction?
"I don't know what to think of these grown men," said Hull, from his farm in Elm Creek. "I guess they are back to where they started and I don't really think it's at the critical stage yet. "I mean, I figure that the two sides — Chicago and Winnipeg — will be talking again like they were before. I can't really blame the Jets. They were stung pretty hard in this draft and they wanted something back."
Now it appears the Jets will try to make a deal with New York Rangers. "Would I play for the Rangers?" queried Hull. "Well, I guess I would have no choice. It would be logical.
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Post by JETStender on Feb 5, 2009 0:01:33 GMT -5
Winnipeg Free Press, Saturday, June 23,1979
Expansion gets final OK
NEW YORK (AP) — The National Hockey League's expansion to four cities became official yesterday when league president John Ziegler announced the granting of franchises to Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Quebec
Nordiques and Hartford Whalers.
The expansion, which swells the NHL's complement to 21 teams beginning with the 1979-80 season, was approved by the league's board of governors on March 30. It took until yesterday, however, for all fees to be paid and documents transferred to complete the transaction and mark the official demise of the World Hockey Association.
The incoming clubs had competed in the WHA last season with Birmingham Bulls and Cincinnati Stingers, who were not party to the expansion plan. The four clubs, in achieving membership in the NHL, assumed the burden of "cleanup costs" for the two teams which ceased operation.
The arrival of the new clubs forces a realignment of the NHL's four divisions. Hartford joins the Norris Division with Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens. Quebec is included in the Adams section with Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Minnesota North Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Edmonton and Winnipeg join the Smythe Division with St. Louis Blues, Chicago Black Hawks, Vancouver Canucks and Colorado Rockies while Washington Capitals — originally Norris Division members — shift to the Patrick Division to join New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and Atlanta Flames.
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Post by JETStender on Feb 5, 2009 0:03:20 GMT -5
And there it is officially, the non-merger, merge.
That's everything from the start of the WHA.
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Post by joelzillmanwpg on Feb 5, 2009 1:12:14 GMT -5
great stuff, Jetstender. Keep up the good work!  |
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Post by mcguire4 on Feb 5, 2009 11:38:08 GMT -5
thank you very much Jetsender.
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Post by frankcostanza on Feb 6, 2009 18:50:16 GMT -5
i am only maybe a third through this marvelous thread and I am thinking that things have not changed in 30+ years...the same issues keep repeating themselves over and over. Now I am going to let Lloyd Braun take care of the business while I take a week off work and read the rest of the thread.
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Post by mcguire4 on Feb 6, 2009 22:17:34 GMT -5
this thread right here, is THE MOTHER OF ALL WPG JETS THREADS!!
not a thread from here on out can touch this.
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Post by joelzillmanwpg on Feb 9, 2009 19:25:30 GMT -5
this thread right here, is THE MOTHER OF ALL WPG JETS THREADS!! not a thread from here on out can touch this. Agreed. this is, hands-down, the best thread on the forum. Way to go Jetstender! |
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Post by mcguire4 on Jul 30, 2011 14:52:02 GMT -5
THIS THREAD HAD BETTER BE PRESERVED!!!.......
THIS IS OUR HISTORY RIGHT HERE FOLKS!
PHX, CANT TOUCH THIS, THE NHL CANT TOUCH THIS!
...sorry for shouting, but i am a little nervous that threads like this one will fall to the wayside and get lost in the transitions.
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