The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (NHL) since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926. Although the WHA was not the first league since that time to attempt to challenge the NHL's supremacy, it was by far the most successful in the modern era.
Robert Briton Selby is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues from 1965 to 1971. He also played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Quebec Nordiques, New England Whalers and Toronto Toros from 1972 to 1975.
George Robert Ramage is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota North Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers. He also played one season in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Birmingham Bulls. He was a two-time Stanley Cup winner in the NHL.
David Michael Keon is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He played professionally from 1960 to 1982, including 15 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986. Keon was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. On October 16, 2016, as part of the Toronto Maple Leafs centennial celebrations, Keon was named the greatest player in the team's history. In 2017, Keon was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in NHL history. In 2018, Keon was awarded the Order of Sport, marking his induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
David James "Tiger" Williams is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from the 1974–75 NHL season to the 1987–88 NHL season. He notably played in the 1981 NHL All-Star Game and the 1982 Stanley Cup Finals. He is the NHL's career leader in penalty minutes.
Michael John Murphy is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for 13 years for the St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings and has been assistant and head coach in the NHL for the Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers. Murphy also played for Team Canada, winning a bronze medal in 1978, and coached Team Canada, International Hockey League (IHL). Murphy is presently Senior Vice President of the NHL, hockey operations.
Jeffrey O'Neill is a Canadian broadcaster and former professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played 12 seasons with the Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has earned accolades for his offensive contributions on the ice and represented Canada internationally in various tournaments.
Richard Norman Ley is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA).
The 1979–80 NHL season was the 63rd season of the National Hockey League. This season saw the addition of four teams from the disbanded World Hockey Association as expansion franchises. The Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, New England Whalers, and Quebec Nordiques joined the NHL, bringing the total to 21 teams. The other two WHA teams were paid to fold.
David John Semenko was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach, scout and colour commentator. During his National Hockey League (NHL) career, Semenko played for the Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers and Toronto Maple Leafs as an enforcer. During his tenure with Edmonton, he notably protected Wayne Gretzky as an "on-ice bodyguard" during Gretzky's early career. Semenko won two Stanley Cups with the Oilers in 1984 and 1985. He was also the last player to score a goal in the World Hockey Association (WHA) before it folded and merged with the NHL.
William Edward Harris is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League who played from 1972 to 1984. He helped the New York Islanders reach the NHL playoff semi-finals four times in five seasons from 1975 to 1979.
Ronald George Stewart was a Canadian professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1952 to 1973, as well as a coach. He spent the first half of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and won the Stanley Cup three times from 1962 to 1964. The latter part of his playing career was spent with the Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, and New York Islanders. He would later coach the Rangers for half of a season, and spent a full season as coach of the Los Angeles Kings.
Blaine A. Stoughton is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played twelve professional seasons. Stoughton played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Hartford Whalers and New York Rangers, which bookended three seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA) split among the Cincinnati Stingers, Indianapolis Racers and New England Whalers.
Sheldon Keefe is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the second round, 47th overall, by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. Following retirement from active play, Keefe served as head coach of the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), as well as the Maple Leafs' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, guiding the latter to their first Calder Cup championship in 2018.
Kevin McClelland is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was recently the head coach of the Wichita Thunder in the ECHL.
Robert James Dorey is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played over 650 professional games in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA).
Allan Robert Smith was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played nearly 500 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA).
Michael Arthur Byers was a Canadian ice hockey right wing. He played in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, and Buffalo Sabres between 1967 and 1972. He also played in the World Hockey Association for the Los Angeles Sharks, New England Whalers, and Cincinnati Stingers between 1972 and 1976.
Denis Joseph Smith is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman and current assistant coach of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously served as head coach of the Ottawa Senators for five seasons between 2019-2023. As a player, Smith played 45 NHL games with both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche. As a coach, Smith won the Memorial Cup in 2015 and spent four years as an assistant with the Maple Leafs before joining Ottawa.
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