Big Bucks and Blue Pucks

Ian A. Andrews is editor of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association’s Focus and co-author of Becoming a Teacher.

The World Hockey Association existed for less than a decade (1971–79).
Although probably unknown to the younger hockey followers and
intentionally forgotten by the hockey purist, this upstart organization
greatly affected the game in the last quarter of this century. Big Bucks
and Blue Pucks is filled with anecdotal and statistical evidence of the
WHA’s North American and international hockey presence.

The WHA was formed by entrepreneurs wishing to challenge the NHL’s
monopoly on players and draft choices. They tried to gain instant
credibility by luring such older star players as Bobby Hull, Gordie
Howe, and Dave Keon; by allowing future stars like Wayne Gretzky to
participate; and by introducing European players. They established
franchises in smaller markets such as Winnipeg, Hartford, and Edmonton
in Canada, and Phoenix and Miami in the United States. Although four of
these 26 franchises joined the NHL in 1979, only one (Edmonton) remains
in the same location.

Greig provides a chronology of the league and its teams, half-page
profiles of the top 50 WHA players, interviews with 20 additional
players, and 70 pages of detailed statistics on each team, player,
coach, award winner, and draft selection. His book ensures that the
tumultuous story of the WHA will be remembered.