The city demanded another full payment of $100,000 on March the general manager role, replaced by Pat Kelly) gave the Bulls 15, 1973 to secure dates for the following season, a steep sum some life, but at season’s end, the Bulls were still in last place that Michel and Trbovich weren’t willing to pay. Particularly in the Eastern Division, out of the playoffs again. troubling to the owners was that while the Nationals could play The existence of the team now rested on the outcome of out their 1972-73 home schedule at the Civic Centre, there was the 1977 WHA-NHL merger talks. If successful, the Bulls no guarantee they could play their home playoff games there would be paid to fold. In August 1977, the vote was close, but unless they paid the money for the next season. Viewing this as not enough for approval. Two teams had folded outright in a strong-arm tactic, Trbovich sent Michel down to Toronto to 1977 (San Diego and Phoenix) and a third would fold soon aggressively work a deal with the Maple Leaf Gardens, at the (Calgary), but Bassett’s Birmingham Bulls would reassemble very least for its possible 1973 playoff dates. A deal was struck for the league’s sixth season, now an eight-team league. (helped by the fact the Maple Leafs missed the 1973 playoffs), Returning to the Bulls was the core of the 1976-77 team, minus and the team (now referred to as the Ontario Nationals in the Mark Napier, but now featuring two promising under-age program) played its two home playoff games in Toronto. players, Ken Linseman and Rod Langway. Unfortunately, the Almost immediately, the team was sold to John F. Bassett Jr, Bulls played more of the same hockey they had since 1975, in heading a group of over 20 investors. The team was relocated which the forwards lingered at center ice and the defense gave to Toronto in May 1973 and renamed the Toros. up its five goals a game. A month into the 1977-78 season, the Bassett housed the Toros at the University of Toronto’s Bulls had won just 2 of 14 games. Varsity Arena during 1973-74, with selected games in Ottawa. Over a period of a few days in November 1977, the Bulls More significantly, Bassett sought underage Junior players unloaded their top scorers in return for players with more (younger than 20 years of age), signing them to small but colorful backgrounds. Vaclav Nedomansky and Tim Sheehy attractive contracts and circumventing the league’s self- were sent to Detroit of the NHL in return for the rights to Dave imposed age restrictions. Bassett was unapologetic, reasoning “Killer” Hanson and Steve “Mental Case” Durbano. Frank that if an 18-year old man can vote and fight in wars, he can “Seldom” Beaton signed as a free agent, joining carry-over play hockey professionally. In 1973, he signed Wayne Dillon, Gilles “Bad News” Bilodeau. As their nicknames indicate, they who scored 30 goals for the 1973-74 Toros. Vet Wayne were not known for playmaking. The Bulls now had a new Carleton led with 37 goals, and seven other Toros scored at identity: a team more than willing to hit, fight and brawl. The least 20 goals. The Toros finished second in the Eastern top four penalty-minute totals were occupied by Bulls players, Division, lasting two rounds in the 1974 Playoffs. and bench-clearing brawls were not uncommon. The Bulls The 1974-75 Toros added Frank Mahovlich and his 500 were now the villains of the league … but they were also NHL career goals, 1972 Summit Series hero Paul Henderson, winning more often too. In one of their first games together, the Czech defector Vaclav “Big Ned” Nedomansky, and youngster new-look Bulls destroyed Cincinnati by a 12-2 score, a game Pat Hickey to the attack, and the Toros finished second again, in which coach Sonmor started his tough guys to take the winning 43 games. Tom Simpson, an original National from opening face-off. Predictably, a line brawl broke out at the 24- 1972, broke through with 52 goals. Unfortunately, the Toros second mark, but the message was clear: these are the new lasted just a single round in the 1975 Playoffs, bumped by San Bulls, and beware. The team now had life, and led by Diego. Toronto fans had “embraced” the team on a conditional Linseman’s 76 points, Paul Henderson’s 37 goals and John basis, certainly not ready to abandon the Maple Leafs quite yet. Garrett’s 24 wins in nets, the Bulls were able to fight and Attendance for the Toros, now playing at the Maple Leaf intimidate their way to 36 wins and a playoff spot. They were Gardens, was above 10,000 per game, but the per-game rental quickly bumped by Winnipeg in the first round of the 1978 fee demanded by Ballard was one of the highest in the league. Playoffs, featuring a famous “fight” in the first game in which The bottom fell out from beneath the team in 1975-76. Dave Hanson inadvertently yanked off Bobby Hull’s hairpiece Despite the addition of rookie Mark Napier and former Leaf during the scuffle. Hull would play the rest of the game wearing hero Bobby Baun as coach, the Toros lost 52 games and a helmet, with Hanson seeking his forgiveness. endured a league-record 17-game winless streak, which cost Merger negotiations failed to produce results in 1978, and Baun his job. The offense was healthy, scoring 335 goals, but the Bulls again convened for the 1978-79 season. Linseman a team-wide lack of interest to back-check or play actual and Langway had now graduated to the NHL, and goaltender defense meant that 398 opponent pucks found the back of the John Garrett had signed with New England. To augment the Toronto net. Whatever support Toronto fans had for the Toros roster, Bassett unabashedly raided the Juniors for six top-level had evaporated. Bassett already sensed this, and seeking to get players, collectively known as the Baby Bulls. Led by out from under Ballard’s control, had already started looking teenagers Rick Vaive, Michel Goulet, Louis Sleigher, Rob for a new home for his team. Ramage, Gaston Gingras and Pat Riggin, and their dependable Bassett had his eye on the southeast United States. He veterans including Paul Henderson and goaltender Ernie previously had business interests in Florida and had briefly Wakely, the 1978-79 Bulls played well, but not well enough to owned the Memphis Southmen of the World Football League. secure a playoff berth. Coached by legendary minor-league He saw potential in this region where others did not. In June fighter John Brophy, the Bulls played hard but with restraint, 1976, he moved his team to Birmingham, Alabama, rebranding not engaging in all-out brawls as in the previous season. Still, the team as the Bulls. The 1976-77 Bulls were essentially the Vaive led the league in penalty minutes with 248, and Dave same team that had left Toronto a few months earlier. The Bulls Hanson was fourth with 212. However, the fate of the Bulls gave up lots of goals and won about a third of their games. was sealed in March 1979, when the NHL agreed to absorb four Vaclav Nedomansky scored 36 goals, and Mark Napier put in of the WHA teams the following season. The Bulls were not 60. A mid-season coaching change (Gilles Leger went back to part of the merger, and were folded at the season’s close, one 31