Enter Wayne Gretzky Wanted Him in Its League, and Potentially Scuttle the Merger Impasse and the Beer Boycott Negotiations

nearly folded in late 1977, but managed to play out the financially. Realistically, the WHA knew it would not season. The Indianapolis Racers were close to failure in likely survive to see an eighth season, while the NHL mid-1977 but held on for another season with new owner saw some value in taking in the WHA’s strongest teams. Nelson Skalbania leading a group of investors. The When not playing games of brinksmanship, the Racers were constantly on the brink of collapse for most negotiations pressed forward. Fourteen of the 17 NHL of the 1977-78 season, but Skalbania was willing to incur teams needed to approve merger, but five of the teams losses for possible gains in the near future through a sale consistently voted against merger in any form. or buy-out should the merger go through. Essentially, the negotiations centered on winning over Both Cincinnati and Birmingham played to small two votes from the anti-merger subset to accumulate the home crowds and were struggling to stay solvent, but necessary 14 approvals. with the backing of its wealthy owners (DeWitt and The WHA needed a better bargaining position, and Heekin in Cincinnati, Bassett in Birmingham), both it found one: a skinny high-school senior named Wayne teams could survive the losses in the short term. The Gretzky. The prodigy had drawn attention and a level of Stingers might have succeeded in the NHL, but after fame as early as 1971, and by 1978, had shown he was 1977, the NHL did not want Cincinnati, and DeWitt and clearly superior to his Junior mates, and ready for better Heekin were willing to take the buyout if and when the competition. The NHL balked at signing a 17-year old merger happened. child, so Gretzky’s agent, Gus Badali, shopped Gretzky to the teams in the WHA. The situation was delicate as signing Gretzky could upset the NHL, who naturally Enter Wayne Gretzky wanted him in its league, and potentially scuttle the negotiations. Yet, clearly, someone was going to sign Merger Impasse and The Beer Boycott him. He was simply too talented to repeat a season in the Juniors. While Wayne Gretzky may not have needed the WHA, the WHA desperately needed Wayne Gretzky. The two leagues met to consider merger again in Thus, the future world’s-greatest-hockey-player 1978, but there was no longer a unified six-team bloc signed a personal services contract with Indianapolis’ hoping to enter the NHL all at once. Houston had won Nelson Skalbania in June 1978. He was not property of the right to negotiate on its own terms for entry into the the WHA, but of Skalbania, who had developed enough NHL. Owner Kenneth Schnitzer tried to purchase the of a reputation as an iconoclast so that he could easily NHL’s Colorado Rockies, whom he would rebrand as sidestep any negative reaction that may be raised. the new Aeros and resume play in 1978-79 in the NHL. Gretzky was ostensibly the savior of the Racers, but the However, his scheme fell through, the Rockies stayed in Racers were a team on life support—no one could save Denver and Houston disbanded in July 1978. the team by then. But now, Skalbania had the proverbial Birmingham and Indianapolis were once again the teams ace up his sleeve. He had Gretzky on hand, possibly to that would be left out, joined now by Cincinnati, whose play for his Racers, and possibly to be sold for a financial troubles made them less attractive to the NHL. significant sum when the time was right. The remaining four teams—Winnipeg, New England, In Indianapolis, the 17-year old Gretzky played Edmonton and Québec—now comprised the merger well. The Racers were a dreadful team that would be bloc. lucky to win 10 games, but the players took to Gretzky, Meanwhile, the NHL had dissolved the Cleveland who had six points in eight games and showed early Barons, merging them with the Minnesota North Stars. signs of his enormous ability during his two weeks with Now a 17-team league, the NHL wanted three teams to the team. There was still no certainty to any merger for bring its rolls to an even 20 teams. New England and 1979, and the Racers were so weak that even with young Edmonton were the likeliest teams to gain admittance, Gretzky, the team might not survive to the end of the but the collapse of New England’s home rink earlier in season, which would cost Skalbania any chance of a the year caused concern, although Hartford took buyout. As soon as was feasible, Skalbania sold Gretzky, advantage of the unfortunate collapse to rebuild the arena along with two other players, to Peter Pocklington in to NHL standards, but not until 1980 at the earliest. Edmonton, on November 2, 1978. Gretzky was now on Winnipeg and Québec also had arenas too small by NHL a team with money and stability, and the WHA now had standards. Ultimately, there were too many unresolved the young star firmly within its camp. The NHL now issues—whether three or four teams would be admitted, realized that the only way to get Gretzky into the NHL and the situation with Hartford’s rink—on how the 1978 would be to admit the whole team. Just as Bobby Hull’s merger would occur, and it was voted down once again. signing in July 1972 virtually guaranteed the initial The WHA convened for its seventh season, now a survival of the WHA, the signing of Wayne Gretzky by seven-team league, of which two were very unhealthy the Edmonton Oilers nearly assured the long-term 10 .

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