The original World Hockey Association (WHA) merged into the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1979. In 2003, however, Allan Howell and Dr. Nick
Vaccaro announced the formation of a new league calling itself the World Hockey Association. Original WHA superstar
Bobby Hull was named its commissioner.
It was projected that the league would begin operation in the 2004-2005 season, and teams from Dallas, Detroit, Halifax, Hamilton, Miami, Toronto, Vancouver and Quebec City were proposed. The league was
regarded by many as an attempt to fill the void that loomed as the NHL's serious labour problems, which led to the
2004-05 NHL lockout, became apparent. Most hockey commentators felt that the
league's best hope was to operate while the NHL players were locked out and try to develop enough of a following to survive once
the NHL labour problems were resolved. When that and other plans failed to materialize, the rights to the organization's name and
logo were sold to Richard Smith, a British
Columbia investor. Further plans to operate a professional league in 2007-2008 have been dropped without comment by the
organization.
The organization operated two now-defunct leagues; the minor-league World Hockey
Association 2, which played a single season before folding, and the WHA Super Junior
League in Florida. It currently operates a developmental league called the WHA
Junior West Hockey League which started in 2006 in British Columbia with six teams.
External links
See also
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