MOVES BEFORE PLAY BEGAN
- The intended Dayton Arrows became the Houston Aeros
- The New York Raiders, intended for Long Island moved to Manhattan
- The intended Calgary Broncos became the Cleveland Crusaders
- The intended Miami Screaming Eagles became the Philadelphia Blazers
- The intended San Fransisco Sharks became the Quebec Nordiques
- The intended Los Angeles Aces became the Los Angeles Sharks
- The un-named team intended to be shared by Ottawa and Toronto was stationed in Ottawa as the Nationals
- The intended Edmonton Oilers were shared with Calgary

1972-1973

EASTERN DIVISION     W  L  T  PTS         WESTERN DIVISION     W  L  T  PTS New England Whalers      46  30  2   94          Winnipeg Jets            43  31  4   90Cleveland Crusaders      43  32  3   89          Houston Aeros            39  35  4   82Philadelphia Blazers     38  40  0   76          Los Angeles Sharks       37  35  6   80*Ottawa Nationals        35  39  4   74          Minnesota Saints         38  37  3   79 Quebec Nordiques         33  40  5   71          **Alberta Oilers         38  37  3   79 New York Raiders         33  43  2   68          Chicago Cougars          26  50  2   54

* The Nationals played their playoff games in Toronto.
** The Alberta Oilers played their playoff game in Calgary.
PLAYOFFS
(Western Division 1 game tie-breaker): Fighting Saints 4 - Oilers 2
FIRST ROUND (best of 7)
Crusaders over Blazers 4-0
Whalers over Nationals 4-2
Jets over Fighting Saints 4-2
Aeros over Sharks 4-2
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Whalers over Crusaders 4-2
Jets over Aeros 4-0
AVCO CUP FINALS
New England over Winnipeg 4 games to 1
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1973-1974
PRE-SEASON MOVES
- The Blazers moved from Philadelphia to Vancouver
- The Nationals became the Toronto Toros
- The Raiders stayed in Manhattan but were renamed the Golden Blades
- The Oilers were permanently stationed in Edmonton
EASTERN DIVISION W L T PTS WESTERN DIVISION W L T PTS New England Whalers 43 31 4 90 Houston Aeros 48 25 5 101Toronto Toros 41 33 4 86 Minnesota Saints 39 35 4 82Cleveland Crusaders 37 32 9 83 Edmonton Oilers 37 35 6 80Chicago Cougars 38 35 5 81 Winnipeg Jets 38 37 3 79 Quebec Nordiques 38 36 4 80 Vancouver Blazers 38 37 3 79 *New Jersey Knights 32 42 4 68 Los Angeles Sharks 26 50 2 54
*The New Jersey Knights started as the New York Golden Blades, but moved in mid season and changed their name.
PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND (best of 7)
Aeros over Jets 4-0
Fighting Saints over Oilers 4-2
Cougars over Whalers 4-3
Toros over Crusaders 4-2
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Aeros over Fighting Saints 4-2
Cougars over Toros 4-3
AVCO CUP FINALS
Houston over Chicago in 4 games straight
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1974-1975
PRE-SEASON MOVES
- The New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights were moved to San Diego and renamed the Mariners
- The LA Sharks were moved to Michigan and renamed the Stags
- The league expanded, allowing admission to Phoenix and Indianapolis
- The league devised a 3 division alignment.

EASTERN DIVISION W L T PTS WESTERN DIVISION W L T PTS New England Whalers 43 30 5 91 Houston Aeros 53 25 0 104Cleveland Crusaders 35 40 3 73 San Diego Mariners 43 31 4 90Chicago Cougars 30 47 1 61 Minnesota Saints 42 33 3 87Indianapolis Racers 18 57 3 39 Phoenix Roadrunners 39 31 8 86 *Baltimore Blades 21 53 4 46 CANADIAN DIVISION W L T PTS Quebec Nordiques 46 32 0 92 Toronto Toros 43 33 2 86 Winnipeg Jets 38 35 5 81 Vancouver Blazers 37 39 2 76 Edmonton Oilers 36 38 4 76
*The Blades began the season as the Michigan Stags, but moved to Baltimore after 61 games
PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND (best of 7)
Aeros over Crusaders 4-2
Nordiques over Roadrunners 4-2
Fighting Saints over Whalers 4-2
Mariners over Toros 4-2
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Nordiques over Fighting Saints 4-2
Aeros over Mariners 4-0
AVCO CUP FINALS
Houston over Quebec 4 games straight
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1975-1976
PRE-SEASON MOVES
- the Chicago Cougars folded
- the Vancouver Blazers moved to Calgary and became the Cowboys
- the league went through it's second and last expansion, giving teams to Cincinnati and Denver
EASTERN DIVISION W L T PTS WESTERN DIVISION W L T PTS Indianapolis Racers 35 39 6 76 Houston Aeros 53 27 0 106Cleveland Crusaders 35 40 5 75 Phoenix Roadrunners 39 35 6 84New England Whalers 33 40 7 73 San Diego Mariners 36 38 6 78Cincinnati Stingers 35 44 1 71 *Minnesota Saints 30 25 4 64 Quebec Nordiques 38 36 4 80 **Denver Spurs 14 26 1 29 CANADIAN DIVISION W L T PTS Winnipeg Jets 52 27 2 106 Quebec Nordiques 50 27 4 104 Calgary Cowboys 41 35 4 86 Edmonton Oilers 27 49 5 59 Toronto Toros 24 52 5 53
* Minnesota Fighting Saints folded after 59 games
**Denver Spurs became the Ottawa Civics after 18 games, then folded after 41 total games
PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND (best of 5)
Whalers over Crusaders 3-0
Mariners over Roadrunners 3-2
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Jets over Oilers 4-0
Cowboys over Nordiques 4-0
Whalers over Racers 4-3
Aeros over Mariners 4-2
THIRD ROUND(best of 7)
Jets over Cowboys 4-2
Aeros over Whalers 4-3
AVCO CUP FINALS
Winnipeg over Houston 4 games straight
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1976-1977
PRE-SEASON MOVES
- Cleveland Crusader were moved to Minnesota and became the second incarnation of the Fighting Saints
Toronto Toros were moved to Birmingham, Alabama and became the Bulls
- league reverted back to 2 division alignment
EASTERN DIVISION W L T PTS WESTERN DIVISION W L T PTS Quebec Nordiques 47 31 3 97 Houston Aeros 50 24 6 106Cincinnati Stingers 39 37 5 83 Winnipeg Jets 46 32 2 94Indianapolis Racers 36 37 8 80 San Diego Mariners 40 37 4 84New England Whalers 35 40 6 76 Edmonton Oilers 34 43 7 75 Birmingham Bulls 31 46 4 66 Calgary Cowboys 31 43 7 69 **Minnesota Saints 19 18 5 43 Phoenix Roadrunners 28 48 4 60
**Minnesota Fighting Saints folded (again) after 42 games
PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND (best of 7)
Nordiques over Whalers 4-2
Racers over Stingers 4-0
Aeros over Oilers 4-2
Jets over Mariners 4-3
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Nordiques over Racers 4-2
Jets over Aeros 4-2
AVCO CUP FINALS
Quebec over Winnipeg 4 games to 3
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1977-1978
PRE-SEASON MOVES
- the Mariners, Cowboys and Roadrunners all folded
- the league adopts an 8 team -2 division format
W L T PTS Winnipeg Jets 50 28 2 102 New England Whalers 44 31 5 93Houston Aeros 42 34 4 86 Quebec Nordiques 40 37 3 83 Edmonton Oilers 38 39 3 79 Birmingham Bulls 36 41 3 75 Cincinnati Stingers 35 42 3 73 Indianapolis Racers 24 51 5 53
PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND (best of 7)
Whalers over Oilers 4-2
Nordiques over Aeros 4-2
Jets over Bulls 4-2
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Whalers over Nordiques 4-2
Jets (BYE)
AVCO CUP FINALS
Winnipeg over New England 4 games to 1
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1978-1979
PRE-SEASON MOVES
- Houston folded
W L T PTS Edmonton Oilers 48 30 2 98 Quebec Nordiques 41 34 5 87Winnipeg Jets 39 35 6 84 New England Whalers 37 34 9 83 Cincinnati Singers 33 41 6 72 Birmingham Bulls 32 42 6 70 *Indianapolis Racers 5 18 2 12
*Indianapolis Racers folded after 25 games
PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND (best of 3)
Whalers over Stingers 2-1
(Nordiques, Jets, Oilers BYE)
SECOND ROUND(best of 7)
Jets over Nordiques 4-0
Oilers over Whalers 4-3
AVCO CUP FINALS
Winnipeg over Edmonton 4 games to 2
The Avco World Trophy was permanently awarded to the Winnipeg Jets after the demise of the WHA after the 78-79 season - and was subsequently donated to the Hockey Hall of Fame after the Jets folded in 1998.
The Winnipeg Jets, New England Whalers (following an official name change to Hartford), Quebec Nordiques and Edmonton Oilers all merged with the NHL the next year but today the Jets are now in Phoenix, Whalers in Carolina and Les Nordiques in Colorado.
The Oilers, the only team of the four survivors admittedly not to have won the Avco Cup, is also the only team to have won the Stanley Cup - the undisputed Holy Grail - 5 of 7 years, and the last true dynasty in my biased opinion.
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