WHA Team Names Trivia Quiz

Answer: Nordiques

The Nordiques started as the San Francisco Sharks, but were quickly moved to Quebec due to financial problems. Interestingly enough, hockey legend Maurice "The Rocket" Richard was their first head coach, but he lasted just 1 game until he realized he wasn't coaching material.

The Nordiques can be considered a success, since they were adopted by the NHL in the NHL/WHA merger of 1979. The team eventually became NHL champions in the early 2000s after moving to Colorado in 1995 as the Avalanche.

Answer: Aeros

The Aeros originally began in Dayton, but moved to Houston in 1972. They won the WHA championship back to back in 1974 and 1975, thanks in large part to the play of hockey legend Gordie Howe and his sons Mark and Marty. The Houston Aeros later were a minor league affiliate for the Minnesota Wild, although there are no ties to the original WHA team.

Answer: Oilers

The Oilers were known as the Alberta Oilers for one season, until they adopted the name "Edmonton" in the 1973 season. The Oilers won one WHA title in the 1978-1979 season, but would be much more famous for their dynasty in the NHL a few years later. The Oilers were one of the 4 teams adopted into the NHL from the WHA.

Answer: Whalers

Like many other WHA teams, the Whalers started in a different location. After splitting arena time with not 1, but 2 other hockey teams in Boston, the New England Whalers moved to Hartford and adopted the city into their name. Thanks to the managerial skills of Boston College legend Jack Kelley, the Whalers became one of the more succesful WHA franchises, winning 3 division titles.

The NHL took notice, and the Whalers were absorbed in the NHL/WHA merger. The Whalers would later become the Carolina Hurricanes, and win a Stanley Cup in 2005-2006.

The Whalers' legendary theme song "Brass Bonanza" is played at UConn and Quinnepiac hockey games to this day.

Answer: Jets

The Jets were the 4th and final team to be absorbed by the NHL, along with the Nordiques, the Whalers, and the Oilers. The Jets brought instant credibility to the fledgling WHA by signing superstar Bobby Hull away from the Chicago Blackhawks. Hull's signing encouraged other NHL players to sign with the rogue league, and players like Gerry Cheevers quickly jumped over to the WHA.

The Jets won the Avco Trophy in 1976, 1978, and 1979, the last year of the league. The Jets struggled to obtain similar success in the NHL despite having stars such as Brett Hull, Keith Tkachuk, Nikkolai Khabibulin, and Teemu Selanne and the team eventually moved to Arizona, becoming the Phoenix Coyotes.

Answer: Screaming Eagles

They signed NHL legend Bernie Parent, but the team withdrew from the league and relocated due to money problems becoming the Philadelphia Blazers, then the Vancouver Blazers, and finally the Calgary Cowboys. Still, the Screaming Eagles' logo and jersey can still be bought to this day.

Answer: Fighting Saints

If you loved the movie "Slapshot", then you can thank the Fighting Saints. Jack, Steve, and Jeff Carlson were the basis for the Hanson Brothers, and Jeff and Steve actually played two of the three brothers in the movie. If the name Bill Goldthorpe sounds slightly familiar, it should as he was the Fighting Saints player who the character Ogie Oglethorpe was based on, right down to the prison sentence and trademark afro.

Answer: Nationals

The Nationals played one year in Ottawa, losing in the Avco Cup finals to the Houston Aeros. However, the team did not draw enough fans in Ottawa and the city demanded a payment before the next season. The forced the team to relocate to Toronto where they became the Toros until 1976 when they moved again. The team finished when the WHA folded as the Birmingham Bulls.

Answer: Stingers

The Stingers entered the WHA in 1974 after the first round of league expansion. They had trouble drawing fans, and along with Birmingham were payed to fold when the WHA ended. NHL Hall of Famer Mark Messier played 47 games for the Stingers, tallying just 1 goal and 10 assists.

Answer: Crusaders

The Crusaders played in Cleveland from 1972-1976. In 1976, the NHLs California Golden Seals moved to Cleveland and forced the Crusaders out of town. The team relocated to Minnesota, where they became the "new" Fighting Saints.