August 9, 1977 – The National Hockey League voted to refuse a merger of six World Hockey Association franchises. The NHL President John Ziegler reported that the NHL owners at the time rejected an offer to expand the League by absorbing 6 teams from the WHA.
These 6 squads were the Edmonton Oilers, New England Whalers, Quebec Nordiques, Cincinnati Stingers, Houston Aeros, and the Winnipeg Jets. Almost a year later the NHL decided to accept the merger on June 22, 1979, thus ending the existence of the WHA.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network

The Anatomy of a Perfect Long Run: Fuelling, Pacing, and Recovery Windows
Photo sourced via Pexels.com – Credit Kaan Durmus The long run is where good

Reliving the 1975 Los Angeles Rams Season
The Cleveland Rams joined the NFL in 1937 and won the NFL Championship in

Could the Heartland Support Another Women’s Professional Basketball League? (Part 2)
Last time, we explored a simple question. What if another women’s professional basketball league

My Book 10-Year Anniversary (NFL in the 1970s)
In 2008, I decided to write a book. I wanted this book to be

How Premier League football has become a hit with US fans
Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Arsenal in April 2026 became the most-watched Premier League

Every Generation Thinks It Has Finally Cleaned Up The Game
Eight Chicago White Sox players threw the 1919 World Series, and baseball responded by

NBA Gambling Scandal Timeline: Every Case, 1951–2026
Every major NBA gambling scandal has followed the same sequence: unusual money moves, someone

Top 10 Overall Number One Draft Picks – NBA and ABA
Welcome to the Total Sports Recall podcast as on this episode we move to