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.
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