World Hockey Association

The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The Oilers play their home games at Rogers Place, which opened in 2016 and has a seating capacity over 18,000. Dave Tippett is serving as the head coach for the Oilers since the 2019–20 season and Ken Holland was named as the general manager on May 7, 2019.

The Winnipeg Jets were a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They began play in the World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA. Due to mounting financial troubles, in 1996 the franchise moved to Phoenix, Arizona and became the Phoenix Coyotes (now the Arizona Coyotes). In 2011 the Atlanta Thrashers franchise relocated to Winnipeg and restored the Jets name, although the prior Jets club history is retained by the Arizona club.

The Birmingham Bulls were a professional ice hockey team based in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. They played in the World Hockey Association from 1976 to 1979 and the Central Hockey League from 1979 to 1981. The Bulls played their home games at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center.

The San Diego Mariners were an ice hockey team based in San Diego that played in the World Hockey Association. They played from 1974 to 1977. Their home ice was San Diego Sports Arena. Previous to being in San Diego, the team was known as the New York Raiders, New York Golden Blades, and Jersey Knights.

The 1975–76 World Hockey Association All-Star Game was held in the Cleveland Coliseum in Cleveland, Ohio, home of the Cleveland Crusaders, on January 13, 1976. The game pitted the Canadian All-Stars, which consisted of players from the five Canadian Division teams, against the United States All-Stars, which consisted of players from the nine teams in the Eastern and Western Divisions. The Canadian All-Stars defeated the United States All-Stars 6–1. Réal Cloutier, who scored a hattrick, was named the most valuable player for the Canadian team and Paul Shmyr was named the most valuable player for the United States team.

The 1974–75 World Hockey Association All-Star Game was held in the recently opened Edmonton Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta, home of the Edmonton Oilers, on January 21, 1975. The game pitted the East All-Stars, which consisted of players from the four Eastern Division teams (Chicago, Cleveland, Indianapolis and New England), Toronto and Quebec of the Canadian Division, and Michigan of the Western Division, against the West All-Stars, which consisted of players from the four remaining Western Division teams (Houston, Minnesota, Phoenix and San Diego) and Edmonton, Vancouver and Winnipeg of the Canadian Division. The West All-Stars defeated the East All-Stars 6–4. Réjean Houle, who scored two goals and assisted on two others for the East, was named the game's most valuable player.

The North American Hockey League was a low-level minor professional hockey league that existed from 1973 to 1977. Several of the NAHL teams operated as developmental ("farm") teams for World Hockey Association franchises. The NAHL was one of two leagues, along with the Southern Hockey League, that were formed after the Eastern Hockey League ceased operations in 1973. The Lockhart Cup was the league's championship trophy. With the loss of a number of franchises, the NAHL elected to fold in September 1977.

The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional ice hockey teams based in Saint Paul, Minnesota that played in the World Hockey Association. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972–76. The second team was relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, and played for part of the 1976–77 season. Neither edition of the franchise completed its final season of play.

The Avco World Trophy, also known as the Avco Cup, is the playoff championship trophy of the defunct World Hockey Association (1972–1979). The trophy's naming rights were sold to the former Avco Corporation (a name originally derived from "Aviation Company"), a defense contractor who bought the rights to advertise their consumer finance division. The trophy was mocked by some for its corporate sponsorship and never developed anything approaching the significance and sentiment of the Stanley Cup, its National Hockey League rival. Still, the cup's design was often seen as creative in that it involved a freely-floating etched crystal globe embedded in the "stem" of the cup. The cup was designed by Frank Bonnerkopf of Boise, Idaho.

The 1973–74 World Hockey Association All-Star Game was held in the just opened St. Paul Civic Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, home of the Minnesota Fighting Saints, on January 3, 1974. The East All-Stars defeated the West All-Stars 8–4. Mike Walton was named the game's most valuable player.