The WHA

WORLD HOCKEY ASSOCIATION  (WHA)




No discussion is complete regarding 50 goal scorers without reference to the World Hockey Association, also known as the WHA.  In existence in the early 70’s for 7 years from 1972 to 1979, some very famous players went through this league and tore it up.  Some players came from the NHL and continued to assault goalies with a lot of rubber while others got their start in the WHA before breaking records in the NHL.

Bobby Hull jumped from the NHL to the WHA and scored 50 goals 4 different times.  The Edmonton Oilers, New England Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets all joined the NHL for the 1979-80 season.  Young Wayne Gretzky started in the WHA before coming to own virtually every scoring record in the NHL.  As a result of the absorption of the four WHA franchises into the NHL, the league went defunct. 

Danny Lawson was the first WHA player to reach 50 goals in a season with the Vancouver Blazers during the 1972-73 campaign ending with 61.  He then tallied 50 goals the following year in 1973-74. 

Interesting notes:  Blaine Stoughton for the New England Whalers went on to score 50 goals in the NHL twice with the Hartford Whalers (as renamed).  Bobby Hull had already scored 50 goals in the NHL 5 times plus the 4 times in the WHA for a lifetime total of 9 equaling Gretzky and Bossy. 

Players like Real Buddy Cloutier, Mark Tardif, Anders Hedberg, Morris Lukowich and Rejean Houle went on to very productive NHL careers even though they didn’t reach the 50 goal plateau again in the NHL.  Cloutier and Anders Hedberg each scored 50 goals 4 times while Marc Tardiff did it 3 times in the WHA.

WHA – 50 Goal Scorers by History


Player
G
Season

77
1974-75

75
1978-79

71
1975-76

70
1976-77

66
1976-77

65
1978-79

65
1977-78

63
1977-78

61
1972-73

60
1975-76

60
1976-77

59
1977-78

57
1973-74

56
1977-78

56
1975-76

54
1974-75

54
1974-75

53
1973-74

53
1972-73

53
1974-75

53
1975-76

52
1974-75

52
1976-77

52
1976-77

51
1975-76

51
1972-73

51
1972-73

50
1972-73

50
1973-74

50
1974-75

50
1975-76