This Day in Hockey History – June 22, 1977 and 1979 – Presidential Merger

Jun 21, 2019

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As the 1970s waned, the NHL went through some big changes that involved John Ziegler, Jr. A Michigan lawyer then in his 40s, Ziegler was confirmed as NHL President on June 22, 1977. On the two-year anniversary of that date, he officially announced the merger/expansion in which four teams from the folding World Hockey Association (WHA) joined the NHL. His work to reach an agreement with the WHA is the most recognized contribution during his tenure as president.

Ziegler’s NHL affiliation began in 1959, when he first provided legal services to the Detroit Red Wings. For most of the 1970s, he acted as their vice president and owner, alternate governor on the NHL Board of Governors, and general counsel. In 1976, he became chairman of the NHL’s board. Soon thereafter, Clarence Campbell decided to retire after 31 years as NHL President. The 71-year-old had held the post since 1946. In following such a mainstay, Ziegler remarked, “I object to being called Clarence Campbell’s successor. No one will ever succeed Mr. Campbell. I will be looking forward to Clarence’s continued counsel.”

Naturally, some negotiation was involved in hiring a lawyer as president. When he was first approached in March 1977, Ziegler declined the offer because “he felt the president’s powers were too limited.” He proposed that he keep his chairman powers and add the presidential responsibilities onto that. At their meetings on June 9th, the NHL accepted. To make this kind of structural change, they had to wait until their next meeting on June 22 to finalize. “I have worked with most of these gentlemen for 11 years and I have great respect for them,” said Ziegler. “So the feeling that they would ask me to accept this job is an honor, but one that must be earned.”

The NHL unanimously selected Ziegler as the fourth NHL president and as the first American to fill that position. Campbell explained Ziegler’s appeal, “He’s singularly well equipped. There is no training ground for this job. There is nothing corresponding to it any place in the world. . . . John will be able to adapt. Coming from the ranks of the owners is substantially helpful for him. He knows what is tolerable and what is less tolerable.” The Montreal Gazettedisagreed, arguing that Ziegler’s role as owner would make him more concerned with profits than fans. Indeed, when asked his main aim, he told the press, “I would like to see a full house in every arena for every game.” Ziegler’s salary was set at $225,000, and his term was set for four years. He stepped into his new role on August 26, 1977.

At the same meetings that confirmed Ziegler as president, the NHL discussed the logistics of a possible merger with the WHA. Both Campbell and Ziegler said any merger would not happen right away. After all, each WHA team would have to apply separately but none had by that point. The floundering rival league would continue for two more seasons.

After seven years of combatting the WHA, peace finally arrived in 1979 under Ziegler’s guidance. The initial vote to merge failed when the NHL’s Canadian teams, Boston, and Los Angeles voted against the proposed merger. With some assurances, Vancouver and Montreal changed their votes by the end of March, so the vote passed. The two leagues set June 15 as a deadline but only needed until June 9 to ratify the merger and sign the agreement. Finally, on June 22, 1979, all the documents were in order and fees were paid, “to mark the official demise of the World Hockey Association.”

Only four of the WHA teams joined the NHL as expansion cities – the Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques, and Hartford Whalers. They each had to pay $6 million to the NHL. Meanwhile, $1.5 million each had to be paid out to the other two former WHA franchises, the Birmingham Bulls and Cincinnati Stingers. Instead of the NHL, they were offered the chance to join the Central Hockey League (CHL). With the four new franchises, the NHL would have 21 teams starting the 1979-80 season. That necessitated some realignment in the four divisions. In adding Hartford to the Norris Division, the NHL moved the Washington Capitals to the Patrick Division. Quebec joined the Adams Division, and both Edmonton and Winnipeg were placed in the Smythe Division.

Ziegler did not stop there. Throughout the 1980s, he and the NHL laid the groundwork for the next big expansion that would occur throughout the 1990s. In a statement made to honor Ziegler’s passing, Commissioner Gary Bettman summarized his achievements. “From 1977 until 1992, as just the fourth President in NHL history, John oversaw the growth of the League from 18 to 24 teams, including the 1979 addition of four teams from the WHA. He was instrumental in the NHL’s transition to becoming a more international League – during his tenure, the share of European-born players in the NHL grew from two to 11 percent, players from the former Soviet Union first entered the League and games between NHL and European Clubs became a nearly annual tradition.” Although the end of his 15-year presidential term came about due to a 1992 players’ strike, Ziegler’s services were recognized via the Lester Patrick Trophy and induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a Builder.

Additional Sources:

Mike Commito, Hockey 365: Daily Stories from the Ice(Toronto: Dundurn, 2018), kindle edition.
Hockey Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of the National Hockey League(Lincolnwood, Ill.: Publications International, Ltd., 2006), 388, 393, 398.
Brian McFarlane, Brian McFarlane’s History of Hockey(Champaign, Ill.: Sports Publishing Inc., c1997), 143, 167.
Stephen Laroche, Changing the Game: A History of NHL Expansion(Toronto: ECW Press, 2014), 263-265.
Al Strachan, “It’s official: owner Ziegler takes over from Campbell,” Montreal Gazette, 23 June 1977, p. 27.
“NHL Zeroes In on Wings’ Ziegler,” Detroit Free Press, 22 June 1977, p. 4D.
“NHL to fold Cleveland?” Detroit Free Press, 23 June 1977, p. 8D.
“Ziegler to become 4th NHL president,” Chicago Daily Herald, 23 June 1977, section 2, p. 3.
“NHL merger now official,”Montreal Gazette, 23 June 1979, p. 61.
“It’s Official Finally; Whalers Join NHL,” Hartford Courant, 23 June 1989, p. 31.
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