40 years ago today (Mar 22/79) the NHL passed the second and final vote to merge with WHA. Some interesting politics happened that required a second vote, including a public boycott of Molson products due to the Montreal Canadiens initial resistance to the merger (Molson owned the Habs at the time), causing Montreal to change their vote.
I was not quite 5 when the merger happened so my memory of it is pretty dim (Star Wars, Sesame Street and The Muppet Show were far more important). Does anyone recollect the public boycott of Molson beer to stick it back to Montreal? What was the general feeling in the national media about accepting the 4 WHA orphans into the league?
This was a quote from Harold Ballard at the time: Over my dead body will we merge with those bastards. They stole 18 of my players in the last five years, they cost me $5 million in legal fees, and they screwed up hockey. They change owners every year over there, they change cities every two years, and now they want to change leagues. Let 'em die on their [own] and they will. If they want my vote to merge, or whatever the hell they want to do, they can forget it.
As for the boycott...
From the New York Times News Service; March 31, 1979:
Never underestimate the power of an empty glass, especially one that is supposed to be foaming with beer. When the Montreal Canadiens...voted against the treaty on March 8, beer drinkers in three of the WHA cities—Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Quebec City—voted against Molson. Mostly, they simply ordered other brands. Bullet holes also were discovered in the glass doors at Molson's brewery in Winnipeg; a bomb threat was phoned to the Molson brewery in Quebec City; a front-page editorial in the Edmonton Journal requested readers to "give up Molson's for Lent."
The boycotts (and threats of violence) were so widespread that the Canadian House of Commons passed a motion urging the NHL to stage a second vote. Loath to lose additional profits, the Canadiens' beer soaked overlords finally voted in favor of the merger. The Canucks also supported the measure the second time around, as they too had a vested interest in future Molson profits—the beer of choice at their arena, the Pacific Coliseum, was, you guessed it, Molson. A significant dip in concessions sales during the boycott forced Vancouver's hand to check yes on the ballot.
This is epic. Have a new found respect for Canadians now.
This is epic. Have a new found respect for Canadians now.
Update 3/22/2019
All-Time:
Games Played:
1. Thomas Steen 950
2. Dale Hawerchuck 713
3. Doug Smail 691
4. Blake Wheeler 608
5. Randy Carlyle 564
6. Teppo Numminen 547
7. Bryan Little 546
8. Ron Wilson 535
9. Paul MacLean 527
10. Laurie Boschman 526
Points:
1. Dale Hawerchuk 929
2. Thomas Steen 817
3. Blake Wheeler 566
4. Paul MacLean 518
5. Doug Smail 397
6. Laurie Boschman 379
7. Bryan Little 367
7. Mark Scheifele 367
9. Dustin Byfuglien 362
10. Morris Lukowich 345
Goals:
1. Dale Hawerchuk 379
2. Thomas Steen 264
3. Paul MacLean 248
4. Doug Smail 189
5. Blake Wheeler 185
6. Morris Lukowich 168
7. Laurie Boschman 152
8. Mark Scheifele 148
9. Teemu Selanne 147
9. Bryan Little 147
T226. Ron Hainsey 0
Assists:
1. Thomas Steen 553
2. Dale Hawerchuk 550
3. Blake Wheeler 381
4. Paul MacLean 270
5. Dustin Byfuglien 260
6. Fredrik Olausson 249
7. Dave Babych 248
8. Laurie Boschman 227
9. Randy Carlyle 226
10. Bryan Little 220
Wins:
1. Bob Essensa 116
2. Connor Hellebuyck 114
3. Ondrej Pavelec 111
4. Brian Hayward 63
5. Doug Soetart 50
5. Daniel Berthiaume 50
Shutouts:
1. Bob Essensa 14
2. Connor Hellebuyck 13
3. Ondrej Pavelec 11
4. Daniel Berthiaume 4
5. Michael Hutchinson 3
5. Al Montoya 3
Single Season:
Points:
1. Teemu Selanne 132 (92-93)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 130 (84-85)
3. Dale Hawerchuk 121 (87-88)
4. Dale Hawerchuk 105 (85-86)
5. Dale Hawerchuk 103 (81-82)
6. Dale Hawerchuk 102 (83-84)
7. Paul MacLean 101 (84-85)
8. Dale Hawerchuk 100 (86-87)
9. Keith Tkachuk 98 (95-96)
10. Phil Housley 97 (92-93)
Goals:
1. Teemu Selanne 76 (92-93)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 53 (84-85)
3. Keith Tkachuk 50 (95-96)
4. Dale Hawerchuk 47 (86-87)
5. Dale Hawerchuk 46 (85-86)
6. Dale Hawerchuk 45 (81-82)
7. Dale Hawerchuk 44 (87-88)
7. Patrik Laine 44 (17-18)
9. Morris Lukowich 43 (81-82)
10. Keith Tkachuk 41 (93-94)
10. Dale Hawerchuk 41 (88-89)
10. Paul MacLean 41 (84-85)
Assists:
1. Phil Housley 79 (92-93)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 77 (87-88)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 77 (84-85)
4. Blake Wheeler 68 (17-18)
5. Blake Wheeler 68 (18-19)*
6. Dale Hawerchuk 65 (83-84)
7. Phil Housley 63 (91-92)
8. Dave Babych 61 (82-83)
9. Thomas Steen 61 (88-89)
10. Paul MacLean 60 (84-85)
Wins:
1. Connor Hellebuyck 44 (17-18)
2. Bob Essensa 33 (92-93)
3. Brian Hayward 33 (84-85)
4. Connor Hellebuyck 31 (18-19)*
5. Ondrej Pavelec 29 (11-12)
Shutouts:
1. Connor Hellebuyck 6 (17-18)
2. Bob Essensa 5 (91-92)
2. Ondrej Pavelec 5 (14-15)
4. Connor Hellebuyck 4 (16-17)
4. Bob Essensa 4 (90-91)
4. Ondrej Pavelec 4 (11-12)
SV% (Min 25GP):
1. Connor Hellebuyck .924 (17-18)
2. Al Montoya .920 (13-14)
2. Ondrej Pavelec .920 (14-15)
4. Connor Hellebuyck .918 (15-16)
5. Michael Hutchinson .914 (14-15)
GAA (Min 25GP):
1. Ondrej Pavelec 2.28 (14-15)
2. Al Montoya 2.30 (13-14)
3. Connor Hellebuyck 2.34 (15-16)
4. Connor Hellebuyck 2.36 (17-18)
5. Michael Hutchinson 2.38 (14-15)
* - denotes season in progress
Update 3/22/2019
All-Time:
Games Played:
1. Thomas Steen 950
2. Dale Hawerchuck 713
3. Doug Smail 691
4. Blake Wheeler 608
5. Randy Carlyle 564
6. Teppo Numminen 547
7. Bryan Little 546
8. Ron Wilson 535
9. Paul MacLean 527
10. Laurie Boschman 526
Points:
1. Dale Hawerchuk 929
2. Thomas Steen 817
3. Blake Wheeler 566
4. Paul MacLean 518
5. Doug Smail 397
6. Laurie Boschman 379
7. Bryan Little 367
7. Mark Scheifele 367
9. Dustin Byfuglien 362
10. Morris Lukowich 345
Goals:
1. Dale Hawerchuk 379
2. Thomas Steen 264
3. Paul MacLean 248
4. Doug Smail 189
5. Blake Wheeler 185
6. Morris Lukowich 168
7. Laurie Boschman 152
8. Mark Scheifele 148
9. Teemu Selanne 147
9. Bryan Little 147
T226. Ron Hainsey 0
Assists:
1. Thomas Steen 553
2. Dale Hawerchuk 550
3. Blake Wheeler 381
4. Paul MacLean 270
5. Dustin Byfuglien 260
6. Fredrik Olausson 249
7. Dave Babych 248
8. Laurie Boschman 227
9. Randy Carlyle 226
10. Bryan Little 220
Wins:
1. Bob Essensa 116
2. Connor Hellebuyck 114
3. Ondrej Pavelec 111
4. Brian Hayward 63
5. Doug Soetart 50
5. Daniel Berthiaume 50
Shutouts:
1. Bob Essensa 14
2. Connor Hellebuyck 13
3. Ondrej Pavelec 11
4. Daniel Berthiaume 4
5. Michael Hutchinson 3
5. Al Montoya 3
Single Season:
Points:
1. Teemu Selanne 132 (92-93)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 130 (84-85)
3. Dale Hawerchuk 121 (87-88)
4. Dale Hawerchuk 105 (85-86)
5. Dale Hawerchuk 103 (81-82)
6. Dale Hawerchuk 102 (83-84)
7. Paul MacLean 101 (84-85)
8. Dale Hawerchuk 100 (86-87)
9. Keith Tkachuk 98 (95-96)
10. Phil Housley 97 (92-93)
Goals:
1. Teemu Selanne 76 (92-93)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 53 (84-85)
3. Keith Tkachuk 50 (95-96)
4. Dale Hawerchuk 47 (86-87)
5. Dale Hawerchuk 46 (85-86)
6. Dale Hawerchuk 45 (81-82)
7. Dale Hawerchuk 44 (87-88)
7. Patrik Laine 44 (17-18)
9. Morris Lukowich 43 (81-82)
10. Keith Tkachuk 41 (93-94)
10. Dale Hawerchuk 41 (88-89)
10. Paul MacLean 41 (84-85)
Assists:
1. Phil Housley 79 (92-93)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 77 (87-88)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 77 (84-85)
4. Blake Wheeler 68 (17-18)
5. Blake Wheeler 68 (18-19)*
6. Dale Hawerchuk 65 (83-84)
7. Phil Housley 63 (91-92)
8. Dave Babych 61 (82-83)
9. Thomas Steen 61 (88-89)
10. Paul MacLean 60 (84-85)
Wins:
1. Connor Hellebuyck 44 (17-18)
2. Bob Essensa 33 (92-93)
3. Brian Hayward 33 (84-85)
4. Connor Hellebuyck 31 (18-19)*
5. Ondrej Pavelec 29 (11-12)
Shutouts:
1. Connor Hellebuyck 6 (17-18)
2. Bob Essensa 5 (91-92)
2. Ondrej Pavelec 5 (14-15)
4. Connor Hellebuyck 4 (16-17)
4. Bob Essensa 4 (90-91)
4. Ondrej Pavelec 4 (11-12)
SV% (Min 25GP):
1. Connor Hellebuyck .924 (17-18)
2. Al Montoya .920 (13-14)
2. Ondrej Pavelec .920 (14-15)
4. Connor Hellebuyck .918 (15-16)
5. Michael Hutchinson .914 (14-15)
GAA (Min 25GP):
1. Ondrej Pavelec 2.28 (14-15)
2. Al Montoya 2.30 (13-14)
3. Connor Hellebuyck 2.34 (15-16)
4. Connor Hellebuyck 2.36 (17-18)
5. Michael Hutchinson 2.38 (14-15)
* - denotes season in progress
As for the boycott...
From the New York Times News Service; March 31, 1979:
Bullet holes also were discovered in the glass doors at Molson's brewery in Winnipeg; a bomb threat was phoned to the Molson brewery in Quebec City; a front-page editorial in the Edmonton Journal requested readers to "give up Molson's for Lent."
Back then it was believed that you'd lose your soul if you looked straight into a camera lens.
I think someone is trying to break into Larry Hornung's car.
I thought Khabibulin must have been missed as he had 333 wins afterall. But after checking, he only had 36 wins as a Jet before the move. That is actually kinda sad.End of season update. Connor Hellebuyck becomes all time winningest Winnipeg Jets goalie. :
also of note: other than Ernie Wakely and a missing #13 for stuperstition, the jerseys are numbered 1 to 19Back then it was believed that you'd lose your soul if you looked straight into a camera lens.
I think someone is trying to break into Larry Hornung's car.
also of note: other than Ernie Wakely and a missing #13 for stuperstition, the jerseys are numbered 1 to 19