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The year is 1977. Star Wars opens in cinemas, Elvis Presley Dies at the age of 42 and Quebec adopts French as the official language. In the world of hockey, the Montreal Canadiens were riding high on their success, having just won their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship by sweeping the Boston Bruins in the finals. This impressive win marked the Canadiens' 20th championship victory in league history, solidifying their reputation as one of the most dominant teams in the NHL.. However, the NHL was not without its challenges, as it was in the midst of a fierce battle against its rival league, the World Hockey Association (WHA). Despite this, the Quebec Nordiques, one of the WHA's original teams, emerged victorious by securing their first Avco Cup championship after a grueling seven-game series against the Bobby Hull-led Winnipeg Jets.

The offseason in hockey provides an opportunity for league officials to discuss possible mergers, and in the 1970s, the NHL and the upstart World Hockey Association (WHA) were engaged in heated negotiations. The NHL had a long history of outlasting rival leagues, including the PCHA and WCHL, but the WHA posed a significant threat. The WHA had driven up player salaries and successfully challenged the NHL's reserve clause, while also luring a number of NHL veterans and rookies to their league. Despite the WHA's initial success, the league faced significant challenges behind the scenes. Teams struggled to keep up with the increasing demands of player salaries, and unstable ownership groups caused frequent relocation and suspension of operations. Ultimately, the WHA found itself losing the war against the NHL.

In the late 1970s, discussions intensified between the NHL and the rival World Hockey Association (WHA) regarding a possible merger. The push for unification was spearheaded by John Ziegler Jr., who had recently been appointed as the President of the NHL and was more open to the idea than his predecessor, Clarence Campbell. Under the proposed merger, six WHA teams - the Cincinnati Stingers, Edmonton Oilers, Houston Aeros, New England Whalers, Quebec Nordiques, and Winnipeg Jets - would join the NHL. However, the NHL required a 3/4 majority vote from team owners to approve the merger, meaning that just five owners could prevent the deal from going through. Opposition to the merger was led by Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard, and he had the support of several other teams, including the Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins, and Chicago Blackhawks. The Canadian teams were concerned about splitting their revenue from Hockey Night in Canada between three new markets, while Boston didn't want to share its market with a team in the New England area. Chicago had also soured on the idea of the merger after losing their star player, Bobby Hull, to the WHA.

In a historic move, the NHL owners voted 14-4 in favor of a merger with the World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1977. This decision brought six WHA teams - the Cincinnati Stingers, Edmonton Oilers, Houston Aeros, New England Whalers, Quebec Nordiques, and Winnipeg Jets - into the NHL for the upcoming 1977-78 season. However, each WHA team had to pay a $6 million franchise fee for the right to enter the NHL. Unfortunately, not all WHA teams were included in the merger. The San Diego Mariners, Calgary Cowboys, Minnesota Fighting Saints, and Phoenix Roadrunners all folded during the negotiations. The remaining clubs - the Birmingham Bulls and Indianapolis Racers - received $1.5 million each and joined the Central Hockey League, a minor league owned by the NHL. As part of the merger, the New England Whalers were renamed the Hartford Whalers after the Boston Bruins objected to the team naming themselves after the New England region. Despite this minor setback, each WHA team was able to retain its full roster and player rights, which helped to ensure a smooth transition into the NHL.

The NHL expanded to 24 teams for the 1977-78 season with the addition of the six former WHA teams, which accounted for one-quarter of the league. This gave the former WHA teams significant leverage in league-wide votes, and they quickly established themselves as competitive and respected members of the NHL. For the 1977-78 season, the former WHA teams played only amongst themselves, while the following season they played just two games against each of the 18 NHL teams. This gradual integration into the league allowed the former WHA teams to adjust to the NHL's style of play and helped to ensure a smooth transition for all involved.