Bill Hunter (ice Hockey) - The Birth of The Edmonton Oilers and The WHA

The Birth of The Edmonton Oilers and The WHA

Following the establishment of what would become the WHL Hunter turned his efforts toward professional hockey. The NHL was expanding but it was not interested in Hunter's proposal for an expansion franchise to play in Edmonton. Hunter offered to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins but this proposal was also rebuffed. In 1971, Hunter was introduced to Gary Davidson and Dennis Murphy, two American promoters who were interested in establishing a rival league. The World Hockey Association started play the following year with Hunter as owner, general manager and, by the halfway point, head coach of the Alberta Oilers, who were renamed the Edmonton Oilers the following season.

Although the Oilers were a mediocre team on the ice, they were among the fledgling league's most financially stable franchises, especially after the completion of Northlands Coliseum in 1975. By the time the Oilers had joined the NHL in 1979, Hunter had sold the team to Nelson Skalbania, who in turn sold the franchise to Peter Pocklington.