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WHA Top 10 All-Time Scoring Leaders

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Recently, we published a short video on our YouTube Channel featuring the top 10 all-time scoring leaders in the World Hockey Association. Here, we’re going to take a bit of a deeper look at these ten great hockey players.

This is a pretty special group of hockey players. Three are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Nine of the ten are in the WHA Hall of Fame.

WHA Top 10 All Time Scoring Leaders Video

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Number 10

Ulf Nilsson

Ulf Nilsson played for the Winnipeg Jets for four years from 1974-75 to 1977-78. In just 300 regular season games, Nilsson put up 484 points. This places him tenth all time in the WHA with the other nine playing 73 or more games over their careers.

Despite his numbers, Nilsson has little to show in the way of individual accolades. Ulf was named the WHA Playoff MVP in 1975-76, helping the Jets to the championship. He was also part of an Avco World Trophy winning team with Winnipeg in 1977-78.

Ulf Nilsson Career WHA Stats

YearTeamGmsGAPtsPIM
1974-75Winnipeg Jets78269412079
1975-76Winnipeg Jets78387611484
1976-77Winnipeg Jets71398512489
1977-78Winnipeg Jets73378912689

Total300140344484341

Number 9

Chris Bordeleau

Christian Bordeleau was a career WHAer. He played in the league from its inception in 1972-73 until its demise following the 1978-79 season. His career started with the Jets but Bordeleau moved to the Quebec Nordiques early in the 1974-75 season.

Over his seven years, Chris topped 100 points three times. He did it once with the Jets and twice with the Nordiques. He helped Quebec to an Avco World Trophy championship in 1976-77.

Chris Bordeleau Career WHA Stats

YearTeamGmsGAPtsPIM
1972-73Winnipeg Jets78475410112
1973-74Winnipeg Jets7526497522
1974-75Winnipeg Jets1888160
1974-75Quebec Nordiques5315334824
1975-76Quebec Nordiques74377210942
1976-77Quebec Nordiques72327510734
1977-78Quebec Nordiques269223128
1978-79Quebec Nordiques16512170

Total412179325504162

Number 8

Mark Howe

Steady as a rock, Mark Howe had just one 100 point season in the WHA, his last with the New England Whalers in 1978-79. Yet, Howe places eighth overall in the Rebel League. His career started with the Houston Aeros and ended with the Whalers.

In 1973-74, Mark won the Lou Kaplan Trophy as WHA rookie of the year. That year, he was also named a Second Team All-Star and his Houston Aeros won the championship.

Howe would be named a First Team All-Star just once, in 1978-79. He would help the Aeros to one more Avco World Trophy, in 1974-75. Mark joined his father, Gordie Howe, and five others from this list, on Team Canada at Summit ’74. Against the Soviets, Mark scored two and assisted on two in seven games.

Mark Howe Career WHA Stats

YearTeamGmsGAPtsPIM
1973-74Houston Aeros7638417920
1974-75Houston Aeros7436407630
1975-76Houston Aeros7239377638
1976-77Houston Aeros5723527546
1977-78New England Whalers7030619132
1978-79New England Whalers77426510732

Total426208296504198

Number 7

Gordie Howe

Gordie Howe came out of retirement for the 1973-74 World Hockey Association season. All ready inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Howe joined sons Mark and Marty with the Houston Aeros. He moved with both to the New England Whalers for the 1977-78 season.

In his first year, Gordie won the Gary L. Davidson Award as WHA most valuable player. That award was renamed the Gordie Howe Trophy for the 1975-76 season. He helped the Aeros to two consecutive Avco World Trophy championships in 1973-74 and 1974-75.

Howe excelled for Canada at Summit ’74. In seven games, Gordie scored three goals and assisted on four for seven points.

Gordie Howe WHA Career Stats

YearTeamGmsGAPtsPIM
1973-74Houston Aeros70316910046
1974-75Houston Aeros7534659984
1975-76Houston Aeros78327010276
1976-77Houston Aeros6224446857
1977-78New England Whalers7634629685
1978-79New England Whalers5819244351

Total419174334508399

Number 6

Robbie Ftorek

Playing for two teams out of the WHA limelight, Robbie Ftorek put up 523 points in just 373 games (five seasons). Ftorek started his career in 1974-75 with the Phoenix Roadrunners. He moved to the Cincinnati Stingers in 1977-78. In his first year with the Stingers, Robbie scored 59 goals.

There were no championships playing in Phoenix and Cincinnati. However, Ftorek’s production did not go unnoticed. He was handed the Gordie Howe Trophy as MVP for the 1976-77 season.

Robbie Ftorek WHA Career Stats

YearTeamGmsGAPtsPIM
1974-75Phoenix Roadrunners5331376829
1975-76Phoenix Roadrunners804172113109
1976-77Phoenix Roadrunners80467111786
1977-78Cincinnati Stingers80595010954
1978-79Cincinnati Stingers80397711687

Total373216307523365

Number 5

Serge Bernier

Serge Bernier played six years in the WHA from 1973-74 to 1978-79, all with the Quebec Nordiques. He was a member of the Summit ’74 Canada squad, scoring a goal and two assists in eight games.

In 1976-77, Bernier and the Nordiques captured the Avco World Trophy. Serge was named the WHA Playoff MVP.

Serge Bernier WHA Career Stats

YearTeamGmsGAPtsPIM
1973-74Quebec Nordiques74374986107
1974-75Quebec Nordiques76546812275
1975-76Quebec Nordiques70346810291
1976-77Quebec Nordiques7443539694
1977-78Quebec Nordiques5826527848
1978-79Quebec Nordiques6536468271

Total417230336566486

Number 4

Real Cloutier

The WHA Hall of Fame exists. Everyone on this list has been inducted into that Hall of Fame. Everyone, that is, except for Real Cloutier. Why that is is a complete mystery to me.

Real Cloutier played five years in the WHA from 1974-75 to 1978-79. In his final four campaigns, he scored no less than 56 goals and topped out with 75 in 1978-79.

He was named to the All-Star team in his final four seasons. From 1975-76 to 1977-78, Cloutier was a Second Team All-Star. In 1978-79, he was bumped to the First Team. He led the WHA in scoring in 1976-77 and 1978-79, earning the Bill Hunter Trophy both seasons. He helped the Nordiques to the Avco World Trophy in 1976-77.

Real Cloutier WHA Career Stats

YearTeamGmsGAPtsPIM
1974-75Quebec Nordiques6326275336
1975-76Quebec Nordiques80605411427
1976-77Quebec Nordiques76667514139
1977-78Quebec Nordiques73567312919
1978-79Quebec Nordiques77755412948

Total369283283566169

Number 3

Bobby Hull

The initial face of the league, Bobby Hull did not disappoint. From 1972-73 to 1978-79, Hull was a mainstay with the Winnipeg Jets. He topped out with 77 goals and 142 points in 1974-75 and topped the 100 point plateau on three other occasions.

Bobby was named MVP in 1972-73 and 1974-75. He helped Winnipeg to two championships, 1975-76 and 1977-78. At Summit ’74, Hull scored seven and assisted on two in eight games.

Bobby Hull WHA Career Stats

YearTeamGmsGAPtsPIM
1972-73Winnipeg Jets63515210337
1973-74Winnipeg Jets7553429538
1974-75Winnipeg Jets78776514241
1975-76Winnipeg Jets80537012330
1976-77Winnipeg Jets3421325314
1977-78Winnipeg Jets77467111723
1978-79Winnipeg Jets42350

Total411303335638183

Number 2

Marc Tardif

After starting his WHA career with the Los Angeles Sharks, Michigan Stags and Baltimore Blades, Marc Tardif settled in with the Quebec Nordiques fairly early on in the 1974-75 season. he scored 71 goals in his first full season with that team and put up 154 points in 1977-78.

A First Team All-Star in 1975-76, 1976-77 and 1977-78, Tardif was also named to the Second Team in 1974-75. He led the league in scoring in 1975-76 and 1977-78. In both those seasons, he also earned the Gordie Howe Trophy as MVP.

The captain of the Nordiques from 1976-77 to 1978-79 (and two more seasons in the NHL) played a major role in the team’s championship run in 1976-77. At Summit ’74, he added two assists in five games.

Marc Tardif WHA Career Stats

YearTeamGmsGAPtsPIM
1973-74Los Angeles Sharks7540307047
1974-75Stags / Blades23125179
1974-75Quebec Nordiques5338347270
1975-76Quebec Nordiques81717714879
1976-77Quebec Nordiques62496010965
1977-78Quebec Nordiques78658915450
1978-79Quebec Nordiques7441559698

Total446316350666418

Number 1

Andre Lacroix

Despite his small stature. Despite playing for teams like the Philadelphia Blazers, New York Blades and San Diego Mariners. Andre Lacroix will forever be the all-time leading scorer in the history of the World Hockey Association.

Andre played the full seven years in the league from 1972-73 to 1978-79. He started out in the media shadow of Derek Sanderson with the Blazers in 1972-73. Despite that circus, he scored 50 and totaled 124 points. It started a string of six consecutive seasons with 100 or more points.

Scoring titles came in 1972-73 and 1974-75 for Lacroix. He was a First Team All-Star in 1972-73, 1973-74 and 1974-75. At Summit ’74, he scored a goal and assisted on six over eight games.

Andre Lacroix WHA Career Stats

YearTeamGmsGAPtsPIM
1972-73Philadelphia Blazers78507412483
1973-74Blades / Knights78318011154
1974-75San Diego Mariners784110614763
1975-76San Diego Mariners80297210142
1976-77San Diego Mariners81328211479
1977-78Houston Aeros78367711357
1978-79New England Whalers7832568834

Total551251547798412

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