Avco World Trophy


The Avco World Trophy, also known as the Avco Cup, is the playoff championship trophy of the defunct World Hockey Association, which operated from 1972 until 1979. The trophy's naming rights were sold to the former Avco Corporation, a defense contractor who bought the rights to advertise their consumer finance division. The trophy was mocked by some for its corporate sponsorship and never developed anything approaching the significance and sentiment of the Stanley Cup, its National Hockey League rival. Still, the cup's design was often seen as creative in that it involved a freely-floating etched crystal globe embedded in the "stem" of the cup. The cup was designed by Frank Bonnerkopf of Boise, Idaho.
The trophy was donated to the new league in 1972 along with approximately $500,000 by the Avco Financial Services Corporation, and became the first major sports league championship trophy to bear the name of a private corporation. Three Avco trophies exist; besides the one that is on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame, the others are in Winnipeg at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, and in the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame in Halifax. The trophy was retired after the WHA ceased operations in 1979. Led by Bobby Hull, the Winnipeg Jets claimed the trophy on three occasions, including the final league championship against Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers. Gordie Howe and the Houston Aeros vied for the trophy three times, winning twice.
The Avco Trophy in fact may have been most famous, or perhaps infamous, in its absence. When the New England Whalers won the league's inaugural championship in 1973 the trophy had not yet been completed, and the Whalers were forced to skate their divisional championship trophy around the ice surface.
Eight players skated for three Avco World Trophy-winning teams in the WHA playoffs: Joe Daley, Ted Green, Bob Guindon, Bill Lesuk, Lyle Moffat, Lars-Erik Sjoberg, Willy Lindstrom and Peter Sullivan. All but Green did so as members of the three Winnipeg Jets championship teams, whereas Green did so with the 1972–73 Whalers and the first two Jets championship teams. Green was the first to win the Trophy with multiple teams. Bobby Hull is commonly cited as winning the Avco Trophy three times with the Jets as well, but he did not play in the 1979 playoff run due to injury.

Champions and finalists

List of WHA playoff overtime games

In the seven-year postseason history of the WHA, 21 games went into overtime. Notably, no championship game ever reached overtime.
SeasonDateRoundWinning teamOvertime goal scored by
1973April 4Eastern Division SemifinalsCleveland CrusadersRon Buchanan
1973April 8Eastern Division SemifinalsNew England WhalersBrit Selby
1973April 11Western Division SemifinalsWinnipeg JetsNorm Beaudin
1973April 13Western Division SemifinalsHouston AerosMurray Hall
1973April 14Eastern Division SemifinalsNew England WhalersMike Byers
1974April 7Eastern Division SemifinalsNew England WhalersJohn French
1974April 10Eastern Division SemifinalsChicago CougarsRalph Backstrom
1974April 13Eastern Division SemifinalsCleveland CrusadersWayne Muloin
1974April 18Western Division FinalsMinnesota Fighting SaintsMike Walton
1975April 11QuarterfinalsNew England WhalersRick Ley
1975April 15QuarterfinalsPhoenix RoadrunnersMichel Cormier
1975May 1SemifinalsHouston AerosJim Sherrit
1976April 9Preliminary RoundPhoenix RoadrunnersDel Hall
1976April 11QuarterfinalsWinnipeg JetsUlf Nilsson
1977April 9Eastern Division SemifinalsIndianapolis RacersGene Peacosh
1977April 13Western Division SemifinalsHouston AerosMorris Lukowich
1977April 14Eastern Division SemifinalsQuebec NordiquesPaul Baxter
1977April 26Western Division FinalsWinnipeg JetsPeter Sullivan
1977April 28Eastern Division FinalsQuebec NordiquesPaulin Bordeleau
1978April 16WHA QuarterfinalsHouston AerosTed Taylor
1978April 18WHA QuarterfinalsQuebec NordiquesMarc Tardif