In the lifespan of the World Hockey Association (WHA), 24 ice hockey players scored at least 100 points in a single WHA regular season.
Collectively, these players achieved this feat on 51 occasions, playing for 12 franchises from the 1972âÂÂ73 WHA season to the 1978âÂÂ79 WHA season prior to the merger with the National Hockey League (NHL) that saw four teams (Hartford Whalers, Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques) join the NHL.
In the first season of play, eight players achieved the 100-point mark in the upstart league. In the seven WHA seasons, the least amount of 100-point scorers came with the 1973âÂÂ74 season when only three players achieved the mark.
The 1975âÂÂ76 WHA season saw the first (and so far) only team in major professional history to have five players break 100 points: Marc Tardif, Réal Cloutier, Christian Bordeleau, Serge Bernier and Réjean Houle did so for the Quebec Nordiques.
The very first player to achieve 100 points in a season was Ron Ward, who did so on March 3, 1973 for the New York Raiders against the Cleveland Crusaders at home in Madison Square Garden on his 44th goal of the season. Notably, Bobby Hull joined the 100 point club on March 25 despite missing 15 games due to legal action over his arrival in the WHA. André Lacroix won the first points title with 124 points (with 26 of them coming in the last 14 games).
The player with the most 100-point seasons in WHA history was André Lacroix, who had six consecutive 100-point seasons from 1972 to 1978. He had the only 100-assist season in WHA history in the 1974âÂÂ75 WHA season. On exactly one season was a player traded during a 100-point season: Wayne Gretzky, who played for both the Indianapolis Racers and Edmonton Oilers in the 1978-79 season. Lacroix was the only player to score 100 points in a season for a relocated franchise, which occurred in the 1973âÂÂ74 WHA season when the New York Golden Blades relocated to become the Jersey Knights.
In the offense-happy WHA, a 100-point scorer won the Gordie Howe Trophy for most valuable play in all but the final season of existence, with the points leader being awarded the Bill Hunter Trophy every season. Marc Tardif set a professional record for points scored in a season in the 1977âÂÂ78 WHA season with 154 points by way of 65 goals and 89assists. Tardif played the least amount of games in a 100-point season in the 1976âÂÂ77 WHA season with 62 while Anders Hedberg played the least amount for exactly 100 points with 65 in the 1974âÂÂ75 WHA season.
The Winnipeg Jets had the most incidents of a player achieving 100 points during the franchise's history, with 16 while the Quebec Nordiques were second with 12.