TORONTO (CP) – There may be no National Hockey League players on the roster when Team Canada '74 engages the Soviet Union's national team in a six-game series in September.

But two former NHL greats — Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull — will head the Canadian team of World Hockey Association players.

Announcement of the series was made at a news conference Monday by officials of the WHA, Hockey Canada and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.

Douglas Fisher, chairman of Hockey Canada, said the first game would be played “no earlier than Sept. 17” and the last game in Moscow Oct. 5.

Four of the six games are to be played in Canadian cities with the last two in Moscow.

“The Russians only wanted two games at home,” Fisher said.

A better training program' and two extra weeks of practice are plus factors Team Canada '74 organizers believe will provide an edge over its 1972 predecessors, which was restricted to NHL players.

Hull was barred from the 1972 team because he had “jumped” to the fledgling WHA. Howe, the NHL's all-time scoring leader with 786 goals, made a comeback this season with Houston Aeros of the WHA.

This time, Hull, player-coach of Winnipeg Jets, will be one of two assistants to head coach Billy Harris. Harris and Hull were named by Ben Hatskin, owner of the Jets, who will serve as the WHA's official representative to the team.

Hatskin also named Bill Hunter, vice-president and general manager of Edmonton Oilers of the WHA, as Team Canada 74's manager.

In addition to Howe and Hull, three other players with extensive NHL experience might join the team. The three, who played with Team Canada 1972, are Pat Stapleton, who left Chicago Black Hawks to become playing coach of Chicago Cougars of the WHA; Paul Henderson of Toronto Maple Leafs, who has been reported considering jumping to the WHA's Toronto Toros; and former Montreal Canadiens' goalie Ken Dryden, who is expected to join the Toros after a year's sabbatical from hockey.

Fisher said while the invitation to NHL players, remains open, it was not expected any would join Team Canada '74 because the NHL board of governors had ruled against such participation.

Clarence Campbell, NHL president, said Monday in Montreal his league will never again supply players for a Canadian national team.

He cited the inadequate compensation in the 1972 series, both to the league and to the team.

Campbell said the WHA probably is supplying players to Team Canada '74 merely because it feels the move will be good for the league's image.

Fisher said the NHL Players' Association had been enthusiastic about its members, participating, but Alan Eagle-