TORONTO (CP) – The World Hockey Association may or may not operate as an independent league next season, but if it does it will be ready to do battle with the National Hockey League for some of the best graduates of amateur ranks.
The nine WHA teams still in existence after the demise of Phoenix Roadrunners. San Diego Mariners and Minnesota Fighting Saints performed the annual ritual of drafting 20-year-olds. U.S. college graduates and a few European national team played on Thursday.
With a few draft choices left over from the defunct clubs, they actually picked 11 players in the first round, and all had previously been selected in either the first or second round of the NHL draft.
Scott Campbell, a six-two, 202-pound defenceman who scored 23 goals and assisted on 44 while taking 86 minutes in penalties with London Knights of the Ontario Major Junior A league, was the No. 1 choice.
He went to Houston Aeros who, despite finishing with the best record in the WHA last season, had the first selection, the result of a deal with Phoenix.
Campbell had been the first-round choice of St. Louis Blues of the NHL. And the question of who gets to talk to him in the event of a merger between the two leagues will have to be decided as part of any agreement they happen to reach.
“There might have to be competitive bidding for players drafted by teams in both leagues,” said WHA president Bill MacFarland when asked what would happen.
The draft, conducted by telephone conference call, was marked by only one bit of disagreement – when Birmingham Bulls announced they were choosing Ken Linseman, an 18-year-old forward with Kingston Canadians, on the round.
Rudy Pilous of Winnipeg Jets interrupted to suggest that Linseman was underage. but MacFarland broke in to say that would be a matter for the league and the courts.
John F. Bassett, owner of the Bulls, announced a few days ago he had put Linseman under contract despite the fact he hadn't reached 20. the minimum under which the WHA may draft.
MacFarland said later he would write to Bassett to indicate that signing of Linseman is contrary to the regulations, and would also tell the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association that Linseman would play in the WHA next season only if the courts so ordered.
Bassett got into a similar spot a couple of years ago when he signed Mark Napier, then an 18-year-old forward with Toronto Marlboros. He subsequently was penalized by loss of draft choices but got to keep Napier although he was drafted by Montreal Canadiens in the NHL's first round on Tuesday.
Napier, who scored 60 goals last season, has another year on his contract with Birmingham but has indicated he might like to move to the NHL in 1978.
Houston and Winnipeg had two choices each in the first round while Edmonton Oilers got the benefit of two selections as the result of a trade with New England Whalers.
The Whalers, who had acquired goaltender Lou Levasseur for goaltender Dave Dryden, forward Brett Callighen and two draft choices, had received the No. 11 pick in the first round on the understanding it wouldn't be traded.
So they selected Ron Areshenkoff. a centre, from Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Canada Hockey League, and promptly turned negotiating rights over to Edmonton. The Oilers, selecting fourth, had previously taken Mike Crombeen. a winger with Kingston.
Winnipeg took centre Ron Duguay of Sudbury Wolves as No. 3 choice and Mike Zaharko, a defenceman from the Canadian junior champion New Westminster Bruins, as No. 8.
After getting Campbell. Houston went for right winger Dwight Foster of Kitchener Rangers with the No. 10 pick.
Calgary Cowboys, with the No. 2 selection. chose Barry Beck, a six-three. 215-pound defenceman with New Westminster Bruins, the Canadian junior champions. He was also the No. 2 pick in the NHL. going to Colorado Rockies.
Indianapolis Racers, a team that is having money problems and may not be around next season, chose defenceman Doug Wilson of Ottawa '67s, Birmingham went for defenceman Rod Languay of the University of New Hampshire. Cincinnati Stingers picked left-wing Jere Gillis of Sherbrooke. Beavers of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Quebec Nordiques selected Lucien Deblois. a right-winger with Sorel Black Hawks of the Quebec league.
Dale McCourt, the talented St. Catharines Fincups' centre who was the NHL's first choice, by Detroit Red Wings, didn't go until the WHA's fourth round when Indianapolis selected him.
Along with Campbell and Beck, other WHA first-round selections previously picked in the NHL's opening round were Duguay by New York Rangers, Crombeen by Cleveland Barons, Wilson by Chicago Black Hawks. Gillis by Vancouver Canucks. Deblois by the Rangers and Foster by Boston Bruins. Languay was selected by Montreal, Zaharko by Atlanta Flames and Areshenkoff by Buffalo Sabres, all in the second round.
Aside from Napier, the only NHL first-round draft choice not picked at all by the WHA was Toronto Marlboros' defenceman Trevor Johanson, selected by Toronto Maple Leafs.