1979 Expansion Draft

The 1979 Expansion Draft

Priority Selections
As part of the NHL-WHA Merger Agreement, each of the merging WHA teams were allowed to make a number of Priority Selections on players that they could retain without being re-claimed by their NHL team. Note: The Edmonton Oilers were able to retain Wayne Gretzky because he had private contract with the owner of the Edmonton Oilers vs with the Edmonton Oilers directly.

Note: The Cincinnati Stingers were not part of the original NHL-WHA Merger Agreement as such they are not privy to the Priority Selection process in the same manner, and instead were allowed to retain Four (4) would be Free Agents from their 1978-79 WHA Roster. These players are players unclaimed in the Cincinnati Dispersal Draft held by the WHA and players not reclaimed by NHL teams. (see The Cincinnati Stingers Agreement)


 * - Wayne Gretzky retained by Edmonton Oilers as Priority Selection due to personal contract agreement with Edmonton Oilers Owner. As penalty Edmonton Oilers select last in 1979 Entry Draft.


 * - Free Agent Players selected from original 1978-79 Cincinnati Stingers Roster.

Expansion Draft Rules
The 17 existing NHL teams will be allowed to protect 15 Skaters and 2 Goaltenders from their roster, there is no age restriction as such all players (17 up) and prospects will be included as options for this draft and therefor NHL teams will need to take this into consideration for their protected list. Teams that lost more than one (1) player to Priority Selections, gain an additional protected player for each player beyond the 1st. (The Pittsburgh Penguins lost two (2) players, so can protect 16 skaters and 2 goaltenders, while the Newyork Islanders lost three (3) so can protect 17 skaters and 2 goaltenders.)

Each Team can loose a maximum of Five (5) players. Once a team has lost 5 players, they can no longer be selected as a viable option.