The WHA Entry Draft was the entry draft for the World Hockey Association

World Hockey Association

The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...

, and was held annually between 1973 and 1977. The fledgling WHA had some trouble stocking their teams, and predictably, many of the players drafted by WHA teams never reported, preferring instead to play in the NHL. In 1975, for example, only three of the fifteen first-round picks ever played a game in the rebel league. Other times players would only be lured with extravagant paycheques, such as the $1.3 million contract Pat Price signed with the Vancouver Blazers

Vancouver Blazers

The Vancouver Blazers were a professional ice hockey team that played in the World Hockey Association from 1973-75. The Blazers played at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, British Columbia, sharing the facility with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League. The Blazers were owned by...

 in 1974.

First Overall Draft Picks

Year	Player	Position	Amateur Club	Pro Team
1973 1973 WHA Amateur Draft -Selections by round:Below are listed the selections in the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.-Round 1:1. Bob Neely - Chicago Cougars2. Glenn Goldup - New England Whalers3. Andre Savard - Quebec Nordiques4. Paulin Bordeleau - Toronto Toros...	Bob Neely Bob Neely Robert Barry Neely is a retired former professional ice hockey player who played 283 NHL games for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Colorado Rockies. He was drafted number one overall in the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft by the Chicago Cougars, and 10th overall by the Maple Leafs in the NHL Amateur Draft....	Defenceman Defenceman (ice hockey) Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...	Peterborough (OHA) Peterborough Petes The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.-History:...	Chicago Cougars Chicago Cougars The Chicago Cougars were an original franchise in the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1975. The Cougars played their home games in the dilapidated International Amphitheatre. During the 1974 Avco Cup Finals against Gordie Howe and the Houston Aeros, the team's two home games were played at...
1974 1974 WHA Amateur Draft The 1974 WHA Amateur Draft was the second draft held by the World Hockey Association.-Selections by round:Listed below are the selections made in the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft.-Round 1:1. Pat Price - Vancouver Blazers2. Mike Will - Indianapolis Racers...	Pat Price	Defenceman Defenceman (ice hockey) Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...	Saskatoon (WCHL) Saskatoon Blades The Saskatoon Blades are a junior ice hockey team in the Eastern Division of the Western Hockey League. They are based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, playing at the 15,195 seat Credit Union Centre.-History:...	Vancouver Blazers Vancouver Blazers The Vancouver Blazers were a professional ice hockey team that played in the World Hockey Association from 1973-75. The Blazers played at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, British Columbia, sharing the facility with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League. The Blazers were owned by...
1975 1975 WHA Amateur Draft The 1975 WHA Amateur Draft was the third draft held by the World Hockey Association.-Selections by Round:Below are listed the selections in the 1975 WHA Amateur Draft.-Round 1:1 Claude Larose - Cincinnati Stingers2 Bryan Maxwell - Indianapolis Racers...	Claude Larose	Forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...	Sherbrooke (QMJHL) Sherbrooke Castors The Sherbrooke Castors or Sherbrooke Beavers was the name of two different junior ice hockey teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Both franchises played at the Palais des Sports in Sherbrooke, Quebec.-Original Castors:...	Cincinnati Stingers Cincinnati Stingers The Cincinnati Stingers was an ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, that played in the World Hockey Association from 1975 to 1979. Its home arena was Riverfront Coliseum and it was the only major-league hockey team ever to play in Cincinnati.-History:The Stingers franchise was awarded in...
1976 1976 WHA Amateur Draft The 1976 WHA Amateur Draft was the fourth draft held by the World Hockey Association.-Selections by Round:Below are listed the selections in the 1976 WHA Amateur Draft.-Round 1:1 Blair Chapman - Edmonton Oilers2 Peter Marsh - Cincinnati Stingers...	Blair Chapman Blair Chapman Blair Douglas Chapman is a retired former professional ice hockey player who was drafted number one overall in the 1976 WHA Amateur Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, and also number two overall in the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins...	Forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...	Saskatoon (WCHL) Saskatoon Blades The Saskatoon Blades are a junior ice hockey team in the Eastern Division of the Western Hockey League. They are based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, playing at the 15,195 seat Credit Union Centre.-History:...	Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
1977 1977 WHA Amateur Draft The 1977 WHA Amateur Draft was the fifth and final draft held by the World Hockey Association.-Selections by Round:Below are listed the selections in the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft.-Round 1:1 Scott Campbell - Houston Aeros2 Barry Beck - Calgary Cowboys...	Scott Campbell	Defenceman Defenceman (ice hockey) Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...	London (OHA) London Knights The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League.-Early days–1968:...	Houston Aeros Houston Aeros The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...

Of the five first overall draft picks selected in the WHA Amateur Draft, Bob Neely and Blair Chapman never reported to the league. Pat Price was an expensive flop who defaulted to the New York Islanders

New York Islanders

The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

after only one year in Vancouver. Only Scott Campbell and Claude Larose had reasonably active and prosperous WHA careers.

The WHA draft was discontinued in 1977 as the league decided to attempt to directly sign young hockey players as free agents in an effort to lure them away from the lower salaries in the NHL.