From The Hockey News Archives: A story on how the Phoenix Roadrunners almost became an NHL team.
“Disappointed but definitely not discouraged,” is the way Phoenix Roadrunners’ president Jim Wells described rejection by the National Hockey League.
The Roadrunners were one of 10 applicants for NHL franchises for the 1974-75 season. The franchises went to Washington, D.C., and to Kansas City, Kan.
“Unofficially, it is our understanding we ranked in the top four among 10 applicants,” said Wells. “On this basis, provided we do not stumble along the way, we have reason to believe we’ll make it the next time around.”
No definite date has been set for further expansion, although the NHL has announced its intention of expanding to 24 teams by 1980. That means adding six more.
“We have been led to believe the next franchise award will be for the season of 1976-77,” said Wells. “The NHL governors are to meet in Toronto Aug. 23 and we are hopeful the timetable will be more cearly set forth at that time.”
The present Western Hockey League membership of six has been assured, by agreement with the NHL, of three of the NHL franchises as the major league increases to 24 teams by 1980.
Quoting from the agreement, as released by the WHL office“…Until such time as the NHL has at least four active franchises in presentWHL territories, the NHL will offer to present WHL member clubs at least one-half of the franchises included in each NHL expansion in North America after the 1974-75 season.”
As the Roadrunners view it, no other club is as ready right now. The market is hockey hungry, the Veterans Memorial Coliseum board has promised an addition of 5,000 seats, pushing capacity to over 17,000 and the Roadrunners have far more than the required financial backing.