The Gary L. Davidson Award was given to the most valuable player of the

World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association () was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972–73 WHA season, 1972 to 1978–79 WHA season, 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (N ...

regular season, from

1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

. It was named in honor of WHA co-founder Gary Davidson, but for the

1975–76 WHA season The 1975–76 WHA season was the fourth season of the World Hockey Association. After the Baltimore Blades and Chicago Cougars folded, the league stayed at 14 teams by adding the Cincinnati Stingers and Denver Spurs. In addition, the Vancouver ...

, it was renamed the Gordie Howe Trophy in honor of one of hockey's all-time greats;

Gordie Howe Gordon Howe (March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. From 1946 to 1980, he played 26 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first 25 seaso ...

, who won the award in 1974 at the age of 46, becoming the oldest hockey player to win the MVP. The vote was done by media members after the season ended. On June 7, 1973,

Bobby Hull Robert Marvin Hull (January 3, 1939 – January 30, 2023) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His blond hair, skating speed, end-to-end rushes, and ability to shoot t ...

was named the first league MVP. He received 199 points from a panel of sports writers and broadcasters in WHA cities and finished ahead of

Gerry Cheevers Gerald Michael Cheevers (born December 7, 1940) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA) between 1961 and 1980. Cheevers is best known for his two s ...

(66 points) and J. C. Tremblay (48 points); notably, Hull won the award after scoring 51 goals in 63 games that saw him miss the first fifteen games of the year due to litigation trying to stop him from playing. The original prize for winning the award was a silver trophy and $4,000. In 1974, Howe won the balloting (135-86) over

Mike Walton Michael Robert Walton (born January 3, 1945) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Walton played forward in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1965 until 1979. Early years Walton was born in ...

. In the media vote for 1977,

Robbie Ftorek Robert Brian Ftorek (born January 2, 1952) is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player. He played over 300 games in both the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association. In the 1976-77 season, he scored 46 goals and re ...

of the Phoenix Roadrunners won the MVP award in the closest finish ever, edging out Anders Hedberg by one vote (168-167), with

Réal Cloutier Réal Cloutier (born July 30, 1956) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Cloutier spent five prolific seasons as a forward (ice hockey), winger in the World Hockey Association (WHA) with the Quebec Nordiques. In his rook ...

being third at 80 points. Ftorek was the first American to win an MVP award for a professional hockey league and notably did so for a last-place team that dissolved that same year. On May 17, 1979, the final MVP award was given out to Dave Dryden on the

Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...

, winning the vote by broadcasters and sportswriters with 79 votes to the 69 for Real Cloutier and 48 for

(in contrast, a vote by players in April picked Ftorek over Cloutier).https://newspaperarchive.com/monessen-valley-independent-apr-26-1979-p-9/

Winners

–

Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...

–

, Houston Aeros *

– Bobby Hull, Winnipeg Jets *

1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...

–

Marc Tardif Joseph Gérard Marquis Tardif (born June 12, 1949) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey forward (ice hockey), left winger who played in both the National Hockey League (NHL) and the World Hockey Association (WHA), principally ...

Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques (, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association (1972–1979) an ...

1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...

–

, Phoenix Roadrunners *

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...

– Marc Tardif, Quebec Nordiques *

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

– Dave Dryden,

Winners

References

See also