How the late Andre Lacroix brought skill and scoring to the wild WHA

Lacroix compiled 798 points (251 goals and 547 assists) in 551 WHA games.

Published Oct 27, 2026  •  2 minute read

Former World Hockey Association player Andre Lacroix. Photo by Sun Media files

The World Hockey Association’s biggest stories tended to be about Bobby Hull, Gordie Howe, Derek Sanderson, fighting, colourful goaltenders, a year of Wayne Gretzky, and many shifting franchises.

Little was remembered of the 1970s’ Rebel League’s career leading scorer. That was Andre Lacroix, who compiled 798 points (251 goals and 547 assists in 551 games). Lacroix died this week at age 81, according to several reports. The 5-foot-8 centre from Lauzon, Que., twice won the Bill Hunter Trophy as WHA top scorer, including a 100-assist season with the San Diego Mariners in 1974-75 when it went into many new markets to challenge National Hockey League dominance.

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What was Lacroix’s hockey history?

One of 14 children, Lacroix played for the Montreal Jr. Canadiens, but in a province that produced many young stars hoping to make the Habs, Lacroix joined the NHL through their newly launched Philadelphia Flyers in 1967-68.

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After three 20-goal seasons and an unwanted trade to Chicago, he joined a number of NHLers promised fame and fortune in the WHA, returning to Philly with the Blazers.

But starting with bad ice at the Philadelphia Civic Center, cancelling their first game and prompting a shower of orange souvenir pucks thrown at the players, it was a wild ride for Lacroix and others. With the New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights, Lacroix told author Ed Willes: “We’d be on the road and buses wouldn’t show up because they hadn’t been paid or change hotels because they skipped out on the bill. We had to sit in the back of the plane with (restricted) tickets that had no food service. It was brutal.”

He did produce 124 points in his one season with the Blazers, eventually playing for a total of six franchises. His first season with the 1974-75 San Diego Mariners produced 41 goals and 106 assists, one of only six players, including Bobby Orr and Connor McDavid to get triple figures in helpers, part of Lacroix’s six straight seasons of 100-plus points.

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Lacroix did survive to play in the NHL again, 29 games with the 1979-80 Hartford Whalers when the NHL finally absorbed four surviving WHA clubs in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hartford and Quebec City.

After his playing days, Lacroix started a hockey academy, coached youth hockey in Cleveland, and operated a rink there that was partially powered by wind turbines.

Not getting Hockey Hall of Fame consideration bothered him, citing a perceived WHA bias by the Hall and the inclusion of Europeans when he felt many North Americans had been ignored. He self-published an autobiography in 2020.

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X: @sunhornby

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