The World Hockey Association existed for seven seasons from 1972-73 until 1978-79. In that time, the league held five amateur drafts. Before the first season, the league held just a general draft to populate the league. Before the final season, the WHA decided against the draft and instead just offered junior players high-priced free agent deals to lure them away from the NHL.

In the five WHA Entry Drafts held from 1973 to 1977, all five first overall picks were from Canadian Junior Leagues. The 1973 and 1977 first overall picks were from the Ontario Hockey Association (now the Ontario Hockey League), the 1974 and 1976 first overall picks were from the Western Canada Hockey League (now known as just the Western Hockey League) and the 1975 first overall pick was from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

In 1973, the first overall pick was Bob Neely of the Peterborough Petes in the OHA. Neely was taken by the WHA’s Chicago Cougars. He never played a game in the WHA, instead opting to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs who took him tenth overall in the 1973 NHL Entry Draft. Neely played 283 regular season NHL games with Toronto and the Colorado Rockies before retiring after a couple of seasons in the AHL at the end of his career.

Pat Price of the WCHL’s Saskatoon Blades was the 1974 first overall pick, going to the Vancouver Blazers. Price played one season with the Blazers, 1974-75, then moved on to the NHL’s New York Islanders who selected him eleventh overall in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. Price played in 68 games with the Blazers and went on to play 726 regular season and 74 playoff games in the NHL with the Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Quebec Nordiques, New York Rangers and Minnesota North Stars.

Claude Larose was selected first overall in the 1975 draft by the Cincinnati Stingers and was the only first overall pick from Quebec. Larose played his junior hockey with Sherbrooke of the QMJHL. Claude played four seasons in the WHA with the Stingers and Indianapolis Racers. After the WHA merger with the NHL for the 1979-80 season, Larose played in 25 games with the New York Rangers. In 1983-84, playing for the Sherbrooke Jets of the AHL, he led the league in scoring with 120 points and was named the AHL’s MVP.

The Edmonton Oilers chose Blair Chapman first overall in the 1976 WHA Entry Draft. Like Pat Price, Chapman played his junior hockey in the WCHL with the Saskatoon Blades. In the same draft year, Blair was chosen second overall in the NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He chose the NHL route and played in 402 regular season and 25 NHL playoff games with the Penguins and St. Louis Blues before calling it quits after the 1982-83 season.

Scott Campbell was the last first overall pick in the World Hockey Association. Campbell was chosen first overall by the Houston Aeros in the 1977 draft after a decent junior career with the OHA’s London Knights. Despite being chosen ninth overall by the NHL’s St. Louis Blues the same year, Campbell decided to give the WHA a try. He played for the Aeros his first year and the Winnipeg Jets in the final season of the WHA. He followed the Jets into the NHL and played a total of 80 games before retiring after the 1981-82 season.