AVCO World Trophy

The AVCO World Trophy (also known as the AVCO Cup) is the former championship trophy of the defunct World Hockey Association. The Trophy wore the name of AVCO, a consortium specialized in the buying of small airplanes; it was the first time in the history of North American sports that a championship trophy wore the name of a sponsor. AVCO offered 500,000 dollars to the Cup winner. Awarded only seven times, the cup has had only four winners: the New England Whalers, the Houston Aeros, the Winnipeg Jets and the Quebec Nordiques. Winnipeg won it thrice; Houston twice.

The Cup still exists today, in at least three versions: one is displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame, one is in Nova Scotia and the last one in Winnipeg, home of the Jets, the Cup's last champions.

Past winners
Season Winner              Runner-up 1972-73 New England Whalers Winnipeg Jets 1973-74 Houston Aeros      Chicago Cougars 1974-75 Houston Aeros      Quebec Nordiques 1975-76 Winnipeg Jets      Houston Aeros 1976-77 Quebec Nordiques   Winnipeg Jets 1977-78 Winnipeg Jets      New England Whalers 1978-79 Winnipeg Jets      Edmonton Oilers