John Ziegler Jr. facts for kids

John Augustus Ziegler Jr. (February 9, 1934 – October 25, 2018) was an American lawyer and important leader in ice hockey. He became the fourth president of the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1977. He took over from Clarence Campbell.

Ziegler was the first American to lead the NHL. He served as president for 15 years, until 1992. During his time, four teams from a rival league joined the NHL. He also helped make helmets mandatory for players. He received the Lester Patrick Trophy in 1984. In 1987, he was honored by being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Career

John Augustus Ziegler Jr. was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, in 1934. He grew up in the Detroit area. He graduated from Lake Shore High School in 1951.

He then went to the University of Michigan. There, he earned his first degree and later a law degree in 1957. Before leading the NHL, Ziegler worked as a lawyer in Detroit. He also had a part in owning the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. For one year, he was the chairman of the NHL's Board of Governors.

Leading the National Hockey League

John Ziegler Jr. became the president of the NHL in 1977. He was the first American to hold this top position.

Making Helmets Mandatory

On August 6, 1979, Ziegler announced an important new rule. Protective helmets would become mandatory in the NHL. This meant all new players had to wear them. Players who had signed contracts before June 1, 1979, could choose not to wear a helmet. However, they had to sign papers saying they understood the risks. This rule helped make hockey safer for players.

NHL and WHA Join Forces

One of Ziegler's biggest achievements was helping the NHL merge with the World Hockey Association (WHA). The WHA was a rival hockey league. Many American teams in the NHL wanted this merger to happen. They thought it would create a stronger league. Also, it would stop the NHL from having to compete with another league for players and fans.

In 1977, Ziegler announced that the NHL was looking into a merger. A proposal was made for six WHA teams to join the NHL. However, the NHL team owners voted against this idea at first. After this, some WHA teams struggled and even folded.

Finally, the merger was completed for the 1979–80 season. Four WHA teams joined the NHL:

• the Edmonton Oilers
• the Winnipeg Jets
• the Hartford Whalers
• the Quebec Nordiques

This merger brought many new talented players and teams into the NHL.

Soviet Players and the NHL

In 1987, the NHL played a special two-game series called Rendez-vous '87. The best NHL players played against a strong team from the Soviet Union. This event was very exciting for hockey fans.

At that time, Soviet players usually could not join the NHL. Ziegler had said that Soviet players would not be able to play in the NHL. He also said NHL players would not play in the Winter Olympics. However, things changed over time. Later, both of these things did happen.

One famous example was Pavel Bure. He was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in 1989. There was some confusion about whether he was old enough to be drafted. After some discussion and proof, his draft pick was finally approved. This helped open the door for more international players to join the NHL.

Player Relations and Changes

During Ziegler's time, there were some disagreements between the NHL and its players. One big issue was about the players' pension fund. This fund was money saved for players to receive after they retired. Some retired players felt their money was not being managed fairly.

In 1991, a lawsuit was filed by retired players against the NHL. They wanted better control over their pension money. Former player Bobby Orr was involved in discussing this issue. The players eventually won the lawsuit in 1994. This meant the NHL had to change how it handled the pension fund.

Ziegler left his role as NHL president in 1992. This happened after a ten-day strike by the players was resolved. A new leader for the players' union, Bob Goodenow, worked to get a new agreement. This agreement covered things like how players could become free agents and their pensions.

In Ziegler's last season, the San Jose Sharks team started playing. This brought the NHL back to the San Francisco Bay area. It also started a new period of growth for the league.

After leaving the NHL, John Ziegler Jr. went back to practicing law in Detroit. He later moved to Florida, where he lived until he passed away in 2018.