Sales and Market Bullets WHERE STARS WERE BORN: Many great hockey players began their careers in the WHA, including Mark Howe, Wayne Gretzky, Mike Gartner, Mike Liut, and Mark Messier. Steve Babineau took the iconic photograph of Wayne Gretzky for his rookie card, which later sold for 3.75 million dollars. MODERN HOCKEY: The WHA is said to have driven hockey into the modern age. It freed players from the reserve clause, ushered in the 18-year-old draft, moved the game into the Sun Belt, and put European players on the ice. By the end of its seven-year stint, four of the teams were ushered into the expanded NHL: the Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, and Hartford Whalers. FEW BOOKS ABOUT THE WHA ON THE MARKET: Aside from the 2005 McClelland & Stewart book The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association and a handful of stats or facts books, there aren't many books on the WHA in the market. This book is perfectly timed to the 50th anniversary of the league's beginnings and will fill the gap in the market.

THE RIGHT TIME: October 11, 2022, marks what would have been the 50th anniversary of professional hockey's "Rebel League" -- the World Hockey Association. THE PERFECT GIFT FOR HOCKEY FANS: 200 full-color photographs of hockey superstars such as Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe, as well as plenty of action shots from iconic players at the beginning of their careers, Behind the Lens is the perfect gift for hockey nostalgics and those who love to learn about the history of the game. Audience Older, nostalgic hockey fans Those interested in sports photography Gift buyers.