The 1979 merger of the NHL and WHA was the culmination of several years of negotiations between the National Hockey League (NHL) and the World Hockey Association (WHA) that resulted in four WHA franchises, the Edmonton Oilers, New England Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets, joining the NHL as expansion franchises for the 1979–80 season. The agreement ended the seven year existence of the WHA, and re-established the NHL as the lone major league in North American hockey.