Minnesota North Stars facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Minnesota North Stars |
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| Founded | 1967 |
| History | Minnesota North Stars 1967–1993 Dallas Stars 1993–present |
| Home arena | Met Center |
| City | Bloomington, Minnesota |
| Colors | Green, gold, black, white |
| Stanley Cups | 0 |
| Conference championships | 1 (1990–91) |
| Presidents' Trophies | 0 |
| Division championships | 2 (1981–82, 1983–84) |
The Minnesota North Stars was a professional ice hockey team that played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 26 seasons. They played from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. Their main colors were green, yellow, gold, and white. The team played 2,062 regular season games and made it to the NHL playoffs 17 times. They even reached the Stanley Cup Finals twice, but never won the Stanley Cup. After the 1992–93 season, the team moved to Dallas and is now known as the Dallas Stars.
Contents
History of the North Stars
How the Team Started
On March 11, 1965, the NHL announced it would add six new teams. This would make the league grow from six to twelve teams for the 1967–68 season. A group of nine people, led by Walter Bush, Jr., wanted a team for the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. Their hard work paid off! Minnesota was given one of the six new teams on February 9, 1966. Other new teams went to Oakland, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. Each new team had to pay $2 million to join the league.
The name "North Stars" was chosen on May 25, 1966, after a public contest. The name comes from Minnesota's state motto, "L'Étoile du Nord," which is French for "The Star of the North." Construction for their new arena, the Metropolitan Sports Center, began on October 3, 1966. It was built in just 12 months for about $7 million. The arena was ready for the 1967–68 NHL season. However, some parts were still being finished when fans arrived for the first home game on October 21, 1967.
The Early Years
The North Stars played their first game on October 11, 1967, against the St. Louis Blues. The game ended in a 2–2 tie. Bill Masterton scored the first goal in the team's history. On October 21, 1967, the North Stars won their first home game 3–1 against the California Seals. The team started strong, even reaching first place in their division halfway through their first season.
A sad event happened on January 13, 1968. Bill Masterton suffered a serious injury during a game. He fell backward and hit his head on the ice. He passed away two days later, at age 29. Doctors said he had a "massive brain injury." This is still the only time a player has died from an injury during an NHL game. The North Stars retired his jersey number. Later that year, hockey writers created the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. This award is given each year to a player who shows great perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
After Masterton's death, the North Stars lost their next six games. Despite this, they finished fourth in their division and made the playoffs in their first year. In the 1968 playoffs, they beat the Los Angeles Kings in seven games. Then, they faced the St. Louis Blues in the West finals. The series also went to seven games. The North Stars were very close to reaching the Stanley Cup Finals, but they lost the final game in double overtime.
Key players in the early years included goalies Lorne "Gump" Worsley and Cesare Maniago. Defenseman Ted Harris was the team's captain. Other important players were high-scoring winger Bill Goldsworthy, Barry Gibbs, Jude Drouin, J. P. Parise, Danny Grant, Lou Nanne, Tom Reid, and Dennis Hextall.
In 1972, another hockey league, the World Hockey Association (WHA), started with a team in St. Paul, the Minnesota Fighting Saints. The North Stars and Fighting Saints never played each other, but they competed for local hockey fans. The Fighting Saints faced money problems and eventually stopped playing.
By 1978, the North Stars had struggled, missing the playoffs in five of the last six seasons. Their attendance was very low, and the league worried the team might fold. Then, Gordon and George Gund III, who owned the struggling Cleveland Barons, came up with a unique idea. They merged the North Stars with the Barons. The new team kept the North Stars name, colors, and history, and stayed in Minnesota. The Gunds became the main owners. The North Stars moved to the Adams Division. This merger brought new players like goalie Gilles Meloche and forwards Al MacAdam and Mike Fidler. The North Stars also drafted Bobby Smith, who won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best rookie that year. Steve Payne also joined and scored 42 goals in his second season.
On January 15, 1979, the North Stars beat the New York Rangers 8-1. Tim Young scored 5 goals on 5 shots, which was a rare achievement.
The 1980s: Playoff Runs
On January 7, 1980, the North Stars played the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers had a record-breaking 35-game undefeated streak. A huge crowd of 15,962 fans, the largest ever at Met Center, came to watch. The North Stars ended the Flyers' streak with a 7–1 win. Seven different North Stars players scored goals. In the 1980 playoffs, the North Stars surprised everyone by beating the four-time champion Montreal Canadiens in seven games. They then lost to the Flyers in the next round.
With new players like Minnesota native Neal Broten and goal-scorer Dino Ciccarelli, the North Stars had five winning seasons in a row starting in 1979–80. They reached the Stanley Cup semifinals twice. In 1981, they beat the Calgary Flames to reach their first Stanley Cup Final. However, they lost in five games to the strong New York Islanders.
On November 11, 1981, the North Stars had a huge 15-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets. Bobby Smith scored 4 goals and had 7 points in that game.
After the NHL changed its divisions in 1981, the North Stars were placed in the Norris Division. Dino Ciccarelli scored a team record 55 goals in 1981–82. This helped Minnesota win its first division title. But they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Chicago Black Hawks.
In the summer of 1982, general manager Lou Nanne made a big move. He drafted Brian Bellows, a highly talented player. Bellows scored 35 goals in his first season (1982–83). The team had 40 wins and 96 points, their best record in Minnesota. But again, they lost to the Black Hawks in the playoffs.
In 1983–84, the team wanted to do better. Bill Mahoney became the new coach. Early in the season, a big trade happened. Popular player Bobby Smith was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for forwards Keith Acton and Mark Napier. The team had 39 wins, their second-highest total. They won their second Norris Division title in three years. The Norris Division was not very strong that year; the North Stars were the only team with a winning record.
In the playoffs, the North Stars finally beat their rival, the Chicago Black Hawks, in five games. Then, they eliminated the St. Louis Blues in seven games. They were one step away from the Stanley Cup Final. But they faced Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers were too strong and swept Minnesota in four games. The Oilers went on to win their first Stanley Cup.
After 1984, the team only had one more winning season in Minnesota, in 1985–86. In 1987–88, they won only 19 games, one of their worst seasons ever. However, the Norris Division was so weak that year that the North Stars almost made the playoffs despite their poor record. They missed the playoffs on the last day of the season. In the late 1980s, the team drafted Mike Modano, who would become one of their greatest players. But the team had ongoing attendance problems. The owners threatened to move the team to the San Francisco Bay Area.
The 1990s: A Cinderella Run
For the 1990–91 season, the NHL made a deal. The Gund brothers, who owned the North Stars, were given a new expansion team in the Bay Area, the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks would get some players from Minnesota. Then, both the Sharks and North Stars could pick players from other NHL teams in an expansion draft. A group led by Howard Baldwin and Morris Belzberg bought the North Stars. Later, Norman Green bought most of the team, becoming the sole owner by October 1990.
In the 1990–91 season, even though they had a losing record, the North Stars had an amazing playoff run. They were like a "Cinderella" story. They beat the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues (the top two teams in the NHL) in six games each. Then, they beat the defending champion Edmonton Oilers in five games. This sent them to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time. They played hard against the Pittsburgh Penguins, led by Mario Lemieux. The North Stars won two of the first three games. But they lost Game 6 by a score of 8–0, ending their dream.
After the 1991 Finals, the North Stars changed their logo and uniforms. The new logo had the word "STARS" in gold over a green star. Black became the main color for their road jerseys. To celebrate their 25th anniversary, the team wore a special patch. It showed Bill Goldsworthy and Mike Modano.
The North Stars were allowed to keep most of their key players from the 1991 team. So, they didn't lose many important players to the San Jose Sharks. In the 1992 playoffs, they faced the Detroit Red Wings. The North Stars led the series 3–2. But the Red Wings won Game 6 in overtime after a video review, which was the first time video replay was used in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Red Wings then won Game 7.
Moving to Dallas
By 1992, Norm Green planned to move the team to Anaheim, California, and call them the Los Angeles Stars. But The Walt Disney Company was already planning an NHL team there. So, the league asked Green to let Disney create the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. In return, the North Stars could move to any city Green chose. In January 1993, Green picked Dallas, Texas. This decision was officially announced on March 10. Many people in Minnesota were upset with Green, calling him "Norm Greed."
Another reason for the move was that the team didn't want to play at the Target Center. This arena had a different sponsor (Coca-Cola) than the Met Center (Pepsi). The newly moved Dallas Stars did play one game at Target Center on December 9, 1993. They beat the Ottawa Senators 6–1.
Norm Green sold the Stars to Tom Hicks in 1996 because of his own money problems.
The Dallas Stars have tried to connect with their Minnesota roots. When the Dallas Stars won the 1999 Stanley Cup, their official video honored the North Stars' 1991 playoff run. Star player Mike Modano and general manager Bob Gainey were part of both teams.
Modano, who retired in 2011, was the last former North Star to play in the NHL. After his last game as a Dallas Star, which was in Minnesota, Modano skated onto the ice wearing a North Stars jersey. The crowd gave him a standing ovation.
As of 2020, no one working for the Dallas Stars had a direct connection to the team's time in Minnesota.
Hockey Returns to Minnesota
NHL hockey came back to Minnesota in 1997. The state was given a new team, the Minnesota Wild, which started playing in the 2000–01 NHL season.
On December 17, 2000, the Wild played the Dallas Stars in Minnesota for the first time since the move. The Wild won that game 6–0. Darby Hendrickson scored two goals, and goalie Manny Fernandez had a shutout. The two teams also played each other in the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Stars won that series in six games.
On April 4, 2017, the Wild honored the North Stars by wearing North Stars jerseys during warmups. Martin Hanzal wore number 91 because the North Stars retired number 19 for Bill Masterton. Zach Parise also used equipment that belonged to his father, Jean-Paul Parise, who played for the North Stars.
An alumni game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Team Minnesota took place before the 2016 NHL Stadium Series. Team Minnesota wore throwback North Stars jerseys.
For the 2020–21 season, the Minnesota Wild wore a special "Reverse Retro" jersey. It was a version of the 1978 North Stars jersey with a recolored Wild logo. A green version was used in the 2022–23 season.
Team Records and Achievements
Season-by-Season Results
The North Stars made the playoffs 17 times. They had a playoff record of 77 wins and 82 losses. They won 2 Norris Division championships and 2 Campbell Conference championships.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
| Season | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1967–68 | 74 | 27 | 32 | 15 | 69 | 191 | 226 | 738 | fourth, West | Won Quarterfinals (Kings) 4–3 Lost Semifinals (Blues) 4–3 |
| 1968–69 | 76 | 18 | 43 | 15 | 51 | 189 | 270 | 862 | sixth, West | Did not make playoffs |
| 1969–70 | 76 | 19 | 35 | 22 | 60 | 224 | 257 | 1,008 | third, West | Lost Quarterfinals (Blues) 4–2 |
| 1970–71 | 78 | 28 | 34 | 16 | 72 | 191 | 223 | 898 | fourth, West | Won Quarterfinals (Blues) 4–2 Lost Semifinals (Canadiens) 4–2 |
| 1971–72 | 78 | 37 | 29 | 12 | 86 | 212 | 191 | 853 | second, West | Lost Quarterfinals (Blues) 4–3 |
| 1972–73 | 78 | 37 | 30 | 11 | 85 | 254 | 230 | 881 | third, West | Lost Quarterfinals (Flyers) 4–2 |
| 1973–74 | 78 | 23 | 38 | 17 | 63 | 235 | 275 | 821 | seventh, West | Did not make playoffs |
| 1974–75 | 80 | 23 | 50 | 7 | 53 | 221 | 341 | 1,106 | fourth, Smythe | Did not make playoffs |
| 1975–76 | 80 | 20 | 53 | 7 | 47 | 195 | 303 | 1,191 | fourth, Smythe | Did not make playoffs |
| 1976–77 | 80 | 23 | 39 | 18 | 64 | 240 | 310 | 774 | second, Smythe | Lost Preliminary (Sabres) 2–0 |
| 1977–78 | 80 | 18 | 53 | 9 | 45 | 218 | 325 | 1,096 | fifth, Smythe | Did not make playoffs |
| 1978–79 | 80 | 28 | 40 | 12 | 68 | 257 | 289 | 1,102 | fourth, Adams | Did not make playoffs |
| 1979–80 | 80 | 36 | 28 | 16 | 88 | 311 | 253 | 1,064 | third, Adams | Won Preliminary (Maple Leafs) 3–0 Won Quarterfinals (Canadiens) 4–3 Lost Semifinals (Flyers) 4–1 |
| 1980–81 | 80 | 35 | 28 | 17 | 87 | 291 | 263 | 1,624 | third, Adams | Won Preliminary (Bruins) 3–0 Won Quarterfinals (Sabres) 4–1 Won Semifinals (Flames) 4–2 Lost Stanley Cup Finals (Islanders) 4–1 |
| 1981–82 | 80 | 37 | 23 | 20 | 94 | 346 | 288 | 1,358 | first, Norris | Lost Division Semifinals (Blackhawks) 3–1 |
| 1982–83 | 80 | 40 | 24 | 16 | 96 | 321 | 290 | 1,520 | second, Norris | Won Division Semifinals (Maple Leafs) 3–1 Lost Division Finals (Blackhawks) 4–1 |
| 1983–84 | 80 | 39 | 31 | 10 | 88 | 345 | 344 | 1,696 | first, Norris | Won Division Semifinals (Blackhawks) 3–2 Won Division Finals (Blues) 4–3 Lost Conference Finals (Oilers) 4–0 |
| 1984–85 | 80 | 25 | 43 | 12 | 62 | 268 | 321 | 1,735 | fourth, Norris | Won Division Semifinals (Blues) 3–0 Lost Division Finals (Blackhawks) 4–2 |
| 1985–86 | 80 | 38 | 33 | 9 | 85 | 327 | 305 | 1,672 | second, Norris | Lost Division Semifinals (Blues) 3–2 |
| 1986–87 | 80 | 30 | 40 | 10 | 70 | 296 | 314 | 1,936 | fifth, Norris | Did not make playoffs |
| 1987–88 | 80 | 19 | 48 | 13 | 51 | 242 | 349 | 2,313 | fifth, Norris | Did not make playoffs |
| 1988–89 | 80 | 27 | 37 | 16 | 70 | 258 | 278 | 1,972 | third, Norris | Lost Division Semifinals (Blues) 4–1 |
| 1989–90 | 80 | 36 | 40 | 4 | 76 | 284 | 291 | 2,041 | fourth, Norris | Lost Division Semifinals (Blackhawks) 4–3 |
| 1990–91 | 80 | 27 | 39 | 14 | 68 | 256 | 266 | 1,964 | fourth, Norris | Won Division Semifinals (Blackhawks) 4–2 Won Division Finals (Blues) 4–2 Won Conference Finals (Oilers) 4–1 Lost Stanley Cup Finals (Penguins) 4–2 |
| 1991–92 | 80 | 32 | 42 | 6 | 70 | 246 | 278 | 2,169 | fourth, Norris | Lost Division Semifinals (Red Wings) 4–3 |
| 1992–93 | 84 | 36 | 38 | 10 | 82 | 272 | 293 | 1,885 | fifth, Norris | Did not make playoffs |
| Totals | 2,062 | 758 | 970 | 334 | 1,850 | 6,690 | 7,373 | 36,279 |
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Team Leaders
Here are some of the North Stars' top players and their records:
- Regular Season Records
- Most Games Played: Neal Broten, 876
- Most Goals: Brian Bellows, 342
- Most Assists: Neal Broten, 547
- Most Points: Neal Broten, 796
- Most Penalty Minutes: Basil McRae, 1,567
- Most Goalie Games: Cesare Maniago, 420
- Most Goalie Wins: Cesare Maniago, 145
- Most Shutouts: Cesare Maniago, 26
- Single Season Records
- Most Goals: Dino Ciccarelli (1981-82) and Brian Bellows (1989-90), 55
- Most Assists: Neal Broten, 76 (1985-86)
- Most Points: Bobby Smith, 114 (1981-82)
- Most Penalty Minutes: Basil McRae, 382 (1987-88)
- Most Goalie Wins: Jon Casey, 31 (1989-90)
- Most Shutouts: Cesare Maniago, 6 (1967-68)
- Playoff Records
- Most Games Played: Neal Broten, 104
- Most Goals: Steve Payne, 35
- Most Assists: Bobby Smith, 50
- Most Points: Brian Bellows, 83
- Most Penalty Minutes: Willi Plett, 201
- Most Goalie Games: Gilles Meloche, 45
- Most Goalie Wins: Gilles Meloche and Jon Casey, 21
- Most Shutouts: Cesare Maniago, 3
Top Scorers in Team History
This table shows the top ten players with the most points for the Minnesota North Stars.
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game
| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | +/− | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neal Broten | C | 876 | 249 | 547 | 796 | 15 | 457 |
| Brian Bellows | LW | 753 | 342 | 380 | 722 | −82 | 537 |
| Dino Ciccarelli | RW | 602 | 332 | 319 | 651 | −2 | 642 |
| Bobby Smith | C | 572 | 185 | 369 | 554 | −43 | 487 |
| Bill Goldsworthy | RW | 670 | 267 | 239 | 506 | −86 | 711 |
| Tim Young | C | 565 | 178 | 316 | 494 | −71 | 401 |
| Steve Payne | LW | 613 | 228 | 238 | 466 | 31 | 435 |
| Craig Hartsburg | D | 570 | 98 | 315 | 413 | −6 | 815 |
| Dave Gagner | C | 440 | 187 | 217 | 404 | −10 | 577 |
| J. P. Parise | LW | 588 | 154 | 242 | 396 | −85 | 509 |
NHL Awards and Trophies
The North Stars won some important NHL awards:
- 1990–91 (Awarded to the Western Conference playoff champion)
Calder Memorial Trophy (Best Rookie Player)
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Perseverance, Sportsmanship, and Dedication)
- Al MacAdam: 1979–80
Team Leaders
Team Captains
Here are the players who served as team captains for the Minnesota North Stars:
- Bob Woytowich 1967–68
- Elmer Vasko 1968–69
- Claude Larose 1969–70
- Ted Harris 1970–74
- Bill Goldsworthy 1974–76
- Bill Hogaboam 1976–77
- Nick Beverley 1977–78
- J. P. Parise 1978–79
- Paul Shmyr 1979–81
- Tim Young 1981–82
- Craig Hartsburg 1982–89
- Brian Bellows 1984 (interim)
- Curt Giles 1989–91
- Mark Tinordi 1991–93
Head Coaches
These are the coaches who led the Minnesota North Stars:
- Wren Blair, 1967–70
- John Muckler, 1968–69
- Charlie Burns, 1969–70, 1974–75
- Jack Gordon, 1970–75
- Parker MacDonald, 1973–74
- Ted Harris, 1975–78
- Andre Beaulieu, 1977–78
- Lou Nanne, 1977–78
- Harry Howell, 1978–79
- Glen Sonmor, 1978–87
- Murray Oliver, 1982–83
- Bill Mahoney, 1983–85
- Lorne Henning, 1985–87
- Herb Brooks, 1987–88
- Pierre Page, 1988–90
- Bob Gainey, 1990–93
Famous Players
Hockey Hall of Fame
These former Minnesota North Stars players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame:
| Name | Position | Years Played | Inducted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leo Boivin | D | 1969–1970 | 1986 |
| Mike Gartner | RW | 1989–1990 | 2001 |
| Larry Murphy | D | 1989–1990 | 2004 |
| Gump Worsley | G | 1969–1974 | 1980 |
| Dino Ciccarelli | RW | 1980–1989 | 2010 |
| Mike Modano | C | 1989–1993 | 2014 |
Retired Numbers
The North Stars retired two jersey numbers to honor special players:
| Minnesota North Stars Retired Numbers | ||||
| N° | Player | Position | Years Played | Date Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Bill Goldsworthy | RW | 1967–1977 | February 15, 1992 |
| 19 | Bill Masterton | C | 1967–1968 | January 17, 1987 |
These numbers are still retired by the Dallas Stars today. The Dallas Stars have also retired number 7 for Neal Broten and number 9 for Mike Modano. Both players were also North Stars.
First Round Draft Picks
The North Stars picked these players in the first round of the NHL Draft:
- 1967: Wayne Cheesman (4th overall)
- 1968: Jim Benzelock (5th overall)
- 1969: Dick Redmond (5th overall)
- 1972: Jerry Byers (12th overall)
- 1974: Doug Hicks (6th overall)
- 1975: Bryan Maxwell (4th overall)
- 1976: Glen Sharpley (3rd overall)
- 1977: Brad Maxwell (7th overall)
- 1978: Bobby Smith (1st overall)
- 1979: Craig Hartsburg (6th overall) and Tom McCarthy (10th overall)
- 1980: Brad Palmer (16th overall)
- 1981: Ron Meighan (13th overall)
- 1982: Brian Bellows (2nd overall)
- 1983: Brian Lawton (1st overall)
- 1984: David Quinn (13th overall)
- 1986: Warren Babe (12th overall)
- 1987: Dave Archibald (6th overall)
- 1988: Mike Modano (1st overall)
- 1989: Doug Zmolek (7th overall)
- 1990: Derian Hatcher (8th overall)
- 1991: Richard Matvichuk (8th overall)
Logos and Colors
The North Stars were famous for their green and gold colors. For most of their history, they wore white jerseys with green and gold stripes at home. On the road, they wore green jerseys with white and gold stripes. Black trim was added to the white jerseys in 1981 and to the green jerseys in 1988. In 1988-89, their pants changed from green to black.
In 1991, the team changed its look completely. Black became the main color. The new logo and uniforms were kept when the team moved to Dallas.
Broadcasting the Games
North Stars games were shown on TV and heard on the radio.
On TV, WTCN-TV (Channel 11) showed games from 1967 to 1979. They usually showed 27 road games and 3 home games each season. Later, games moved to KMSP-TV. Frank Mazzocco and Wally Shaver called games on KITN from 1984 to 1987. Doug McLeod and Chico Resch also called games.
On the radio, games were on WCCO Radio from 1967 to 1978, then on KSTP. Al Shaver was the main radio play-by-play announcer for the entire time the Stars were in Minnesota. He was known for his exciting calls. His partners included Larry Jagoe, Steve Cannon, Russ Small, Ted Robinson, and Ralph Strangis.
Al Shaver did not move with the team to Dallas in 1993. He continued to call University of Minnesota Golden Gophers hockey games until he retired in 1996. He even came out of retirement for one season in 2000 to call games for the new Minnesota Wild team.
Tom Reid, a former North Stars player, was a color commentator for 12 years. After the team moved, he continued to work in hockey broadcasting. He and Bob Kurtz are now part of the radio team for the Minnesota Wild.
Ralph Strangis, who was a color commentator for the North Stars, became the main play-by-play announcer for the Dallas Stars after the move.
Images for kids
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The original North Stars logo, used until 1975.
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The North Stars logo used for the 1991–92 and 1992–93 seasons, before the move to Dallas. Dallas adopted a similar logo until 2013.
See also
- List of Minnesota North Stars players
- List of Minnesota North Stars draft picks
- Dallas Stars
- Minnesota Wild
- California Seals
- Cleveland Barons
- List of defunct NHL teams
- 1967 NHL expansion
