Minnesota North Stars

Lore & Background

The North Stars were one of six expansion franchises awarded by the NHL on February 9, 1966, for the 1967–68 season. The name 'North Stars' was announced on May 25, 1966, after a public contest, deriving from the state motto 'L'Étoile du Nord' (French for 'The Star of the North'). Ground was broken on October 3, 1966, for the Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington, built in 12 months at a cost of $7 million. The arena was ready for the start of the 1967–68 season, though spectator seats were still being installed as fans arrived for the opening home game on October 21, 1967.

Tragedy struck on January 13, 1968, when forward Bill Masterton suffered a fatal head injury during a game against the California Seals at Met Center, dying two days later. This remains the only death of a player as a result of an injury during an NHL game. The North Stars retired his jersey, and the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was established by hockey writers. The team achieved early success, reaching first place in the West Division halfway through the 1967–68 season and advancing to the playoffs in their first year, losing in the West finals in double overtime. In 1978, the franchise merged with the Cleveland Barons, retaining the North Stars name and colors, with the Gund brothers becoming majority owners. The North Stars moved to the Adams Division for the 1978–79 season.

Reader's Guide

The Minnesota North Stars are notable as one of the original six expansion teams of 1967, helping to double the size of the NHL. Their 26-season tenure in Minnesota included two Stanley Cup Final appearances, in 1981 and 1991, though they lost both. The franchise's history is marked by the tragic death of Bill Masterton, the only on-ice fatality in NHL history, which led to the creation of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The North Stars also participated in a rare merger with the Cleveland Barons in 1978, which saved the franchise from folding. The team's legacy includes a 35-game undefeated streak by the Philadelphia Flyers that ended with a 7–1 North Stars win on January 7, 1980, before a record Met Center crowd of 15,962. The franchise moved to Dallas after the 1992–93 season and became the Dallas Stars, ending the North Stars' presence in Minnesota.

Did You Know?

• Bill Masterton scored the first goal in franchise history on October 11, 1967, and later died from a head injury on January 15, 1968, the only such death in NHL history.
• The North Stars defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 7–1 on January 7, 1980, ending the Flyers' 35-game undefeated streak before a record Met Center crowd of 15,962.
• Bobby Smith scored five goals on five shots on January 15, 1979, becoming the second player in NHL history to do so.
• The North Stars scored 15 goals in a 15–2 win over the Winnipeg Jets on November 11, 1981, the most goals in an NHL game since 1944.

Founding the North Stars: Expansion and a New Arena

The Minnesota North Stars emerged from a bold vision announced by NHL President Clarence Campbell on March 11, 1965, when he revealed plans to double the league from six to twelve teams. A partnership of nine men, spearheaded by Walter Bush Jr., Robert Ridder, and John Driscoll, rallied to secure a franchise for the Twin Cities. Their bid succeeded on February 9, 1966, when Minnesota was granted one of six expansion slots alongside Oakland, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis, each new club paying a $2 million entry fee. The team's name, "North Stars," was unveiled on May 25, 1966, after a public contest, drawing from Minnesota's state motto "L'Étoile du Nord." Just months later, construction began on the Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington, completed in a remarkable twelve months for $7 million. The arena was nearly ready for the 1967–68 season, yet spectator seats were still being installed when fans filed in for the opening home game on October 21, 1967.

The Masterton Tragedy and Its Enduring Shadow

The North Stars' inaugural season carried a shadow that would define the franchise forever. On January 13, 1968, forward Bill Masterton, a former US National Team player who had scored the franchise's first goal just weeks earlier, was skating toward the California Seals' goal across the blue line at the Met Center. He tumbled backward, the back of his head striking the ice, and he was rendered unconscious. He never regained consciousness and passed away on January 15, at the age of 29, from what doctors described as a massive brain injury. To this day, it stands as the only death of a player during an NHL game. The North Stars retired his jersey in his honor, and that same year, hockey writers established the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to a player who best embodies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game. The emotional toll on the team was immediate and devastating: in the wake of the tragedy, Minnesota lost its next six games.

Survival Through the 1978 Merger and a New Era

By 1978, the North Stars were in dire straits. They had missed the playoffs in five of the previous six seasons, managed only two winning campaigns since joining the league, and attendance had plummeted to the point where the NHL feared the franchise might fold entirely. The solution came from an unlikely source: Gordon and George Gund III, owners of the equally troubled Cleveland Barons, proposed an unprecedented merger. The combined team kept the North Stars name, colors, and history while remaining in Minnesota, but the Gunds assumed majority ownership. The merged club shifted from the Smythe Division to the Adams Division for the 1978–79 season. Former player Lou Nanne was named general manager, and Barons veterans like goaltender Gilles Meloche and forwards Al MacAdam and Mike Fidler reinforced the roster. The rebuild bore fruit quickly: Bobby Smith captured the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's top rookie, and Steve Payne erupted with 42 goals in 1979–80. On January 15, 1979, Tim Young joined an exclusive group as just the second player ever in the NHL to net five goals from five shots, defeating the New York Rangers 8–1 at Madison Square Garden—a mark that still stands as the franchise's single-game offensive record.

Two Cup Finals, a Rivalry, and the Road to Dallas

Over 26 seasons spanning 1967 to 1993, the Minnesota North Stars compiled 2,062 regular-season games and earned 17 playoff berths, cementing themselves as a consistent postseason presence. Their crowning achievements came in two Stanley Cup Final appearances: in 1981 they fell to the New York Islanders, and in 1991 they were outmatched by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team's identity was anchored by the Met Center in Bloomington and a distinctive palette of green, yellow, gold, and white that defined their visual presence for most of their tenure. The franchise also navigated the competitive tension of the World Hockey Association era, when the Minnesota Fighting Saints played in St. Paul beginning in 1972, creating a fierce cross-town rivalry for hockey dollars even though the two clubs never met in exhibition games. The Fighting Saints ultimately folded due to insurmountable financial difficulties. After the 1992–93 season, the North Stars' era in Minnesota concluded as the franchise relocated to Dallas and was rebranded the Dallas Stars, carrying forward the combined history of both clubs.

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