North Stars History - Merge with Cleveland & 91 Expansion Draft

[GophersInIowa]

Somehow I had never heard about this but it came up on twitter recently. The Barons in the NHL were the last team of the four major leagues that folded. It resulted in them merging with the North Stars. There was a Dispersal draft where the worst 5 teams could pick players not protected from Cleveland or MN. I had never heard or read about this before.

1978 NHL Dispersal Draft

A collection of rare hockey statistics and trivia you (probably) won't find anywhere else.

historicalhockey.blogspot.com

I barely remember the 91 expansion draft involving San Jose and the North Stars but also discovered this again recently. Bizarre and something that would never happen today.

1991 NHL Expansion Draft Picks at hockeydb.com

A sortable list of players drafted in the 1991 NHL Expansion draft, including their career scoring after being drafted

www.hockeydb.com

 

[BTChamp]

Interesting. I didn't know that either.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

The Stars had some interesting ups and downs. A franchise that went to the Stanley Cup Finals twice, but also wound up in such bad shape that they had to merge with another team just to stay alive.

as noted above, the '91 deal was unique. for people who did not read the whole thing, the Stars' owner wanted to move the team to San Jose. A deal was worked out so that the owner was granted an expansion franchise in San Jose, but he also got to take some of the North Stars' players with him to the new club. When the NHL held an expansion draft, players were chosen to stock both the expansion club and re-stock the North Stars' roster.


having said that, the "Barons" was a decent nickname. the Cleveland Baseball team should have used that instead of "Guardians."

 

[Ope3]

The Cleveland Barons were relocated from the Bay Area, and were the California Golden Seals, part of the Second 6 (along with the North Stars). So technically with the 1991 disbursement Draft from the North Stars/Sharks, the franchise (partially) went full circle back to the Bay when they landed in San Jose.

 

[GophersInIowa]

It's interesting to me that the North Stars were struggling so badly financially. They did have a rough stretch during the middly 70's but otherwise made the playoffs most years.

 

[Ope3]

It's interesting to me that the North Stars were struggling so badly financially. They did have a rough stretch during the middly 70's but otherwise made the playoffs most years.

Keep in mind that in a 21 team league, 16 were making the playoffs.

From 1983 to 1992, all they had to do to make the playoffs was as least finish 4th in a 5 team Division. 1985 - 1992, they finished 2nd in 1986 and 3rd in 1989. Every other year they were in the bottom 2. They only missed the playoffs twice in that run, but it was filled with a lot of lousy hockey. Fans had checked out.

Somehow they caught lightning in a bottle in their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1991. In the 5 years before that they had not won a play-off series.

Their last year in Minnesota 1992-93, following expansion, they had to finish in the Top 4 out of 6, but just missed in the 5 spot.

 

[Ogie Ogilthorpe]

It still stands today...

F"CK NORM GREEN

 

[Bad Gopher]

I remember the North Stars getting some great players from the Barons, which propelled their run to the finals in 1981. Without looking it up, I'm pretty sure Gordie Roberts was a Baron...and was Tom McCarthy, too?

 

[Ope3]

I remember the North Stars getting some great players from the Barons, which propelled their run to the finals in 1981. Without looking it up, I'm pretty sure Gordie Roberts was a Baron...and was Tom McCarthy, too?

Al MacAdam was probably the best pickup. I think both Roberts and McCarthy were already North Stars prospects.

 

[Ope3]

Al MacAdam was probably the best pickup. I think both Roberts and McCarthy were already North Stars prospects.

Per wiki, Roberts was acquired via trade with the Hartford Whalers for Mike Fidler. He was with them going back to the WHA (New England Whalers).

Also per wiki, McCarthy was the 10th overall pick by the North Stars in the 1979 NHL Draft. Made the opening day roster later that fall.