A look back: The Minnesota North Stars, the story back then and its legacy today
Written by Derek Felska | 19 July 2011
This summer, we witnessed a team from Atlanta re-locate to a former NHL market in Winnipeg to become the Jets 2.0. For Atlanta, it was the 2nd time in 40 years that they lost an NHL franchise and rather likely means it will never be home to an NHL team ever again. For Winnipeg, it was a reprieve, a second chance at hosting an NHL club and a do-over where it can show the hockey world that the league never should've left Manitoba. In someways its a lot like the Wild's story, as Slap Shot goaltender Denis Lemieux would've stated "we felt shame" when the North Stars departed Minnesota in 1993 for Dallas, Texas. Bringing NHL hockey back to Minnesota became a mission for some people; and even a 'trophy' that was featured in political ads. We tried to snag other clubs that were apart of the relocation craze of the mid-1990's; attempting to bring the Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and the Winnipeg Jets to no avail. It wasn't until the league granted Minnesota an expansion team in 1997 did we finally realize the league was coming back.
When I look back on it, its tough to believe that it was 18 years ago when the North Stars left the State of Hockey. I was 14 at the time, but it still seems surreal to me to this day. Today, I live in South Central Wisconsin not too far from the tourist mecca that is Wisconsin Dells and people who know that I'm a hockey fan will ask me if the team is still called the North Stars. As a former North Stars fan and current Wild fan I cringe and calmly explain that they're the Wild and they've been around for 10 seasons. That normally draws a shrug of the shoulders and a "oh, really, the Wild huh? Do they play in Minneapolis?" Another near cringe on my part, and I tell them they play in St. Paul. "Oh, St. Paul?!?! Hmm, whatever happened to the North Stars anyways?" I normally (sigh) and give them a fairly condensed version of why the team left for Dallas and how we waited 7 long years for the NHL to return to Minnesota. Yet, it tells me two things. To those outside the State of Hockey; and for a great many of those fans who were barely old enough to remember the North Stars this even seems to be a mystery. Also, for anyone who lived outside of Minnesota there wasn't a lot (if anything) reported about the sad tale other than when the team left for Texas. I began to think about how now there are kids who are 10 years old that really are unfamiliar with the tragedy on September 11th, because for them it either happened as they were an infant. For 'older' fans we remember this without too much difficulty and these youngsters can quickly be brought up to speed via a few Internet searches. Yet how many places can you find out why the North Stars really left? A quick search via Google only finds 3 places that explain the story; and 2 of those are on message boards.
It is a story that deserves to be told. It is a story that needs the correct context as well as a fan's perspective so those that hear about what happened can read what those people felt that were around when this departure took place. So what I am going to attempt to do is to stick to the facts, using a variety of different sources as well as fan recollections to really tell the whole story. Will some argue my bias; perhaps, but I never said this story was going to be 100% objective. I'll do my best to keep it that way but I am sure someone could find bias to my recollection of what took place. To use a line from the Declaration of Independence (which wasn't exactly written without bias either), "let these facts be submitted to a candid world." (click on the link for the rest of the article)
Perhaps some of you don't know the whole story; or perhaps you were too young to know what all led up to the North Stars leaving Minnesota. I was surprised to find that this subject did not really have all that great of a summary. So hopefully this answers the questions and gives you an idea of how it made fans feel when it happened. You have to wonder if Atlanta is feeling this way right now?!?! Enjoy!
Last edited by this providence: 07-24-2011 at 07:51 AM.
I got to see one game live before they left. I was around 4 or 5 years old. My dad told me to watch for "some guy" wearing number 66. He looked OK.
Even to this day, I sorta wish we could've pulled a Cleveland Browns and got the name back
Doesn't the Dallas Stars still own the name? I wouldn't mind us having it back either, North Stars was a good name. The Wild name has grown on me, but I remember when it was picked that I didn't think it was a good name.
Doesn't the Dallas Stars still own the name? I wouldn't mind us having it back either, North Stars was a good name. The Wild name has grown on me, but I remember when it was picked that I didn't think it was a good name.
Yeah, and they wouldn't have allowed a team to come back as the North Stars when they called themselves the Stars. It would've only been possible if they had changed their name altogether.
I guess people considered it a new chapter in MN hockey so a new name was fitting, but hot damn do I love that logo
Even to this day, I sorta wish we could've pulled a Cleveland Browns and got the name back
I did for the longest time, although the main problem is just having a team with a lot of history essentially keeping the same name. That's just a slap in the face.
I was at the last North Stars game in 1993 and I was there last week for the Dallas game. I just realized that the North Stars legacy didn't die in 1993, but instead at that very moment when Mike Modano slipped on that familar green and gold jersey one last time for the fans of Minnesota.
a79krgm - Thanks for posting that video! I live in California & because of the time change I had to listen to the game on the radio. I heard them say that Modano was going to throw on the old North Stars jersey and I was waiting for somone to post it so I could see!
Anyway, on Wild Radio they mentioned that the Wild have something in the works to try & bring back the North Stars jersey! I don't know how they're going to do it or if it'll be a 1 night thing or an eventual 3rd jersey but it it was mentioned..
If I had to guess I'd say thery're are going to try and do some kind of Minnesota hockey tribute where over a few games and/or seasons they'll bring back jersey's like the North Stars & the Fightning Saints, etc.. I think that's the only way they can do it because it's not like we can just go & be the North Stars again.. It'll be interesting to see how they go about it. I know I'd LOVE a Wild 3rd jersey that's the North Stars colors & logo but with a Wild or state of hockey patch on the shoulders! (A Fighting Saints would be sweet too!)
Lastly, I gotta mention that when I was a little tyke, about 9 years old, my dad used to take me to North Stars games at the Met, and I'll never forget when my dad had me go stand by the tunnel and give high 5's to the players. Modano started into the tunnel, stopped backed up a step & gave me a big high 5. As a little kid I thought that was the coolest thing ever & he's been one of my favorite players ever since! Sad to see him go...
I'm sure you guys have seen this already but I just saw it during the Blackhawks game, brought a smile to my face to see Neal Broten's jersey out there!
Last edited by GopherState: 04-16-2010 at 09:24 PM.
I'm sure you guys have seen this already but I just saw it during the Blackhawks game, brought a smile to my face to see Neal Broten's jersey out there!
That's awesome!
On a related note, the car was also from Minnesota.
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Blog: First Round Bust: A Cast of Thousands celebrating a rather dodgy track record of Minnesota Wild Drafting.
"Will beats skill when skill doesn't have enough will."
-Doug Woog
At the very least, the Wild do take the North Stars' history as part of the "State of Hockey" branding. It would be nice to see them (if this is legally possible) honor Broten's 7, Goldsworthy's 8, Masterton's 19 and Modano's 9 but not retire the numbers (sort of like how the Leafs do things) however.
If the team can retire the #1 for the fans, they can do whatever the hell they want. They can retire the #7 for what Broten has done for the State of Hockey!
