1967–68 Minnesota North Stars season

Offseason

On March 11, 1965, NHL President Clarence Campbell announced that the league would expand to twelve teams from six through the creation of a new six-team division for the 1967–68 season. In response to Campbell's announcement, a partnership of nine men, led by Walter Bush and John Driscoll, was formed to seek a franchise for the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. In addition to Minnesota, the five other franchises were California (Oakland), Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Months after the naming of the team, ground was broken on October 3, 1966, for a new hockey arena in Bloomington, Minnesota. Spectator seats were in the process of being installed as fans arrived at the arena for the opening home game on October 21, 1967.

Regular season

Bill Masterton

On January 13, 1968, four minutes into a game against the Seals at the Met Center, North Stars center Bill Masterton was checked by Oakland's Larry Cahan and Ron Harris and fell backwards onto the ice head-first. The force of the back of his head hitting the ice damaged the pons and caused severe hemorrhaging, as blood gushed from his mouth and nose. Masterton was taken to hospital where he died two days later, becoming the only player ever to die as a result of an on-ice injury.

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Playoffs

The North Stars, having squeaked into the playoffs by two points (having the same number of wins as Pittsburgh but with two more ties) would play the #2 seed in the newly created Western Division side of the postseason bracket, since the expansion from six to twelve teams put all the new teams in the Western that would ensure one of them to play in the Stanley Cup. At any rate, Minnesota would play in five overtime games in their fourteen postseason matches, winning just two of them. The North Stars, facing the chance to go to the Stanley Cup, took the lead in Game 7 on Walt McKechnie's goal with 3:11 to play. However, the Blues followed it up 31 seconds later with a goal from Dickie Moore that would mean overtime. Cesare Maniago and Glenn Hall combined for 80 saves, but Ron Schock's "Midnight Goal" in double-overtime (it would be known as the "Midnight Goal" by numerous fans) to send the Blues to the Final.

In the first round of the Western Division playoffs, the North Stars defeated the Los Angeles Kings in seven games. The second round of the playoff series would be played against the St. Louis Blues and that series would go to seven games as well. The Blues would win the seventh game and advance to face the Montreal Canadiens in the 1968 Stanley Cup Finals.

Schedule and results

|- |1||T||October 11, 1967||2–2 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1967–68) ||0–0–1 |- |2||L||October 14, 1967||0–6 || align="left"| @ California Seals (1967–68) ||0–1–1 |- |3||L||October 15, 1967||3–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1967–68) ||0–2–1 |- |4||T||October 18, 1967||3–3 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1967–68) ||0–2–2 |- |5||W||October 21, 1967||3–1 || align="left"| California Seals (1967–68) ||1–2–2 |- |6||W||October 25, 1967||3–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1967–68) ||2–2–2 |- |7||L||October 28, 1967||2–4 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1967–68) ||2–3–2

| Legend:

Playoffs

|- | 1 ||W|| April 4, 1968 || 1–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings || North Stars lead 1–0 |- | 2 ||W|| April 6, 1968 || 0–2 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings || North Stars lead 2–0 |- | 3 ||L|| April 9, 1968 || 7–5 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings || North Stars lead 2–1 |- | 4 ||L|| April 11, 1968 || 3–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings || Series tied 2–2 |- | 5 ||L|| April 13, 1968 || 2–3 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings || Kings lead 3–2 |- | 6 ||W|| April 16, 1968 || 4–3 (OT) || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings || Series tied 3–3 |- | 7 ||W|| April 18, 1968 || 9–4 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings || North Stars win 4–3

| Legend:

Player statistics

Forwards

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Defensemen

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Goaltending

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

Draft picks

Expansion draft

Amateur draft

Minnesota's draft picks at the 1967 NHL amateur draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.

References

References

1. "A to Z Encyclopaedia of Ice Hockey – Mi".
2. Showers, Bob. (2007). "Minnesota North Stars: History and Memories with Lou Nanne". Beaver's Pond Press.
3. Showers, Bob. (2007). "Minnesota North Stars: History and Memories with Lou Nanne". Beaver's Pond Press.
4. Showers, Bob. (2007). "Minnesota North Stars: History and Memories with Lou Nanne". Beaver's Pond Press.
5. "1967-68 Minnesota North Stars Schedule".
6. (2017). "The California Golden Seals: a tale of white skates, red ink, and one of the NHLs most outlandish teams". University of Nebraska Press.
7. "1967-68 Minnesota North Stars Roster and Statistics".