No Stars: When Minnesota Lost Pro Hockey

How can Minnesota, the State of Hockey, lose a professional hockey team? This documentary pieces together what prompted the Minnesota North Stars to relocate to Texas in 1993 through interviews with former players, team employees and fans.

[JUVI]

Cool documentary. I’m from Winnipeg and I never really understood what happened to the North Stars. And 3 years later my beloved Jets went to Phoenix. Glad we both have teams back. Winnipeg vs Minnesota is a a cool rivalry

[nicholaspalodichuk]

Thanks for watching and I’m so happy to be a part of this. And of course, Norm Green sucks!

[io]

Fantastic documentary. I grew up in Minnesota in the 70/80's. As hockey playing kids, we were addicted to all things North Stars; was quite a blow to us when they left. I still have lots of North Star memorabilia from the great days of MN North Stars hockey! and the memories!

[wesleyblanton]

Long Story here, but it’s one of my Favorite Memories with Grandfather before he died. In 1980 when I turned 10, My Grandpa starting bringing me to one Vikings game a Year. If there happened to be a North Stars Game the night before, my Grandpa would get tickets and we would go to the Game. I think it was around 84 and the Oilers were in Town. It was Saturday Afternoon and we had just arrived in the Twin Cities from the Iron Range. I asked my Grandpa if we were going to go the the North Stars Game? He said no not Tonight. I think he saw the disappointment in my face and asked if I was upset. I said no I just wanted to see Wayne Gretzky. He said the Oilers are in Town!? He made one phone call and we had standing room only Tickets for the game. Some of the best seats ever!! My Grandfather was a very boisterous Man, when he cheered You heard on the other side of the stadium. Anyhow he bent down to tie his shoe, at that moment the wave came by us. He jumped up and started screaming at the top of his lungs looking around a little confused as there was a Tv timeout and the players were just standing around. As he looked around he tapped me on my shoulder and ask what had happened? He wanted to know what he was cheering for. I said it was the Wave that went by. We both cracked up and he then bent back down to finish tying his shoe! In 1991 I went into the Air Force, I got Stationed about an hour from Dallas. When the North Stars moved to Dallas, I thought great my Team followed me. I went to one game in Dallas and it wasn’t remotely close to the same as the North Stars playing at Met Center. I became a Sharks Fan that Day!

[tekikatt]

I was at the very last game ever played at the Met. Ty for a great documentary on my beloved North Stars. I am beyond happy that Modo was a part of this and so candid about it after many years have passed.

[RedPilz]

Excellent documentary!! I still find it hard to fully get into the Wild because I love the North Stars so much. All these years later and I'm still pissed they left. I have so many wonderful memories watching the games with family and friends. Ice fishing while listening to them on the radio, etc. Norm SUCKS!!!

[cjsawinski]

I was born in 85’. One of my earliest memories is my dad taking me to the last NorthStars home game. I remember just being blown away and living it, I got caught up in the “F Norm Green” chant! I had no idea what was going on or what I was saying, but I remember my dad looking at me stone cold and telling me “after tonight, you can never say that word again”… I didn’t even know what word he was talking about lol.

[toddpayne]

Even though I have never lived in Minnesota, I do have a couple of connections. I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and in the 1982-1983 season, Birmingham had the minor league team, the South Stars. My parents and I loved going to the games and that really helped me love the game of hockey. I now live in Dallas (don't hate me) and yes I do LOVE the Stars. Huge fan....I do respect the hell out of the Minnesota people and the history of the franchise. This is a GREAT documentary!!!!

[rkelly]

I’m a diehard Dallas Stars fan since 2006, and we love our team through and through and are so grateful to have hockey in our city. With that being said, I am sincerely sorry to North Star fans, and all Minnesotans for that matter, that getting our team came at your expense, I really wish it could have been an expansion team or something that brought hockey to Dallas. Although I’m grateful they came here, I will never feel comfortable praising norm greed or giving him credit in any way. My father was a diehard Houston oilers fan from the 70’s up until the 90’s and they experienced a similar situation when they moved to Tennessee. They took all the colors, logo and history and today none of it remains in Houston, where it belongs. I greatly appreciate the North Stars history, every time I sit in the AAC I look at Masterton’s retired number and think about his legacy, or the legacy of the hometown boy Neal Broten, who also played for the gophers. But much like oilers history, which belongs in Houston, all that North Stars history should be in Minnesota without question. North Stars fans, I’m sincerely sorry we took your team, but I promise we’ll take good care of them. Hey Norm, blow me! (Raises beer 🍺)

[The_Walnoys]

Growing up as a kid, I went to a lot of Kalamazoo Wings games and found out about the history they had with them being the North Stars' farm team in the IHL. Plus being from Michigan watching and hearing about Mike Madano.

I was born in 04 and grew up during the Wild, but somehow loved the "N" logo and would always put it on my custom team in NHL 10-13.

Now that I'm older, learning about the history behind teams that aren't around like the Seals, Barrons, Scouts, Nordiques, Whalers, and the North Stars. This one like Quebec and Hartford, just leaves a sad feeling in my heart. Something about the Wild bringing back the colors and jerseys from that era I think made Minnesotans have some closure to that rough patch in history at the end.

Hopefully the Wild can win the Cup sooner or later for you guys! ❤

[jmax]

This is a wonderful documentary. As a kid living in Northern California, the North Stars were my favorite hockey team and watched them play whenever they're on national TV. Even tho San Jose became a new NHL team, I still love the North Stars. I was so sad when the team left Minnesota to Dallas. Also, knowing that the landscape of the NHL was starting to change in a huge way.

[bshaker]

Very well done. Long live the North Stars memories and the spectacular Metropolitan Sports Center. 🏒💚

[NorthStarsForever]

Great job on this documentary. Its been 30 years, and my blood still boils watching them blow up the Met, and re-living the Norm Green era.

[K-Skins]

Great doc! Loved Sue Nelson playing the organ and her take. Chefs kiss* this theme song slaps for this doc. Really matched the MN Hockey vibe. Nick from 93x telling his story was wonderful. Made me wish I could have gone to a North Stars game myself. I was a little young, 8 when they moved. But apparently that wouldn't have stopped them from letting me bring my own booze inside the arena.

[MateoManolo-slxp]

Born, raised & still reside in Detroit i grew up watching the old Norris Division rivalries which included the North Stars, i loved watching games when the Wings played at The Met....i always knew where they were by those colored seats when i turned on the TV.
I buy my Red Wings shirts online these days and i only own one other NHL t shirt which i still have, that t shirt is the Minnesota North Stars with that beautiful logo...sorry North Star fans for your loss, for those of us outside your state who remember those days as your teams rivals we miss the North Stars too.

[jessuppelkey]

This was an amazing documentary! Well done! I still miss the north stars.

[DonutKing]

Great job Skins!! Fun to watch. Hope to see more in the future.

[RuZe_Tynuch]

I was lucky that my Grandma and Grandpa told me about the North Stars, they even had the Minnesota North Stars: History and Memories with Lou Nanne book that they gave to me. My dad was also Coach by a Former North Stars when he was in High School.

[RandomGuyCDN]

Was too young to know of the ongoings of why hockey teams were being moved. It's nice to see someone finally commit to telling the story of what happened to those of us who werent local or in t"he know" at the time. Wish more places like Atlanta and even the Jets went back and did deep dives like this. North Stars fans have sadly the same reaction to the team leaving as the A's fans did when Fisher took them away this past year.

[andreww]

Excellent doc.... From Detroit but it has never sat well with me what happened to the North Stars when I was a kid. One of the all time hockey hot beds of the US.