The Minnesota North Stars joined the NHL in 1967, the same season as the Philadelphia Flyers but took very different paths as franchises. The North Stars were plagued by financial troubles as well as poor on-ice results. Most memorably, the North Stars were the team that ended the Philadelphia Flyers’ historic 35-game unbeaten streak on January 7, 1980.
5/14/69 – Wayne Hillman for John Miszuk
Wayne Hillman was a veteran NHL defenseman who was acquired by the North Stars from the Rangers in the summer of 1968. He played 62 games for them before he was dealt to the Flyers. Hillman would spend four seasons in Philadelphia, which would ultimately be the last NHL games of his career as he left for the World Hockey Association in 1973 and retired in 1975.
John Miszuk was the Flyers’ 1967 expansion draft pick from the Chicago Black Hawks. He became an NHL regular with the Flyers for two seasons. He played one year and 50 games with the North Stars before being sent to the minor leagues where he’s spend four years before joining the WHA in 1977.
6/10/69 – Cash for Bob Barlow
Bob Barlow’s career spanned 24 years across various leagues. When he joined the North Stars, he played his first NHL game a decade into his professional career. At the time, he was the oldest rookie to play in an NHL game at 34 years old. He played 77 games with the North Stars over the following two seasons before heading back to the minors for another seven years before retiring in 1976.
10/28/77 – Blake Dunlop and 1978 third round pick (Gord Salt) for Harvey Bennett
Blake Dunlop was the North Stars’ 18th overall pick in 1973 and he played 100 games with them scattered over four seasons. He played 69 games with the Flyers over parts of two seasons before he was traded to the St. Louis Blues in 1979.
The Flyers drafted Gord Salt 37th overall in 1978. He played just five games for the Maine Mariners before retiring shortly after his collegiate career came to an end.
Harvey Bennett was a journeyman forward who spent 10 months with the Flyers after being acquired from the Capitals in November on 1976. He played 64 games with Minnesota in 1977-78 before once again being traded the following summer, this time to the St. Louis Blues.
2/23/84 – Rights to Paul Guay and 1985 third round pick (Darryl Gilmour) for Paul Holmgren
Paul Guay was drafted 118th overall in 1981 by the North Stars but didn’t sign with them. He played 16 NHL games and 74 AHL games in the Flyers’ organization over the following two seasons before he was dealt to the LA Kings in 1985.
The Flyers drafted goaltender Darryl Gimour 48th overall in 1985. He spent two seasons with the Hershey Bears but never played in the NHL.
Paul Holmgren was drafted by the Flyers in 1985 and played parts of nine season with the club. He still sits second all-time in franchise history in penalty minutes with 1,600. He only played 27 games with the North Stars after the trade (but still racked up 84 penalty minutes along the way) before he retired in 1985 and returned to the Flyers organization as an assistant coach.
11/29/85 – Bo Berglund and Dave Richter for Ed Hospodar and Todd Bergen
Bo Berglund was a Swedish player that came to North America in 1983 to play for the Quebec Nordiques. He had a short stint in Quebec and played just 36 games for the North Stars over the following two seasons before this trade. He played just seven games for the Flyers before he was demoted to the AHL where he played 43 games before heading back to his native Sweden after the 1985-86 season.
Dave Richter was Minnesota’s 205th overall pick in 1980 and played parts of five seasons with the franchise bouncing between the Central Hockey League, NHL and AHL. He played 50 games with the Flyers after this trade before getting dealt to Vancouver in the summer of 1986 in return to J.J. Daigneault.
Ed Hospodar played parts of two seasons with the Flyers. He was sent to Minnesota where he’d conclude the 1985-86 season playing 43 games for the team. He then rejoined the Flyers during free agency the following summer.
Todd Bergen was the Flyers’ 98th overall pick in 1982. He infamously clashed with then-head coach Mike Keenan, who he accused of forced work outs despite an abdominal injury. He refused to report to training camp and claimed to retire in September 1985 to pursue a professional golf career. He was dealt two months later in this trade where he missed the 1985-86 season with his abdominal injury. He made a brief attempt at a comeback in 1986-87, but after just 27 AHL games he retired for good, returning to his golf career.
2/8/88 – Gordie Roberts for 1989 fourth round pick (Jean-Francois Quintin)
Gordie Roberts was one of the longest tenured players in North Stars history, playing eight seasons and 555 games with them. He was a Flyer for just 11 games after this trade. He was dealt one month later to the St. Louis Blues.
Forward Jean-Francois Quintin was drafted 75th overall by the North Stars in 1989. He was selected by the San Jose Sharks during the Minnesota dispersal draft in 1991.
12/8/88 – Moe Mantha for 1989 fifth round pick (Pat MacLeod)
Moe Mantha spent less than a year with the North Stars. He played 30 games with the Flyers before getting claimed by the Winnipeg Jets during the 1989 waiver draft. He was later reacquired by the Flyers in February of 1992 where he’s retire after just five more games.
Minnesota drafted defenseman Pat MacLeod 87th overall in 1989. He played just a single NHL game for them before being claimed by the San Jose Sharks during the 1991 expansion draft.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
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