The Minnesota North Stars 1990-91

[vadim sharifijanov]

That of course ignores the elephant in the room, namely that one team was 3rd overall with 112 points, and the other 16th overall with 68 points...

Also, adjusted points:
Staal 98
Williams 74
Stillman 74
Gagner 73
Brind'Amour 68
Bellows 66
Propp 65
Recchi 63
Broten 62
Cole 58
Modano 57
Weight 56
Whitney 53
Cullen 48
Smith 40
Dahlen 35
K. Adams 23
C. Adams 21
Smail 20
Duchesne 16
Berezan 15
Larose 12
Craig 11
Gavin 8

CAR total: 648
MNS total: 468

Mere 38% edge for Canes forward group. So similar.

i thought we were in a thread about the 91 north stars underachieving in the reegular season?

 

[667ekip]

i thought we were in a thread about the 91 north stars underachieving in the reegular season?

Thats HF for you

Thanks to everyone with insightful comment. Was a nice read.

 

[Nerowoy nora tolad]

i thought we were in a thread about the 91 north stars underachieving in the reegular season?

sir, this is a Wendys

 

[MadArcand]

i thought we were in a thread about the 91 north stars underachieving in the reegular season?

That doesn't change the fact that they overachieved in the playoffs, and that their forwards were horrendous beyond the top 5. They compare far more to the 2006 Oilers (team that underachieved in RS too, and clicked in playoffs in spite of not-so-impressive roster up front; hell, even Tinordi & Pronger is at least a stylistically sound comparison). OTOH 2006 Canes are more of a 91 Pittsburgh - stacked high octane offense with mediocre defense. So in a way you're looking at the right finals to compare to, but have the teams mixed up.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

i think you’re either underrating the stars forwards

 

[MadArcand]

Nah, you're grossly overrating them when you compare them to one of the strongest forward corps in decades.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

i’m not here to burst ppl’s bubbles about their fav teams so you do you

 

[CrosbyIsKing87]

As a Penguins fan I remember this playoff well for obvious reasons. I was shocked to see the North Stars best the Hawks. All of a sudden the Minnesota power play was red hot and Chicago couldn't stay out of the box. I was sure the Blues would beat the North Stars in round 2. Nope. Another upset. Then I thought that Edmonton would best them, even though they were a bit banged up. more than a bit, really in hindsight. Messier was playing on one knee by the end of the series and I think Lowe was out of the lineup. But credit the North Stars. They were a true Cinderella team. They had great goaltending, defense, and a killer PP. Gainey had them really well prepared. When the Pens advanced to the Final I remember people saying, "We're definitely going to beat Minnesota", but I was worried. Casey was stopping everyone and their forwards were shadowing the hell out of the scorers on every team (back then you could basically run interference all over the ice and get away with it. Google highlights from this playoff and you'll see what I mean.) I think the difference for Pittsburgh was 1) Mario was doing Mario things and 2) the North Stars crossed the line a little too much and the Pens made them pay on the power play. Kind of turned the tables on them. But it was anyone's series up until game 6. The turning point was the five minute major penalty that someone took on Mark Tinordi in game 4. The Pens were up by a goal and killed it off. They lose that game and they're down 3-1. Instead the tied the series going back home. I was at game 5 and you could tell that the momentum had really swung in Pittsburgh's favor. I didn't see the blowout coming in game 6 but by the time they were up 4-0 I had a good feeling that it was over. It was an entertaining series for sure. Made me sad when the team moved to Dallas.

 

[The Panther]

 

[tarheelhockey]

for ex, this is game 4, down 3-0 at the end of the second, belfour had already been pulled, keenan is icing a line of FFFFFing peluso and grimson centered by mike hudson (nb, hasek before his rookie year... also nb, manson wants so badly to hop the boards)

I’m not sure what confuses me more — Basil McRae keeping his gloves on throughout all that, or Basil McRae wearing an “A”.

 

[The Panther]

One thing I'd totally forgotten about the North Stars in their final era is the 1991-92 team -- basically, the same team as the year prior, but Propp got hurt and Bobby Smith suddenly got old. They had another poor-ish regular season, but then they were oh-so-close to taking down Detroit in round one. They had a 3-1 series lead on Detroit, and the only game they'd lost they'd blown a 4-2 lead and the Wings had needed overtime. So, they really should have won that series. (They choked, scoring only twice in the last three games.)

(Strangely, in 1992-93, they actually had their best regular season in seven years but this time missed the playoffs. That was their last in Minnesota....)

 

[Cricket Green]

Jon Casey was dreadful. Folks like to shit on Gretzky for Yzerman's famous bar-down OT epic, but a shooter tutor would have been more challenging of a barrier.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

I’m not sure what confuses me more — Basil McRae keeping his gloves on throughout all that, or Basil McRae wearing an “A”.

it was the norris. didn't secord captain the blackhawks for a bit?

 

[ContrarianGoaltender]

(Strangely, in 1992-93, they actually had their best regular season in seven years but this time missed the playoffs. That was their last in Minnesota....)

Maybe nitpicking, but I see this a lot with people making comments about the 1992-93 season. You have to take expansion into account if you want to fairly compare team records in that season to the ones before it. Minnesota did not have their best regular season in seven years, they just went 10-1-1 against the 3 awful expansion teams (Tampa, San Jose, Ottawa) and 26-37-9 against the rest of the league. That's a 68 point pace per 80 games in the latter sample (a similar quality of opposition to what they faced in those earlier seasons), which puts them right in line with their results from the 1989-1992 period.

 

[The Panther]

Maybe nitpicking, but I see this a lot with people making comments about the 1992-93 season. You have to take expansion into account if you want to fairly compare team records in that season to the ones before it. Minnesota did not have their best regular season in seven years, they just went 10-1-1 against the 3 awful expansion teams (Tampa, San Jose, Ottawa) and 26-37-9 against the rest of the league. That's a 68 point pace per 80 games in the latter sample (a similar quality of opposition to what they faced in those earlier seasons), which puts them right in line with their results from the 1989-1992 period.

I guess so, yeah.

 

[The Panther]

Jon Casey was dreadful. Folks like to shit on Gretzky for Yzerman's famous bar-down OT epic, but a shooter tutor would have been more challenging of a barrier.

Wait, what?? Very strange comment.

First of all, nobody with a hockey IQ larger than a peanut "shits on" Gretzky for Yzerman's overtime goal. Gretzky reached for a loose puck, at his own blue line, that bounced off his stick quickly.

But more importantly: "Jon Casey was dreadful"?? What??

I'd like to ask for other examples of when the designated back-up goalie, who had played 9 games all season, came in to play that well against one decent team (Toronto) and one historically great team (132-point Detroit). The Blues were not a good team, and they beat Toronto and very nearly beat Detroit with their back-up in net, and you're blaming him??

The Red Wings got to Casey in game two of their series, but in the other six games Casey was superb. He had a .927 collectively in six of the seven games (deleting game two), including a shut-out in game four and a .975 in game seven.

I remember watching this series with my Dad, and as soon as Yzerman scored, he said, "Well, I guess the better team won but I feel bad for Casey." He was right.

 

[reckoning]

I've seen the 8-0 game 6 a few times, and the things that stand out for me about Minnesota are:

- They would never ice the puck while killing penalties. Gavin or Duchesne would carry it into the Pens zone, forcing Pittsburgh's skilled players to chase them and hopefully tire out so they don't stay out for the whole power-play.

- Gainey puts his 4th line of McRae - Bureau - Churla out on a lot of faceoffs in the offensive zone. The main board would have a fit today if a 4th line got an offensive zone draw while the more skilled players were on the bench.

- Brian Bellows and Bobby Smith are total non-factors. They played great in the early rounds, but their tank was empty by the end.

 

[gotyournose]

I've seen the 8-0 game 6 a few times, and the things that stand out for me about Minnesota are:

- They would never ice the puck while killing penalties. Gavin or Duchesne would carry it into the Pens zone, forcing Pittsburgh's skilled players to chase them and hopefully tire out so they don't stay out for the whole power-play.

- Gainey puts his 4th line of McRae - Bureau - Churla out on a lot of faceoffs in the offensive zone. The main board would have a fit today if a 4th line got an offensive zone draw while the more skilled players were on the bench.

- Brian Bellows and Bobby Smith are total non-factors. They played great in the early rounds, but their tank was empty by the end.

Brian Bellows is infamously known for getting chirped in the series. The things that were said to him about him would result in a suspension nowadays.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

bench.

- Brian Bellows and Bobby Smith are total non-factors. They played great in the early rounds, but their tank was empty by the end.

smith was even good early in the series. scored both of minny’s GWGs in the finals, three points in those two games.

bellows appears to have laid an egg in the finals, though.

 

[The Panther]

Did Mike Modano ever say anything interesting (i.e., not normal hockey player cookie-cutter comments) about Bob Gainey? I'm asking because I wonder if Gainey was that kind of coach who was very good at using players... er, like himself, who were two-way grinders and checkers, but maybe was not so good at coaching high-skilled, offensive players? Just a thought.

 

[reckoning]

Brian Bellows is infamously known for getting chirped in the series. The things that were said to him about him would result in a suspension nowadays.

Oh I'd forgotten all about that infamous clip. It was the sort of thing that probably went on all the time, but just happened to be picked up by a mic that one occasion.

 

[gotyournose]

Oh I'd forgotten all about that infamous clip. It was the sort of thing that probably went on all the time, but just happened to be picked up by a mic that one occasion.

Can you imagine the reaction if that happened in today’s game? Oh dear lord, the suspension and fines would be insane. Back in the day, it happened every game, now they have to censor the trash talk

 

[Iapyi]

One big reason Minnesota upset Chicago that year is that the Blackhawks under Mike Keenan were an incredibly hotheaded, undisciplined team that took loads of bad penalties.

This is a good recap of all the mayhem in that series: the big shoving match during warmups of Game 4, Chelios gouging Bellows in the eye, Mike Keenan completely losing his mind and getting delay of game penalties, etc..

Man oh man Chelios was a cheap and dirty player. He had no class on the ice at all.

 

[golfortennis]

Maybe time has diminished my memory, but weren't the NOrth Stars the first team to really run interference and get away with it? I seem to remember them being the first team to stack 4 guys on the blue line and dare you to carry the puck through them.

I know a lot of people like to point to NJ or Florida in 96 as the rise of the dead puck era, but I always thought it got its roots from the North Stars in 91.

 

[a79krgm]

I understand the Whalers are gone because Hartford doesn't have a team anymore.

However, I wish somehow the Wild could change their logo and name to the North Stars. I doubt the fans in Minnesota would be upset. Would anyone involved with the Dallas Stars care? Would their fanbase care?

I followed the North Stars starting in '75 and now that I'm older I've come to realize a few things. The franchise could have avoided their fate if they weren't managed so poorly which I mostly blame their ownership. Poor marketing and poor relations with media was evident. The community has to take some responsibility as well. And of course, the media treated them like a second class outfit at times.

When the Wild started up, they brought a first class organization to town. The media and fans responded positively. It was a badly needed fresh start and a clear direction away from the problems and attitudes of the old franchise. I love the North Stars logo, but I'm grateful to the Wild for keeping their house in order and giving this community quality hockey for 20 yeas. The current Wild logo represents that to me.