1978–79 Minnesota North Stars season

National Hockey League team season March 2026 August 2023 NHL 1978–79 1978 Minnesota North Stars Wales 7th Adams 4th 28–40–12 19–15–6 9–25–6 257 289 Lou Nanne Harry Howell (3–6–2)Glen Sonmor (25–34–10) J. P. Parise None Met Center Bobby Smith (30) Bobby Smith (44) Bobby Smith (74) Greg Smith (147) Ron Zanussi (+5) Gilles Meloche (20) Gilles Meloche (3.30) The 1978–79 Minnesota North Stars season was the team's 12th season in the NHL. In the off season, the North Stars were on the verge of folding, and were merged with the Cleveland Barons, another team on the brink of collapse. The merged franchise continued as the Minnesota North Stars, with the old logo and colors. The changes for the franchise were new ownership and new management. Former Cleveland Barons General Manager Harry Howell assumed the coaching duties from Lou Nanne, who was named general manager. Former Barons owner George Gund III became a co-owner of the North Stars.http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/minnystars/northstars.html Minnesota North Stars – Sports Ecyclopedia August 24, 2008 October 10, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20071010125207/http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nhl/minnystars/northstars.html dead Howell's tenure as head coach would last just eleven games before he was replaced by Glen Sonmor. While the merger allowed the North Stars to ice a stronger team, it also saw the North Stars take the Barons' place in the tough Adams Division. The North Stars finished with 68 points, which was a substantial improvement over either the Barons' or North Stars' performance the previous season. Had the North Stars still been in the Smythe Division, that would have been good enough for second place and a playoff berth, but it was not enough to lift the team out of last place in the Adams. Minnesota missed the playoffs for the 5th time in 6 years. One of the highlights was Bobby Smith winning the Calder Trophy. Offseason NHL draft Round # Player Position Nationality College/junior/club team (League)11Bobby SmithCenter Canada Ottawa 67's (OMJHL)219Steve PayneLeft wing Canada Ottawa 67's (OMJHL)224Steve ChristoffCenter United States University of Minnesota (WCHA)454Curt GilesDefense Canada University of Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA)570Roy KerlingLeft wing Canada Cornell University (ECAC)687Bob BergloffDefense United States University of Minnesota (WCHA)7104Kim SpencerDefense Canada Victoria Cougars (WCHL)8121Mike CotterDefense Canada Bowling Green University (CCHA)9138Brent GogolRight wing Canada Billings Bighorns (WCHL)10155Mike SeideLeft wing United States Bloomington Junior Stars (USHL)National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 234, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 0-920445-98-5 Regular season Final standings MIN Record vs. opponents MIN Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#009639 5px solid; border-bottom:#FFD100 5px solid; 1978–79 regular season1978-79 Minnesota North Stars Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MNS/1979_games.html Hockey-Reference.com March 26, 2025 y background:#fff; border-top:#009639 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFD100 2px solid; October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |1||L||October 11, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||0–1–0 |- |2||L||October 14, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||0–2–0 |- |3||W||October 18, 1978||7–2 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||1–2–0 |- |4||L||October 19, 1978||2–6 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||1–3–0 |- |5||T||October 21, 1978||4–4 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||1–3–1 |- |6||T||October 25, 1978||2–2 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||1–3–2 |- |7||L||October 28, 1978||0–1 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||1–4–2 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#009639 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFD100 2px solid; November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |8||W||November 1, 1978||9–1 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||2–4–2 |- |9||W||November 4, 1978||2–1 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||3–4–2 |- |10||L||November 5, 1978||1–2 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||3–5–2 |- |11||L||November 7, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1978–79) ||3–6–2 |- |12||W||November 8, 1978||5–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1978–79) ||4–6–2 |- |13||W||November 10, 1978||3–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||5–6–2 |- |14||L||November 11, 1978||1–8 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||5–7–2 |- |15||L||November 15, 1978||2–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||5–8–2 |- |16||L||November 18, 1978||2–7 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1978–79) ||5–9–2 |- |17||L||November 19, 1978||2–9 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||5–10–2 |- |18||L||November 22, 1978||1–4 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1978–79) ||5–11–2 |- |19||L||November 24, 1978||3–4 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||5–12–2 |- |20||L||November 25, 1978||1–4 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||5–13–2 |- |21||L||November 29, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||5–14–2 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#009639 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFD100 2px solid; December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |22||W||December 1, 1978||4–3 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||6–14–2 |- |23||W||December 2, 1978||5–3 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||7–14–2 |- |24||W||December 6, 1978||4–0 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||8–14–2 |- |25||W||December 9, 1978||3–0 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||9–14–2 |- |26||T||December 10, 1978||4–4 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||9–14–3 |- |27||L||December 13, 1978||2–3 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||9–15–3 |- |28||W||December 15, 1978||6–1 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||10–15–3 |- |29||L||December 16, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||10–16–3 |- |30||W||December 19, 1978||5–3 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||11–16–3 |- |31||L||December 20, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||11–17–3 |- |32||W||December 23, 1978||5–3 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||12–17–3 |- |33||W||December 26, 1978||6–4 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||13–17–3 |- |34||W||December 27, 1978||6–1 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||14–17–3 |- |35||L||December 30, 1978||2–7 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||14–18–3 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#009639 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFD100 2px solid; January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |36||T||January 3, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||14–18–4 |- |37||L||January 6, 1979||2–5 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||14–19–4 |- |38||L||January 8, 1979||1–3 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||14–20–4 |- |39||T||January 10, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||14–20–5 |- |40||L||January 11, 1979||4–6 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||14–21–5 |- |41||W||January 13, 1979||4–3 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||15–21–5 |- |42||W||January 15, 1979||8–1 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1978–79) ||16–21–5 |- |43||L||January 16, 1979||0–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||16–22–5 |- |44||L||January 19, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||16–23–5 |- |45||T||January 20, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||16–23–6 |- |46||T||January 24, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||16–23–7 |- |47||W||January 27, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||17–23–7 |- |48||W||January 28, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||18–23–7 |- |49||W||January 30, 1979||5–4 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1978–79) ||19–23–7 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#009639 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFD100 2px solid; February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |50||W||February 1, 1979||6–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||20–23–7 |- |51||L||February 3, 1979||1–2 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||20–24–7 |- |52||W||February 4, 1979||6–4 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||21–24–7 |- |53||W||February 14, 1979||8–1 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||22–24–7 |- |54||L||February 15, 1979||5–6 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||22–25–7 |- |55||T||February 17, 1979||3–3 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||22–25–8 |- |56||L||February 18, 1979||2–3 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||22–26–8 |- |57||W||February 21, 1979||5–1 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||23–26–8 |- |58||T||February 23, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| @ Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||23–26–9 |- |59||L||February 24, 1979||3–6 || align="left"| Atlanta Flames (1978–79) ||23–27–9 |- |60||T||February 28, 1979||4–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1978–79) ||23–27–10 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#009639 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFD100 2px solid; March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |61||T||March 1, 1979||5–5 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1978–79) ||23–27–11 |- |62||L||March 3, 1979||0–5 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||23–28–11 |- |63||L||March 4, 1979||4–5 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1978–79) ||23–29–11 |- |64||W||March 7, 1979||5–1 || align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||24–29–11 |- |65||L||March 10, 1979||3–4 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||24–30–11 |- |66||L||March 11, 1979||2–8 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1978–79) ||24–31–11 |- |67||W||March 14, 1979||4–3 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1978–79) ||25–31–11 |- |68||L||March 17, 1979||4–6 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||25–32–11 |- |69||L||March 18, 1979||3–5 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1978–79) ||25–33–11 |- |70||W||March 21, 1979||7–3 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1978–79) ||26–33–11 |- |71||W||March 24, 1979||3–1 || align="left"| @ Colorado Rockies (1978–79) ||27–33–11 |- |72||L||March 25, 1979||1–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||27–34–11 |- |73||L||March 27, 1979||1–5 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1978–79) ||27–35–11 |- |74||L||March 29, 1979||4–7 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1978–79) ||27–36–11 |- |75||L||March 31, 1979||2–6 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1978–79) ||27–37–11 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#009639 2px solid; border-bottom:#FFD100 2px solid; April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |76||L||April 1, 1979||1–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1978–79) ||27–38–11 |- |77||W||April 3, 1979||4–3 || align="left"| Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||28–38–11 |- |78||L||April 4, 1979||1–7 || align="left"| @ Chicago Black Hawks (1978–79) ||28–39–11 |- |79||T||April 6, 1979||2–2 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1978–79) ||28–39–12 |- |80||L||April 7, 1979||1–7 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1978–79) ||28–40–12 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black Player statistics Skaters Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes Player GP G A Pts +/- PIM Bobby Smith 80 30 44 74 -8 39https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MNS/1979.html 1978-79 Minnesota North Stars Roster and Statistics Goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average Player GP TOI W L OT GA SO SV% GAA References North Stars on Hockey Database Category:Minnesota North Stars seasons Minnesota North Stars Minnesota North Stars Minnesota North Stars