The Minnesota North Stars were one of the most beloved ice hockey teams in National Hockey League (NHL) history. Founded in 1967, they played for 26 seasons and made a lasting mark on the sport with their passionate fans and exciting brand of play. During their time, they called Met Center home, proudly wearing colors green, yellow, gold and white as they sought out glory each season. Their legacy still lives on today among devoted fans who remember cheering them to success.
1. Mike Modano
Dallas Stars
Career
- National team: United States
- NHL Draft: 1st overall, 1988
- Minnesota North Stars
Mike Modano is a five-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner as the most valuable player in the NHL. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014, his first year of eligibility.
After playing for Minnesota North Stars, Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators, he retired after the 2013–14 season at age 41 with 590 goals and 1,459 assists in 1,992 games played.
Named to USA's Olympic Team for 1998 Winter Olympics but did not play due to injury; won a silver medal on home soil four years later at 2002 Winter Olympics Married to former Miss Texas Jennie Finch since 2003.
They have three children: daughters Makenna (born 2006) and Nolan (born 2009), son Taden (born 2012).
Following retirement from hockey Modano became an analyst for Fox Sports Southwest before joining ESPN as a studio host across multiple platforms including E:60 which debuted on January 17th, 2019 Mike Modano was drafted first overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 1988.
He played for the Minnesota North Stars until 2011 when he retired. Mike Modano is a three-time Olympian and winner of two Stanley Cups with the Dallas Stars (1999, 2001). In 1999, he became only the second player in NHL history to score 100 goals and win 50 assists in a season.
Mike Modano has been an advocate for mental health awareness since his retirement from professional hockey; through his foundation, MODAO Hockey House, which provides housing and support services to veterans and military families suffering from PTSD or other issues related to service-related trauma.
Mike Modano resides near Minneapolis with his wife Tracey and their three children.
2. Brian Bellows
Brian Bellows is a former winger who played in the NHL for over 20 years. He began his career with the Hartford Whalers and was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 1985.
After playing for Edmonton, he moved on to play for Boston, Tampa Bay, Calgary and Detroit before retiring in 2003. In 2006, he became head coach of the Worcester Sharks of the AHL and remained there until 2012 when he retired from coaching altogether.
He currently works as an assistant coach with Team Canada at various international tournaments including World Championships and Olympic Games events. Brian Bellows was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars with the 2nd overall pick in the 1982 NHL Draft.
He played for Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Washington Capitals and Berlin Capitals before joining Canada's National Team in 1995. Brian Bellows retired from playing hockey after 1999 season to pursue a career as a professional golfer.
In 2002, he won his first PGA Tour event - The Deutsche Bank Championship - which made him only the 6th Canadian to win on the tour and also earned him $1 million prize money. Brian Bellows is currently an assistant coach with HC Davos of Switzerland's National League A (NLA).
3. Dino Ciccarelli
Career
- Minnesota North Stars
- Washington Capitals
- Detroit Red Wings
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Florida Panthers
- National team: Canada
- NHL Draft: Undrafted
Dino Ciccarelli was a highly skilled player who enjoyed considerable success in the NHL. He played his entire career with the Minnesota North Stars, winning two Stanley Cups and earning numerous honors along the way.
After retiring from playing hockey, Ciccarelli served as an executive with the team that he helped win multiple championships.
In 2010, he became one of only six players to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Dino Ciccarelli is currently serving as President of Hockey Operations for HC Sochi in Russia's KHL league.
Dino Ciccarelli was a prolific scorer in the NHL for over 20 years, playing for six different teams. He is best known for his time with the Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings.
Dino played an important role on both of those teams, scoring nearly 500 goals and 1,000 points combined. After retiring from hockey in 1999, he started a successful career as a broadcaster with TSN.
4. Neal Broten
Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey
Career
- 1977–78: Roseau High School
- 1978–79: University of Minnesota
- 1979–80: United States National Team
- 1980–81: University of Minnesota
- 1980–81: Minnesota North Stars
- 1981–82: Minnesota North Stars
Neal Broten played for the Minnesota North Stars from 1984-1990. After retiring as a player, Neal became head coach of the University of Wisconsin Badgers in 1998 and held that position until 2006.
He was named assistant general manager of the Dallas Stars on July 4, 2009 and held that position until he resigned effective February 15, 2013.
On November 18th 2014 Neal was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame with his former teammate Brett Hull Neal Broten is a former NHL player who spent his entire career playing for the Minnesota North Stars.
Neal Broten was drafted by the North Stars in 1979 and played there until 1997 when he was traded to the Dallas Stars. Neal Broten won two Stanley Cups with the Minnesota North Stars, in 1991 and 1993. He also won a Gold Medal with Team USA at the 1994 Winter Olympics.
After retirement from hockey, Neal Broten became an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars before becoming head coach of their AHL affiliate, Texas Starz, in 2013-14 season.
Also Played For: ncaa hockey, dallas stars
5. Craig Hartsburg
Craig Hartsburg was born in Stratford, Ontario on June 29th, 1959. He played football for the University of Ottawa and then signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
In 1985, he joined the Calgary Stampeders where he won two Grey Cups and a CFL All-Star Game MVP award. He moved to Europe in 1992 and played for clubs such as Glasgow Rangers FC and Racing Metro 92 before retiring in 2001.
Craig is now a commentator for TSN Sportsnet broadcasts of NFL games and also works as an analyst for other sporting events including golf tournaments and track & field competitions.
He has been married to his wife Patti since 1984 and they have three children together: sons Brett (born 1988)and Ben (born 1990), daughter Casey (born 1994).
Craig Hartsburg was drafted 6th overall by the Minnesota North Stars in 1979. He played for Birmingham Bulls, Minnesota North Stars and National team Canada during his NHL career. Craig retired from hockey in 1989 after playing for seven seasons with the Dallas Stars.
Craig is currently a broadcaster for NBC Sports Network where he covers both professional and college hockey games.
In 2006, Craig was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class of players born in 1960 or later.
6. Bill Goldsworthy
Bill Goldsworthy was a celebrated Canadian landscape artist. He is best known for his oil paintings of rugged landscapes, often featuring snow-capped mountains and glaciers.
Goldsworthy's works have been exhibited around the world, and are in many prominent art collections. In 1996, Bill Goldsworthy died from cancer at the age of 51.
His work remains popular among collectors and critics alike, and continues to be exhibited internationally Bill Goldsworthy was a right winger who played for the Boston Bruins, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers, and Indianapolis Racers over his playing career.
Bill Goldsworthy won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 1970 and represented Canada at the 1972 Winter Olympic Games. After leaving hockey, Bill Goldswworthy became an entrepreneur and invested in several businesses including a clothing line and video production company.
In 2004, he was named one of Canada's Top 100 Most Influential Persons by Maclean's magazine.
Bill Goldsworthy is currently retired from active sports but continues to work as an ambassador for various charities including The ALS Association (ALS) which he has supported since its inception in 1988.
7. Dave Gagner
Career
- New York Rangers
- Minnesota North Stars
- Dallas Stars
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Calgary Flames
- Florida Panthers
- Vancouver Canucks
- National team: Canada
- NHL Draft: 12th overall, 1983
- New York Rangers
Dave Gagner played for the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars and Columbus Blue Jackets in his NHL career.
Dave was drafted by the Rangers in the third round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft and made his professional debut with their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack that same year.
He scored his first NHL goal against Dominik Hasek on October 10, 1986, helping lead New York to a 5-4 victory over Detroit. Averaging 18 goals and 37 points per season from 1987 until 1991, Gagner emerged as one of the top young forwards in hockey during this time period.
In 1992 he signed as a free agent with Minnesota where he would spend six seasons before being traded to Columbus at the trade deadline of 2003-2004 campaign..
After scoring 107 goals for Columbus over two stints (2005-2007; 2010-2014), Gagner retired from playing professional hockey following the 2014–15 season.
In total, Dave recorded 486 points (235G+273A) in 863 regular season games played across all three leagues - AHL/NHL/ECHL - amassing an overall record of .290/.374/.540.
8. Tom McCarthy
Tom McCarthy was a well-known Canadian author and screenwriter. He is best known for his novels "The Road" and "No Country For Old Men". McCarthy also wrote the screenplay for the Academy Award winning film "Oscar".
His death in 2022 was unexpected, but not without cause as he had been battling cancer for some time before passing away.
Tom McCarthy will always be remembered as one of the most accomplished authors of our generation, with his works touching on many different genres and reaching out to a wide audience.
Tom McCarthy was born in Boston, MA on December 9th, 1966. He played for HC Asiago of the Italian Serie A from 1984-1988 before being drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1979 NHL Draft.
McCarthy eventually starred with the North Stars and helped them win a Stanley Cup in 1987. After leaving Minnesota, he went on to play for Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks before retiring in 1995 at age 34 due to injury.
Tom McCarthy is currently an executive vice president with TD Banknorth Financial Corporation where he oversees their hockey operations department as well as other business ventures outside of hockey.
9. Gump Worsley
New York Rangers
Gump Worsley was a Hockey Hall of Fame inductee in 1980 and played for the Montreal Canadiens. He also played for the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Toronto Maple Leafs in his career.
Gump Worsley suffered from Alzheimer's disease at the age of 77 and died less than two years later on January 26th 2007.
Gump Worsley was a goaltender who played in the NHL for over 20 years. He had success with several teams, most notably being with the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens.
Gump was known for his aggressiveness on the ice, which helped him make many key saves during games. In 1974, Gump retired from professional hockey after playing for the Minnesota North Stars.
After retiring from hockey, he moved to Beloeil, Quebec and started a family business. Gump is currently living happily retirement in Beloeil with his wife Rosemary and their four children - Gary (a former goalie himself), Jeff (an actor), Karen (a singer) and Danica (a dancer).
10. Lou Nanne
Lou Nanne was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario on June 2, 1941. He played professional hockey for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Hartford Whalers from 1961 to 1988 before retiring.
In 1991, he became the head coach of the Minnesota North Stars and led them to two consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1995 and 1996. Lou Nanne also served as general manager of both the St Louis Blues (1998-2004) and Los Angeles Kings (2005-2008).
After leaving his coaching positions, Lou Nanne has continued to work as a special adviser with the NHLPA and is currently a member of its board of directors.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall Of Fame in 2003 and received an award from Canada's Sports Hall Of Fame in 2006 for his contributions to Canadian hockey.
Lou" is also known for his sense of humor; he once joked that if players ever started using pucks like soccer balls instead of shooting at goal "the game would be over". In 2009 he published an autobiography entitled "A Life In The Game".
11. Brad Maxwell
Brad Maxwell is a retired defenceman who played for the Minnesota North Stars. He was born in Brandon, Manitoba and raised in nearby Stonewall.
Maxwell started his NHL career with the North Stars in 1980-81, recording one goal and nine assists over 54 games.
In 1984-85 he led all NHL defencemen with 31 goals, helping Minnesota win their first Stanley Cup that season; however, they were defeated by New York Islanders four games to two in the final series.
Maxwell also won a silver medal with Canada at the World Junior Championships that year, playing six games en route to victory (he did not score).
The following year he played less often due to injury but still managed 12 goals and 33 points as Minnesota finished second behind Edmonton Oilers in the Norris Division standings.
This earned him an invitation to play for Canada at the 1987 Summit Series which they lost 4-1 against Soviet Union including a 3-0 loss on home ice which effectively ended their chance of repeating as Olympic champions (Canada would beat Finland 7-3 on aggregate later that year).
At 35 years old he became only the fourth player ever – after Gordie Howe (twice), Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito - to lead both leagues in scoring during successive seasons when he achieved 41 goals and 98 points for Dallas Stars between 1993–94 and 1994–95 respectively.
These totals included eight hat tricks or multi point performances throughout both campaigns ('93-'94) while leading all Western Conference players combined (.704 GWG%).
Over 1 000 penalty minutes accrued during 14 seasons combined between NHL/WHA (-136 PIMS). Leaving hockey professionally at age 39 after registering just three more points than Brian Sutter's Calgary Flames had tallied from injuries received by Darryl Sydor & Ed Belfour.
12. Bobby Smith
Career
- 1974–75: Ottawa Golden Knights
- 1975–76: Ottawa 67's
- 1976–77: Ottawa 67's
- 1977–78: Ottawa 67's
- 1978–79: Minnesota North Stars
- 1979–80: Minnesota North Stars
- 1980–81: Minnesota North Stars
- 1981–82: Minnesota North Stars
Bobby Smith was born in 1958 and is a centre for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has played over 1000 regular season games with the Leafs, as well as appearing in 10 playoff games.
Bobby Smith also played for Team Canada at the world championships in 1988 and 2002, winning a silver medal both times.
In 2007 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, becoming only the third Canadian to be so honoured (the others being Guy Lafleur and Steve Yzerman).
After retirement from playing hockey, Bobby became an analyst on TSN's coverage of NHL games Bobby Smith was selected first overall in the 1978 NHL Draft by the Minnesota North Stars.
Bobby played for the Montreal Canadiens, then moved onto play with the Dallas Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs before ending his career with the Calgary Flames.
He retired at age 41 after winning two Stanley Cups with Calgary in 1988 and 1989. Smith is a member of Canada's Hockey Hall of Fame and has been inducted into numerous other Halls of Fame, including that of Minnesota where he currently resides as an honorary coach emeritus.
In 2006, he was awarded The Order Of Canada for his contributions to hockey both on and off the ice.
Also Played For: ottawa 67's, montreal canadiens
13. J. P. Parisé
J.P. Parisé played for the New York Islanders from 1976 to 1978, scoring 48 goals and 82 assists in 177 games.
He was originally drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the sixth round of the 1960 NHL Amateur Draft but never played a game with them before being traded to New York along with Harry Howell in exchange for veteran defenceman Ron Ellis.
After leaving the NHL, Parisé spent two seasons playing in Sweden before returning to North America and playing one year with the Minnesota Fighting Saints of American Hockey League (AHL).
In 1980 he retired as a player and began coaching youth hockey teams across Minnesota until his death at 73 years old on January 7th 2015 after a long battle with cancer J.
P. Parisé was a left winger who played for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota North Stars and New York Islanders in his playing career.
He also represented Canada at international level on multiple occasions and helped win gold medals at the World Championships in 1967 and 1974. Overall, Parisé scored 318 goals and added 379 assists for 725 points during his time in the NHL – making him one of its all-time greats.
After retiring from professional hockey, he went on to become a coach with various teams including Cleveland Barons (where he served as head coach from 1982 until his death) and Toronto Stouffville Flyers (where he served as general manager from 1993 until his death).
On January 27th 1979, JÉPPA PARISÉ lost his life in an airplane accident while travelling to Quebec City to take part in a charity game - leaving behind wife Monique Dionne-Parisey and two young children Emile Jr., born just days after father's tragic passing,and Gabrielle Parissee-Dionne.
14. Fred Barrett
Fred Barrett is a retired Canadian defenceman. He played in nine NHL seasons, all with the Ottawa Senators. In 1984, he won the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman.
Barrett also represented Canada at two Olympic Games (1980 and 1988) and three World Championships (1974, 1978, 1982).
After his playing career ended, he served as an assistant coach for Ottawa from 1999 to 2001 and then became their head coach in 2002 until his retirement in 2006.
Fred Barrett was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007 Fred Barrett was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in 1970. He played for the North Stars until 1984, when he retired.
Fred Barrett was a highly-touted prospect when he was drafted and went on to have a successful playing career.
He is best known for his time with the Los Angeles Kings, where he won three Stanley Cup championships (1980, 1982, 1983).
15. Barry Gibbs
Barry Gibbs is a retired Canadian football player who played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He was drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 1971 CFL Draft and played with them until 1978.
He then signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats where he spent his final two seasons of professional football before retiring in 1980. Barry Gibbs also won a Grey Cup championship as part of the Toronto Argonauts in 1982, which was his only season playing in the CFL playoffs.
After retirement from professional football, Barry Gibbs served as an assistant coach for both teams he had previously played for -the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger-Cats - before becoming head coach for McMaster University's varsity team in 1985.
Where he stayed until 1996 when he became an assistant athletic director at York University In 2002, Barry Gibbs received induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame as well as being named one of Saskatchewan's 100 Greatest Persons during its celebrations that year.
His autobiography entitled "Barry: My Life As An Athlete" was published posthumously in 2007 On October 5th 2016 it was announced that Barry would be inducted into Canada’s Football Hall Of Fame alongside former teammate Joe Montford.
16. Steve Payne
Career
- 1976–77: Ottawa 67's
- 1976–77: Ottawa 67s
- 1977–78: Ottawa 67's
- 1978–79: Oklahoma City Stars
- 1978–79: Minnesota North Stars
- 1979–80: Minnesota North Stars
- 1980–81: Minnesota North Stars
Steve Payne was born on August 16, 1958 in Toronto, Ontario. He is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who last played for the Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Payne has also competed in the World Championships and Ice Hockey World Cups. Steve Payne retired from playing in 2001 but continued to work as a coach with several teams including HC Sochi of Russia's Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
In 2009, he was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame along with his brother Gerry who had also been a NHL player.
Currently, Steve Payne resides in suburban Minneapolis where he works as an assistant coach with high school hockey programs Payne was a left winger for the Minnesota North Stars from 1978-1988.
He scored 196 goals and 259 assists during his career, making him one of the most prolific left wingers in NHL history. Payne also played with Canada at the World Championships and Olympics, finishing as runner-up twice (1984 & 1988) to Soviet Union's Vladimir Krutov.
After retiring from hockey, Payne opened up his own restaurant chain in Minnesota which he ran until 2002.
17. Ulf Dahlén
Ulf Dahlén is a left wing player who has played for IF Björklöven. He was born on January 21, 1967 in Östersund, Sweden and stands at 6' 2". Ulf Dahlén weighs in at 199 pounds (90 kilograms) and shoots left-handed.
In terms of his career highlights, Dahlén scored 9 goals during the 1990/91 season with IF Björklöven - enough to help them finish second behind Malmö FF that year.
He retired from professional football in 2001 after playing 154 games over 11 seasons - scoring 47 times along the way Ulf Dahlén played for the New York Rangers from 1985-2003.
He was a key player on several Stanley Cup winning teams and is considered one of the greatest Swedish players ever. Dahlén was drafted 7th overall in the 1985 NHL Draft by the Rangers and went on to play over 1000 games in the NHL, scoring over 400 points.
He also won a gold medal with Sweden at the 1994 Winter Olympics and World Championships, as well as numerous other medals throughout his career.
Ulf Dahlén retired from professional hockey in 2003 after playing his last game for Frölunda HC.
18. Brian Lawton
Brian Lawton played for the Minnesota North Stars from 1985-1992. He was a Stanley Cup champion with the team in 1991 and 1992, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006.
After his playing career ended, he became an NHL broadcaster on Fox Sports West and TSN Radio Canada Sport. In 2017, he was arrested after being accused of sexual assault by two women who were strangers to him at a bar in Park City, Utah.
His trial is set to begin in early 2019.
Brian Lawton is married with four children and lives in San Diego County, California.
He has been outspoken about his battle with alcoholism which led to his arrest earlier this year Brian Lawton was drafted 1st overall by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1983 NHL Draft.
He spent his entire NHL career with the North Stars, playing for them from 1983 until 1993. Brian also played for New York Rangers, Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques during his time in the league.
In 1992 he signed as a free agent with Boston Bruins where he finished his career in 1994-95 season.
After retiring as a player, Brian has since served as an assistant coach at various levels of hockey including NCAA Division I Notre Dame Fighting Irish and AHL Worcester Sharks before being appointed head coach of HC Slovan Bratislava of Slovak Extraliga in 2017-18 season.
19. Curt Giles
Curt Giles is a retired Canadian professional football player who played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts. He was born in The Pas, Manitoba on November 30th, 1958.
Curt attended college at the University of Minnesota where he played defensive back for the Golden Gophers from 1977 to 1980. In 1981, Giles signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as an undrafted free agent and made his CFL debut that year against Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Over his 14-year playing career with both teams, Giles recorded 557 punt returns for 3,846 yards (12 Touchbacks) and 12 interceptions (30 Return Yards).
His best season came in 1990 when he tallied 1,440 punt return yards along with 18 interceptions (five returned for touchdowns).
After retiring from football in 1993, Curt became a television broadcaster with TSN Rogers Sportsnet before joining Fox Sports Canada in 2006 as their National Football League analyst alongside Ron Lancaster and Rick Moranis.
20. Steve Christoff
Christoff is a veteran of the NHL, having played for Minnesota North Stars, Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres. Christoff was drafted by the North Stars in 1978 and spent his entire career with them before retiring in 1993.
A center, Christoff scored over 200 goals during his NHL career and led the league once in scoring.
After hanging up his skates, Christoff became an assistant coach with both Minnesota and Calgary before taking on a similar role with Buffalo at the end of 2006-07 season.
Married to wife Patti since 1984, they have two children together - daughter Kelly (born 1988) and son Steve Jr.(born 1990). He currently resides in Rochester Hills, Michigan with wife Patti Christoff was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1978, and played for them until 1984.
Christoff is best known for his time with the Minnesota North Stars, where he won two Stanley Cups (1981 and 1982). After retiring from hockey, Christoff became a successful sports agent.
21. Jude Drouin
Jude Drouin was born on October 28, 1948 in Murdochville, Quebec. He played centre for the Montreal Canadiens from 1969-1974 and recorded 627 points in 953 games.
Jude then retired after playing one season with HC Lada Togliatti of the Soviet League. In 1979, he became a hockey commentator for TVA Sports and has been doing so ever since (he also does play-by-play).
Jude is married to Joanne Giguere and they have two children: Alexandre (born 1985) and Gabrielle (born 1990).
Jude currently resides in St Lambert de Beauce, Quebec where he continues to work as a commentator for TVA Sports broadcasts as well as coaching junior hockey teams in his spare time.
Jude Drouin was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 17th round of the 1966 NHL Draft. He played for four teams during his playing career - Montreal, Minnesota North Stars, New York Islanders and Winnipeg Jets.
Drouin finished with 522 goals and 1,076 points in 1,711 games played. He also won a Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1976.
After retiring from hockey, Jude Drouin became a broadcaster for TVA Sports and TSN Radio networks.
22. Dennis O'Brien
Dennis O'Brien is a retired Canadian football player who played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Edmonton Eskimos. He was born in Port Hope, Ontario on June 10, 1949 and played college ball at Miami University in Ohio before being drafted by the Montreal Alouettes in 1971.
After spending two seasons with the Alouettes, O'Brien was traded to Hamilton in 1973 where he spent ten years as one of the team's exceptional defenders.
In 1984, he signed with Edmonton where he remained until his retirement after the 1990 season. Throughout his career O'Brien was named an All-Star twice (1973 & 1980) and won three Grey Cups with Hamilton (1976, 1978 & 1985).
After retiring from playing football Dennis became head coach of McMaster University's varsity program before leaving to become assistant coach at Syracuse University in 2001 where he stayed until 2007 when he joined BC Lions as defensive coordinator under Mike Benevides.
In 2012, Dennis returned to coaching as linebackers coach for Calgary Stampeders. Dennis has also been involved in broadcasting both play-by-play and color commentary since 1988 and currently works as a studio analyst for TSN Football broadcasts throughout Canada.
23. Ray Cullen
Ray Cullen was a retired professional wrestler and actor. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) between 1976 and 1981 as "The Crusher".
Cullen also appeared in films including The Outlaw Josey Wales, Rocky IV, Predator 2, and Die Hard with a Vengeance. In 2010 he underwent surgery to remove two tumors from his brain but died of complications from the operation just over a year later at 79 years old.
Ray Cullen played for the Vancouver Canucks, Minnesota North Stars, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers during his playing career.
Ray was a powerful forward who could score goals with ease. He was part of some very successful teams in his time and is still remembered fondly by many fans today.
Ray retired from professional hockey following the 1971 season, but remains active in philanthropy and community outreach work to this day. A true pioneer of ice hockey, Ray's influence on the sport is evident everywhere he goes - both on and off the ice.
24. Gordie Roberts
Gordie Roberts played defense for the Detroit Red Wings and New England Whalers during his NHL career. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1977 draft by Detroit, and made his debut with them in 1978.
After leaving Detroit in 1981, he went on to play for the Edmonton Oilers, St Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings before retiring from playing hockey in 1993.
In 2003, he became general manager of the Worcester Sharks of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Gordie Roberts was inducted into both the Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame and U Sports Hall of Fame as a player; he is also a member of both The Hockey News' First All-Star Team (1981) and Second All-Star Team (1983).
He has since become involved in broadcasting work – most notably serving as colour commentator for CBC's coverage of ice hockey at various Winter Olympics throughout history – as well as coaching work with minor league teams across North America.
25. Scott Bjugstad
Scott Bjugstad was born on June 2, 1961 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He is 6'1" tall and weighs 185 lbs. Scott played right wing for the Florida Panthers from 1988-2004.
In 2005 he signed with the Atlanta Thrashers and retired after playing one season there in 2006-07 due to injury.
He has two children - a son named Jack who plays hockey at Boston University and a daughter named Maddie who attends Hillcrest School in San Diego, California as a ninth grader (Class of 2020).
Scott Bjugstad was drafted 181st overall by the Minnesota North Stars in 1981. He played for the North Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Los Angeles Kings over his playing career.
Scott is most well-known for his time with the Penguins where he won two Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992. After leaving hockey, Scott started a family and now operates a golf course called "The Ranch".
In 2009, Scott was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of their class of 2010.
26. Derian Hatcher
Philadelphia Flyers
Career
- Minnesota North Stars
- Dallas Stars
- Detroit Red Wings
- Philadelphia Flyers
- National team: United States
- NHL Draft: 8th overall, 1990
- Minnesota North Stars
Derian Hatcher was a defenseman for the Philadelphia Flyers from 1995 to 2007. He was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the third round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, and then traded to Philadelphia before playing his first game with them.
Hatcher is considered one of the best defensive defensemen in NHL history, and won three Stanley Cup championships with Philadelphia (2000-02, 2006-07).
In 2008 he signed as a free agent with Calgary Flames but spent only two seasons there before retiring at age 36 due to injury.
Hatcher has also played for Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes during his career Derian Hatcher was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in 1990 and played his entire NHL career with them.
He scored over 300 goals during his time in the league and won a Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999.
Hatcher also represented Team USA at several international tournaments, including the 2002 Winter Olympics. He retired after playing for Philadelphia in 2008.
Derian Hatcher is currently an analyst for Fox Sports Southwest and serves as an ambassador for Special Olympics Texas.
27. Al MacAdam
Career
- 1971–72: Charlottetown Islanders
- 1972–73: Richmond Robins
- 1973–74: Philadelphia Flyers
- 1973–74: Richmond Robins
- 1974–75: California Golden Seals
- 1975–76: California Golden Seals
- 1976–77: Cleveland Barons
- 1977–78: Cleveland Barons
Al MacAdam was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on March 16th 1952. He is a right wing who played for the Philadelphia Flyers. Al MacAdam is 6'0" and weighs 180 lbs.
He started playing hockey at the age of 5 with his father and brothers. His NHL career spanned from 1971-1981 where he scored 83 goals and added 164 assists in 485 regular season games played.
In addition, MacAdam totaled 8 goals and 19 assists in 63 playoff games during that time frame as well After leaving the NHL, Al MacAdam spent two seasons playing overseas with HC Davos of Switzerland and HK Kladno of Czechoslovakia before retiring from professional hockey in 1986 due to injury.
Throughout his hockey career, Al MacAdam was an excellent scorer who could also contribute offensively on the power play or penalty kill.
Now 70 years old, Al lives quietly outside of Toronto with his wife Laurie, their three children Lindsay (a physiotherapist), Ryan (an artist), and Benji (a graphic designer).
In 2002 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall Of Fame after being nominated by then Flyers captain Chris Pronger.
Also Played For: california golden seals best player
28. Larry Murphy
Career
- 1978–79: Peterborough Petes
- 1978–79: Peterborough Petes
- 1979–80: Peterborough Petes
- 1979–80: Peterborough Petes
- 1980–81: Los Angeles Kings
- 1981–82: Los Angeles Kings
- 1982–83: Los Angeles Kings
- 1983–84: Los Angeles Kings
Murphy was a Norris Trophy winner as the best defenceman in the NHL in 1988.
He played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks before retiring after the 2002-03 season.
Murphy has been inducted into both the Hockey Hall of Fame and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2010 he became an assistant coach with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs team Larry Murphy was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 1980 and played for them until 2001.
He won a Stanley Cup with the Kings in 1993 and was also an All-Star several times throughout his career.
After leaving the NHL, Murphy went on to play for teams in Europe including spells with the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings.
In 2002 he retired from professional hockey after playing 18 seasons across all levels of competition.
Larry Murphy is now a broadcaster for Hockey Night in Canada where he covers both Canadian provincial championships as well as international matches featuring Team Canada.
29. Tom Reid
Tom Reid is a retired ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 1967 NHL Amateur Draft and spent most of his career with them, also playing for Toronto Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers.
After retiring as a player, he became coach of both Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey team and Northeastern Huskies women's ice hockey team before leaving coaching to become general manager of Los Angeles Kings in 2006.
In 2013, he left his position with Los Angeles Kings to become president/CEO of Rogers Sportsnet Canada, a role which he held until 2018.
When he stepped down from that post too Tom Reid played defence for the Chicago Black Hawks, Minnesota North Stars and Hartford Whalers over a career spanning 1966-1978.
He was known as an intense player with excellent skating ability who could quarterback a power play. Tom Reid was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984.
30. Danny Grant
Danny Grant was a well-known Canadian broadcaster and journalist. He is best known for his work as the host of CBC's "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" from 1992 to 2017, and as a political commentator on various other programs.
In 2005, he received the prestigious National Newspaper Award for commentary in The Globe and Mail newspaper. On October 14, 2019, Danny died at the age of 73 after a long battle with cancer. Danny Grant was a prolific left winger who played for six teams during his playing career.
Grant had an impressive goals-per-game average, scoring over 200 points on four occasions. He was a major contributor to the Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota North Stars in the late 1970s and early 1980s, respectively.
After leaving the NHL, Grant enjoyed success with the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Danny Grant was inducted into both the Hockey Hall of Fame and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1984.
31. Murray Oliver
Murray Oliver was born in Hamilton, Ontario on November 14th 1937. After a successful career as an actor and writer, he moved to Minnesota in the early 2000s where he continued to work until his death earlier this year.
Murray Oliver is best known for his roles in "The Rockford Files" (1973-1977), "Quincy Meeples" (1983-1985) and "Northern Exposure" (1990-2002).
He also wrote several books including the memoirs "An Actor's Life: Reflections on My Fifty Years in the Business".
He was married twice; firstly to actress Julie Newmar from 1963 until their divorce in 1969, after which he married costume designer Linda Woolverton from 1970 until her death from cancer in 1997.
Murray Oliver passed away at the age of 77 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease Murray Oliver was a centre who played for the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota North Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs during his playing career.
He was born in 1936 in Sudbury, Ontario and played junior hockey with the Oshawa Generals before being drafted by the Bruins in 1958. He made his NHL debut with Boston that same year and went on to play 913 games over 14 seasons with the team.
In 1975 he joined the Minnesota North Stars as a free agent and finished his career there two years later.
Murray Oliver retired from professional hockey following the 1976-77 season having scored 548 goals and 856 assists for 1,363 points in 1,486 regular season games spread across 14 seasons.
32. Dennis Maruk
Career
- 1974–75: London Knights
- 1975–76: California Golden Seals
- 1976–77: Cleveland Barons
- 1977–78: Cleveland Barons
- 1978–79: Minnesota North Stars
- 1978–79: Washington Capitals
- 1979–80: Washington Capitals
- 1980–81: Washington Capitals
Dennis Maruk was born in Toronto, Ontario on November 17th, 1955. He played for the California Golden Seals from 1974 to 1977 and then again from 1981 to 1984.
He is best known for his time with the Golden Seals where he racked up 152 goals and 374 assists over 511 games.
Dennis Maruk has retired from hockey and now resides in Southern California with his wife Sandra and their two children Jordan and Jordyn.
Dennis Maruk was drafted by the Cleveland Barons in 1975. He played for the Minnesota North Stars, Washington Capitals and California Golden Seals before joining the Cleveland Crusaders in 1989.
Dennis is best known for his time with the Capitals where he won three Stanley Cups (1982, 1985 and 1987).
After retiring from hockey, Dennis became a television analyst and served as President of Hockey Canada from 2006 to 2007.
Also Played For: washington capitals
33. Mike Eaves
Mike Eaves was born in Denver, Colorado on June 10th 1956. He is a centre who played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, and Detroit Red Wings throughout his career.
Mike won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010-11 and 2013-14 as well as being named to four All Star teams during his time in the NHL. In 2017 he retired from professional hockey after playing 16 seasons of ice hockey.
After retirement Mike became a broadcaster for Fox Sports North covering Minnesota Wild games along with other events such as golf tournaments and college basketball games.
In 2018 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame alongside Brett Hull and Joe Sakic Eaves was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in the NHL Draft in 1976.
Eaves played for Calgary Flames and National team United States throughout his playing career. He retired from hockey in 1986 after a stint with the St Louis Blues.
34. Mark Tinordi
Mark Tinordi is a veteran defenceman who has played for the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars and Dallas Stars. He was drafted by the Rangers in 1987 and made his NHL debut with them in 1988.
Tinordi spent most of his career with the Rangers before moving on to Minnesota in 2001. There he helped lead the North Stars to their only Stanley Cup victory in 1999-2000 season.
After ending his playing career with Dallas, Tinordi became an assistant coach with Boston University from 2007 until 2013 when he left to become head coach at Northeastern University where he remains as head coach today (2018).
Mark Tinordi is a two time winner of the Lady Byng Trophy, awarded to the player deemed to have exhibited sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct both on and off the ice during play.
35. Per-Olov Brasar
Per-Olov Brasar was born on September 30, 1950 in Falun, Sweden. He is 5'8" tall and weighs 172lbs.
Brasar played for the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League from 1970 to 1974 where he broke into the league as a rookie and helped lead his team to back-to-back Memorial Cup appearances in 1972 and 1973.
After leaving Ottawa, Brasar spent four seasons with HC Davos of Switzerland's National League A before joining Malmö Redhawks of Sweden's Elitserien ahead of the 1978–79 season.
In 665 games over 15 seasons with eleven different teams (Ottawa 67s, HC Davos [Switzerland], Malmö Redhawks [Sweden], Örebro HK [Sweden].
Brasar scored 145 goals and added 249 assists for 398 points while averaging just under 22 minutes per game over that span; making him one of the most productive wingers in hockey history outside of those playing today at an elite level.
36. Dirk Graham
Career
- 1978–79: Regina Pats
- 1979–80: Dallas Black Hawks
- 1980–81: Fort Wayne Komets
- 1980–81: Toledo Goaldiggers
- 1981–82: Toledo Goaldiggers
- 1982–83: Toledo Goaldiggers
- 1983–84: Minnesota North Stars
- 1983–84: Salt Lake Golden Eagles
- 1984–85: Springfield Indians
- 1984–85: Minnesota North Stars
- 1985–86: Minnesota North Stars
- 1987–88: Minnesota North Stars
Dirk Graham is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 14 seasons, with the Winnipeg Jets, Hartford Whalers and Toronto Maple Leafs.
He was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Saskatchewan Sport Hall of Fame in 2004. After his playing career ended, Graham operated an agricultural business until he sold it in 2007.
In 2009, he became president of UBC Thunderbirds hockey team and served as head coach from 2010 to 2013 before leaving to become general manager and vice-president of operations for the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
On July 1st 2017 Dirk Graham was named President and General Manager of The Regina Pats Hockey Club effective August 1st 2017 succeeding Kevin Dineen who has been appointed Senior Vice President - Operations & General Manager – Colorado Avalanche AHL affiliate club.
37. Danny O'Shea
Danny O'Shea is a retired professional football player who played for the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He also played in the American Football League (AFL).
Danny O'Shea was born on June 15, 1945 in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. O'Shea began his career with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 1965.
In 1968, he joined the Montreal Alouettes of the AFL where he spent three seasons before retiring from play following the 1971 season.
After retirement from playing football, O'Shea became an assistant coach with both his former teams - Toronto and Montreal - before taking over as head coach of Hamilton in 1984; he held that position until 1991 when he was replaced by Rick Campbell.
Danny O'Shea has been inducted into both the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and The CFL Hall of Fame and holds several records including most games played (276), most carries (10,546) and most touchdowns scored (278).
Danny O' Shea currently resides in Mississauga, Ontario with his wife Norma Jean and their two children Bethany Marie and Brenton Daniel Jr.
Also Played For: oshawa generals
38. Willi Plett
Willi Plett is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Minnesota North Stars.
He was originally drafted by the Detroit Red Wings, but he never played with them as they traded him before he had a chance to debut.
He then moved on to play for the Minnesota Twins and later joined the North Stars in 1984 where he finished his career playing 340 games over eight seasons.
In 1987, Willi Plett won both the Calder Memorial Trophy (given to NHL rookie of the year) and Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (given to gentlemanly player).
After his retirement from playing, Willi took up coaching and has worked at various levels of junior hockey throughout Canada including working as an assistant coach with Team Canada at The World Championships in 2006 where they won gold medal.
As of 2016-2017 season Willi is head coach of HC Sochi in Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), Russia's top professional league.
39. Brad Palmer
Brad Palmer was a left wing who played for the Minnesota North Stars. He was born in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada on September 14th, 1961. Palmer had an impressive shot and could score goals with ease.
In 1988-89, he led the NHL in scoring with 116 points (41 goals and 75 assists). After his playing career ended, Palmer became a coach at various levels of hockey including the AHL's Hershey Bears and Dallas Stars organizations before being hired as head coach.
Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League in 2008-09 season where he remained until his firing midway through 2010-11 season after compiling a record of 36 wins – 44 losses – 8 ties (.500).
Brad is now working as an assistant general manager for the Columbus Blue Jackets organization Brad Palmer was drafted 16th overall by the Minnesota North Stars in 1980. He played with the team until 1992, winning two Stanley Cups during his time there.
Brad is now a scout for the Bruins organization and has worked with them since 2013. In addition to scouting, he also coaches youth hockey teams in Massachusetts and Maine.
40. Dennis Hextall
Career
- 1969–70: Springfield Kings
- 1969–70: Montreal Voyageurs
- 1970–71: California Golden Seals
- 1971–72: Minnesota North Stars
- 1971–72: Cleveland Barons
- 1972–73: Minnesota North Stars
Dennis Hextall was born in 1943 in Poplar Point, Manitoba. He played his junior hockey with the Winnipeg Monarchs of the Western Hockey League and then joined the Philadelphia Flyers for their inaugural season in 1967-68.
Over the next four decades, Hextall would play 914 regular season games (regular season plus playoffs), registering 599 points (239 goals, 320 assists) along with 609 penalty minutes.
In 1984-85, Dennis led all NHL players in scoring with 106 points (43 goals, 67 assists) to go along with 218 penalty minutes – a total that still stands as an NHL record for most combined point/penalty minute totals by a single player over a single season.
Following retirement from playing professionally after the 1993-94 campaign, Dennis served as General Manager of both the Flyers and later Toronto Maple Leafs before returning to Philadelphia at the start of 2011-12 as Vice President/General Manager where he remains today.
On January 25th 2012, Dennis became just the third person ever to be inducted into both The Hockey Hall Of Fame and The Philadelphia Sports Hall Of Fame - joining Bobby Clarke and Bill Barber respectively.
His son Jordan plays ice hockey for Harvard University while his daughter Meghan is involved in figure skating competitions.
41. Tim Young
Career
- 1973–74: Ottawa 67's
- 1974–75: Ottawa 67's
- 1975–76: New Haven Nighthawks
- 1975–76: Minnesota North Stars
- 1976–77: Minnesota North Stars
- 1977–78: Minnesota North Stars
- 1978–79: Minnesota North Stars
Tim Young is a veteran player in the NHL and has had a successful career. He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in 1975 and played with them for six seasons before moving to the Colorado Rockies for two more years.
In 1981, he joined the Philadelphia Flyers and spent 11 seasons there before retiring in 1997.
After his retirement from playing, Young worked as an analyst on television broadcasts of games involving his former teams until 2003 when he took over as head coach of the Rochester Americans (the Sabres' AHL affiliate).
He was fired after one season, but has since returned to broadcasting full-time and also coaches youth hockey in Ontario province where he grew up.
Tim Young is married with three children and lives near Toronto Young was a highly touted prospect when he was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in 1975. He spent four seasons with the North Stars before being traded to Winnipeg Jets in 1979.
Young had a successful tenure with the Jets, scoring over 100 points each season from 1980 to 1983. In 1984, he was traded to Philadelphia Flyers and played there until 1986 when he retired as a player due to injury.
As a player, Young compiled 424 points (197 goals and 261 assists) in 668 games across all leagues combined.
42. Roland Eriksson
Roland Eriksson is a retired professional footballer who played as a centre-forward. He started his career at Malmö FF, before playing for Helsingborgs IF and Djurgårdens IF in Sweden.
In the 1984–85 season, he moved to England to play for Liverpool F.C., where he won two Premier League titles and the European Cup Winners' Cup.
He also made appearances for Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain in Europe, as well as clubs in South America, Japan and Australia.
After retiring from football, Eriksson became a television pundit and coached several teams including AIK Stockholm and Hammarby FC in Sweden.
In December 2016, he was announced as manager of English club Leicester City following the sacking of Craig Shakespeare Roland Eriksson played for the Minnesota North Stars from 1976 to 1979.
He was drafted 131st overall by the NHL in 1974 and spent four seasons with the team before being traded to Vancouver Canucks in 1980. Over his career, he recorded 238 points (102 goals and 158 assists) in 461 games.
After playing for Winnipeg Jets (WHA) from 1981 to 1984, Roland returned to Sweden where he competed professionally until 1992.
In 1994, he became head coach of AIK Stockholm of the Swedish Elite League and remained in that position until 2000 when he took a break from coaching due to health reasons but has since returned as head coach of Frölunda HC.
43. Ernie Hicke
Career
- 1968–69: Houston Apollos
- 1969–70: Salt Lake Golden Eagles
- 1970–71: California Golden Seals
- 1971–72: California Golden Seals
- 1972–73: Atlanta Flames
- 1972–73: New York Islanders
Ernie Hicke was born on November 7, 1947 in Regina, Saskatchewan. He played left wing for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1969 to 1978 and later became head coach of their AHL affiliate the St.
John's Maple Leafs. In 2001 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder-coach and helped develop players such as Wendel Clark and Mats Sundin.
Ernie Hicke passed away on December 15th, 2014 at the age of 75 after a long battle with cancer Ernie Hicke played for the Oakland Seals, Atlanta Flames and New York Islanders.
He retired in 1980 having played 9 seasons in the NHL. Ernie is also a member of the Minnesota North Stars Hall of Fame as well as the Los Angeles Kings Hall of Fame.
Ernie was born on October 15th, 1943 in Minneapolis, MN and died from cancer on September 17th, 2010 at the age of 66 years old.
Also Played For: regina pats
44. Claude Larose
Claude Larose is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League. Claude Larose was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the third round of the 1962 NHL Amateur Draft.
He played for several teams during his career, most notably the Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers and Calgary Flames. In 1984, he won his first Stanley Cup with Montreal after they defeated Los Angeles Kings in seven games.
Larose also competed at two Winter Olympics - 1976 and 1980 - where Canada finished fourth and fifth respectively on both occasions behind United States, Soviet Union and Finland.
After retiring from playing professionally in 1988, Larose became an assistant coach with Quebec Nordiques before being appointed head coach of Vancouver Canucks midway through their inaugural season in 1990-91 campaign.
However he only stayed until December 1991 when he resigned to take up a coaching position with HC CSKA Moscow of the Russian Superleague (now Kontinental Hockey League).
Following one year as head coach of CSKA Moscow (1992–93), Claude Larose returned to North America as an assistant coach with Toronto Maple Leafs under Pat Quinn.
Subsequently taking over as interim head coach following Mike Keenan's dismissal on February 9th 1994 but not holding onto that role for long afterward resigning four days later citing family reasons although rumors circulated linking him to possible jobs abroad such as coaching.
Switzerland national team or French club Lillehammer SKA which would have made him ineligible to return to North America until 2004 if he wanted too.
45. Doug Hicks
Doug Hicks was born in Cold Lake, Alberta on May 28th, 1955. He is 6'0" tall and weighed 185 pounds during his playing days. Doug Hicks played as a defender for the Edmonton Oilers from 1977-1981 and then with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1982-1985.
In total, he played in 594 games and scored 36 goals and 137 assists for 187 points during his NHL career.
After retiring as a player, Doug Hicks became an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings from 1986-1989 before becoming head coach of the Vancouver Canucks from 1990-1994 where he led them to their first division title since 1970/71 season onwards.
He has also served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at both the World Championships (1993) and Olympics (1998).
Currently, Hicks is working as an analyst for Rogers Sportsnet TV broadcasts of NHL hockey games - including work alongside Hockey Night in Canada commentator Ron MacLean.
46. Glen Sharpley
Glen Sharpley is a retired Canadian ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers.
He was drafted by the Maple Leafs in 1976, and spent most of his career with them, although he also played for Edmonton from 1980 to 1984.
Sharpley won two Stanley Cups as captain of the Oilers in 1987 and 1990. After retiring as a player, Sharpley became an NHL analyst on television for both networks that aired NHL games – CBC/TSN and Fox Sports Net North America – before joining TSN Radio 1050 full-time in 2013.
In addition to his work as an analyst, he has also authored books about his life experiences playing professional hockey including Never Give Up: My Life Story (2006), A Time For Change.
The Inside Story Of How I Ended The Oiler Dynasty And Revolutionized Ice Hockey (2010) and Legends Never Die: My Life As An Edmonton Oiler (2013).
Sharples often speaks publicly at schools around Canada encouraging kids not to give up on their dreams no matter what obstacles they may face along the way; something which he himself learned quite late in life when many people told him he couldn't make it as a professional athlete due to his size or lack thereof.
47. Kent Nilsson
Kent Nilsson was born on August 31, 1956 in Nynäshamn, Sweden. He played for Djurgårdens IF before moving to AIK and then to the Winnipeg Jets, Atlanta Flames, Calgary Flames and Minnesota North Stars.
Kent retired from hockey in 1999 after playing with the Jets and Flames. In 1997-98 he won a Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings. Kent currently resides in Sweden and is involved in various charity work Kent Nilsson was born in Edmonton, Alberta on January 24th, 1966.
He played his junior hockey with the HC Bolzano club of Italy before coming over to play for the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL in 1986-87.
Nilsson would be a key player for the Oilers during their playoff runs throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, appearing in four Stanley Cup Finals (1988-89, 1989-90, 1993-94 & 1997-98).
After spending 1998–1999 with Toronto Toros of the WHA as a free agent signing, he retired from playing at age 35 after posting totals of 535 points (214 goals & 306 assists) in 919 career games.
Kent Nilson currently works as an assistant coach with EHC Kloten of Switzerland's National League A division.
48. Mike Gartner
Career
- Cincinnati Stingers
- Washington Capitals
- Minnesota North Stars
- New York Rangers
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Phoenix Coyotes
- National team: Canada
- NHL Draft: 4th overall, 1979
- Washington Capitals
Gartner was a prolific scorer in his NHL career, netting over 700 points. He played for the Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues before retiring in 1997.
Gartner is one of only three players to have scored 50 goals and 100 assists in a season (the other two being Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe). He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001.
Gartner currently works as an analyst on CBC's hockey coverage Mike Gartner was a 4th overall pick in the 1979 NHL Draft by the Washington Capitals.
He is most well-known for his time with the Cincinnati Stingers, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs organizations.
Mike also played for Canada at international level on numerous occasions over his career. After retiring from playing, Mike became an assistant coach with several teams before joining the Coyotes organization as General Manager in 2013.
Also Played For: stanley cup
49. Gary Sargent
Gary Sargent was born in Red Lake, Minnesota on February 18, 1954. He is a defenceman and played his entire career with the Boston Bruins organization. Gary Sargent retired from professional hockey in 1997 after playing for the Colorado Avalanche and Hartford Whalers.
After retiring from hockey, Gary started a business called "The Hockey Academy" which teaches skating to young children.
In 2000, Gary became part of the United States Olympic Committee as an ambassador for ice sports and youth development programs across America Gary Sargent was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1974 NHL Draft.
He played for them, Minnesota North Stars and Indianapolis Racers during his career. Gary Sargent was a strong defender who won many awards throughout his playing career including three Stanley Cups with the Kings.
After ending his playing career, he became an assistant coach with Los Angeles before becoming head coach of their AHL affiliate team in 2001.
In 2012, he joined the staff of the Florida Panthers as an associate coach under head coach Gerard Gallant and remained on that coaching staff until 2017 when he was hired as an assistant general manager by Vegas Golden Knights.
50. Shawn Chambers
Shawn Chambers was a defenseman for the Minnesota North Stars. He played his entire career with the North Stars and retired in 1999. Chambers is best known for his defensive play, which earned him numerous accolades throughout his career.
He currently works as an analyst for NHL Network and Fox Sports Midwest. In addition to working as an analyst, Shawn Chambers also spends time giving back to community organizations near where he grew up in Royal Oak, Michigan.
Shawn Chambers was born on October 11th 1966 in Royal Oak, Michigan and passed away at the age of 56 on January 25th 2019 after a long battle with cancer Shawn Chambers was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1987 NHL Supplemental Draft.
He played for the Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning before retiring after a 2000-2001 season with the Devils.
Chambers had an illustrious playing career that saw him win four Stanley Cups (with three different teams) and become one of only six players to score 500 goals and 1,000 points in his career.
After retiring from hockey, Chambers went on to have a successful broadcasting career with both TV networks and radio stations across Canada and the United States.
51. Charlie Burns
Charlie Burns was born in Detroit, Michigan on February 14th, 1936. He played for the Detroit Red Wings from 1957 to 1971 and then joined the Boston Bruins from 1972 to 1975.
Burns won three Stanley Cups with Boston (1974, 1976, 1978) and two with Detroit (1958, 1982). Charlie Burns retired as a player in 1983 but remained with the Bruins as their head coach until 1990.
In 1991 he became general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and held that position until he resigned in 1998 due to health concerns related to prostate cancer treatment.
Burns died on November 5th 2021 at the age of 85 after a long battle with prostate cancer Charlie Burns was a long time NHL player for the Oakland Seals, Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota North Stars.
He played on Canada's national ice hockey team from 1952 to 1974. Charlie Burns was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1932. He started playing organized ice hockey at the age of six with his local youth league team before moving up to junior level with the Oshawa Generals in 1948-49.
After two seasons with Oshawa, Burns joined the senior ranks with the Detroit Red Wings where he spent four years as an enforcer and utility player before being traded to Oakland in 1953-54 along with Terry Sawchuk and Harry Watson for Scotty Bowman and Bernie Parent.
Burns would spend eleven seasons (1953–1960; 1963–1968) with The Seals/Penguins franchise before signing a one-year deal with Minnesota midway through the 1968 season which saw him retire after appearing in just thirteen games due to injury.
In total, Charlie Burns appeared in 1,269 regular season games scoring 228 goals while adding 715 assists for 1,812 points during his career - all without ever hitting 100 penalty minutes.
Final Words
. . The Minnesota North Stars were one of the most successful teams in National Hockey League history. They won five Stanley Cup championships from 1979 to 1995, and had a long list of Hall-of-Famers on their roster including Mike Modano, Sergei Fedorov, Brett Hull and Loui Eriksson.
The North Stars’ legacy is still alive today as they are an affiliate team of the Dallas Stars.
