# 1971–72 Minnesota North Stars season

The 1971–72 Minnesota North Stars season was the Stars' fifth season of operation in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Stars finished in second place in the West Division and qualified for the playoffs, where they lost in the first round to the St. Louis Blues.

## Regular season
### Final standings

West Division vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 78 | 46 | 17 | 15 | 256 | 166 | +90 | 107 |
| 2 | Minnesota North Stars | 78 | 37 | 29 | 12 | 212 | 191 | +21 | 86 |
| 3 | St. Louis Blues | 78 | 28 | 39 | 11 | 208 | 247 | −39 | 67 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 78 | 26 | 38 | 14 | 220 | 258 | −38 | 66 |
| 5 | Philadelphia Flyers | 78 | 26 | 38 | 14 | 200 | 236 | −36 | 66 |
| 6 | California Golden Seals | 78 | 21 | 39 | 18 | 216 | 288 | −72 | 60 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Kings | 78 | 20 | 49 | 9 | 206 | 305 | −99 | 49 |

### Record vs. opponents
## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | W | October 9, 1971 | 4–2 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) | 1–0–0 |
| 2 | T | October 14, 1971 | 1–1 | Montreal Canadiens (1971–72) | 1–0–1 |
| 3 | L | October 16, 1971 | 2–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) | 1–1–1 |
| 4 | W | October 17, 1971 | 3–2 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1971–72) | 2–1–1 |
| 5 | W | October 20, 1971 | 7–0 | Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) | 3–1–1 |
| 6 | W | October 23, 1971 | 5–1 | Buffalo Sabres (1971–72) | 4–1–1 |
| 7 | W | October 24, 1971 | 6–3 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) | 5–1–1 |
| 8 | W | October 27, 1971 | 2–1 | @ St. Louis Blues (1971–72) | 6–1–1 |
| 9 | W | October 28, 1971 | 2–0 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) | 7–1–1 |
| 10 | T | October 30, 1971 | 1–1 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) | 7–1–2 |
| 11 | L | October 31, 1971 | 2–5 | @ Boston Bruins (1971–72) | 7–2–2 |
| 12 | W | November 3, 1971 | 2–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) | 8–2–2 |
| 13 | W | November 6, 1971 | 5–1 | St. Louis Blues (1971–72) | 9–2–2 |
| 14 | W | November 7, 1971 | 3–0 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) | 10–2–2 |
| 15 | L | November 10, 1971 | 1–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) | 10–3–2 |
| 16 | L | November 13, 1971 | 1–5 | Montreal Canadiens (1971–72) | 10–4–2 |
| 17 | W | November 16, 1971 | 5–1 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) | 11–4–2 |
| 18 | W | November 18, 1971 | 4–3 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) | 12–4–2 |
| 19 | W | November 20, 1971 | 4–1 | New York Rangers (1971–72) | 13–4–2 |
| 20 | T | November 21, 1971 | 1–1 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) | 13–4–3 |
| 21 | W | November 23, 1971 | 2–1 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) | 14–4–3 |
| 22 | W | November 26, 1971 | 2–1 | @ California Golden Seals (1971–72) | 15–4–3 |
| 23 | W | November 27, 1971 | 3–1 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) | 16–4–3 |
| 24 | W | December 1, 1971 | 4–1 | California Golden Seals (1971–72) | 17–4–3 |
| 25 | W | December 4, 1971 | 3–1 | Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) | 18–4–3 |
| 26 | L | December 5, 1971 | 1–3 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1971–72) | 18–5–3 |
| 27 | L | December 8, 1971 | 1–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) | 18–6–3 |
| 28 | L | December 11, 1971 | 3–4 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1971–72) | 18–7–3 |
| 29 | L | December 12, 1971 | 3–5 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) | 18–8–3 |
| 30 | W | December 15, 1971 | 4–1 | St. Louis Blues (1971–72) | 19–8–3 |
| 31 | L | December 18, 1971 | 1–4 | Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) | 19–9–3 |
| 32 | T | December 19, 1971 | 1–1 | @ New York Rangers (1971–72) | 19–9–4 |
| 33 | W | December 21, 1971 | 3–2 | Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) | 20–9–4 |
| 34 | L | December 25, 1971 | 1–2 | New York Rangers (1971–72) | 20–10–4 |
| 35 | L | December 26, 1971 | 1–5 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) | 20–11–4 |
| 36 | T | December 30, 1971 | 2–2 | Boston Bruins (1971–72) | 20–11–5 |
| 37 | W | January 1, 1972 | 3–2 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) | 21–11–5 |
| 38 | W | January 5, 1972 | 4–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) | 22–11–5 |
| 39 | L | January 8, 1972 | 1–5 | Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) | 22–12–5 |
| 40 | T | January 11, 1972 | 2–2 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) | 22–12–6 |
| 41 | L | January 12, 1972 | 0–2 | @ California Golden Seals (1971–72) | 22–13–6 |
| 42 | L | January 15, 1972 | 2–7 | @ St. Louis Blues (1971–72) | 22–14–6 |
| 43 | L | January 16, 1972 | 2–3 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) | 22–15–6 |
| 44 | T | January 18, 1972 | 1–1 | California Golden Seals (1971–72) | 22–15–7 |
| 45 | W | January 19, 1972 | 4–1 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) | 23–15–7 |
| 46 | W | January 22, 1972 | 4–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) | 24–15–7 |
| 47 | W | January 23, 1972 | 5–3 | Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) | 25–15–7 |
| 48 | W | January 27, 1972 | 6–5 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1971–72) | 26–15–7 |
| 49 | W | January 29, 1972 | 4–2 | New York Rangers (1971–72) | 27–15–7 |
| 50 | T | January 30, 1972 | 1–1 | @ New York Rangers (1971–72) | 27–15–8 |
| 51 | L | February 2, 1972 | 2–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) | 27–16–8 |
| 52 | L | February 3, 1972 | 1–6 | @ Boston Bruins (1971–72) | 27–17–8 |
| 53 | T | February 5, 1972 | 3–3 | Buffalo Sabres (1971–72) | 27–17–9 |
| 54 | L | February 6, 1972 | 0–5 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) | 27–18–9 |
| 55 | W | February 9, 1972 | 4–1 | Los Angeles Kings (1971–72) | 28–18–9 |
| 56 | W | February 10, 1972 | 3–1 | @ St. Louis Blues (1971–72) | 29–18–9 |
| 57 | W | February 12, 1972 | 5–1 | Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) | 30–18–9 |
| 58 | W | February 16, 1972 | 4–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1971–72) | 31–18–9 |
| 59 | L | February 19, 1972 | 4–6 | Boston Bruins (1971–72) | 31–19–9 |
| 60 | W | February 20, 1972 | 2–0 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) | 32–19–9 |
| 61 | L | February 24, 1972 | 2–4 | Montreal Canadiens (1971–72) | 32–20–9 |
| 62 | L | February 26, 1972 | 2–3 | St. Louis Blues (1971–72) | 32–21–9 |
| 63 | L | March 2, 1972 | 0–3 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) | 32–22–9 |
| 64 | L | March 4, 1972 | 2–4 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) | 32–23–9 |
| 65 | W | March 5, 1972 | 2–1 | Chicago Black Hawks (1971–72) | 33–23–9 |
| 66 | L | March 8, 1972 | 4–5 | Boston Bruins (1971–72) | 33–24–9 |
| 67 | T | March 12, 1972 | 2–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1971–72) | 33–24–10 |
| 68 | L | March 14, 1972 | 3–4 | Buffalo Sabres (1971–72) | 33–25–10 |
| 69 | W | March 16, 1972 | 6–2 | Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) | 34–25–10 |
| 70 | L | March 18, 1972 | 3–4 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1971–72) | 34–26–10 |
| 71 | L | March 19, 1972 | 3–7 | @ Boston Bruins (1971–72) | 34–27–10 |
| 72 | W | March 21, 1972 | 4–2 | California Golden Seals (1971–72) | 35–27–10 |
| 73 | T | March 23, 1972 | 4–4 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1971–72) | 35–27–11 |
| 74 | L | March 25, 1972 | 2–3 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1971–72) | 35–28–11 |
| 75 | W | March 26, 1972 | 5–0 | @ New York Rangers (1971–72) | 36–28–11 |
| 76 | T | March 28, 1972 | 2–2 | Philadelphia Flyers (1971–72) | 36–28–12 |
| 77 | W | March 31, 1972 | 2–1 | @ California Golden Seals (1971–72) | 37–28–12 |
| 78 | L | April 2, 1972 | 1–4 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1971–72) | 37–29–12 |

## Playoffs

For the fourth time in their first five seasons, the North Stars were in the playoffs. Once again, they had a matchup with the Blues in the postseason. The two teams would not meet again in the postseason until 1984.
Stanley Cup Quarterfinals
| Game | Date | Location | Score | Record |
| 1 | April 5 | Minnesota | 3–0 | 1–0 |
| 2 | April 6 | Minnesota | 6–5 (OT) | 2–0 |
| 3 | April 8 | St. Louis | 1–2 | 2–1 |
| 4 | April 9 | St. Louis | 2–3 | 2–2 |
| 5 | April 13 | Minnesota | 4–3 | 3–2 |
| 6 | April 15 | St. Louis | 2–4 | 3–3 |
| 7 | April 18 | Minnesota | 1–2 (OT) | 3–4 |
St. Louis Blues win 4–3

## Draft picks

Minnesota's draft picks at the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 2 | 21 | Rod Norrish | Canada | Regina Pats (WCHL) |
| 3 | 35 | Ron Wilson | Canada | Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL) |
| 4 | 49 | Mike Legge | Canada | Winnipeg Jets (WCHL) |
| 5 | 63 | Brian McBratney | Canada | St. Catharines Black Hawks (OHA) |
| 6 | 77 | Alan Globensky | Canada | Montreal Junior Canadiens (OHA) |
| 7 | 91 | Bruce Abbey | Canada | Peterborough Petes (OHA) |
| 8 | 105 | Russ Friesen | Canada | Hamilton Red Wings (OHA) |
| 12 | 113 | Mike Antonovich | United States | University of Minnesota (WCHA) |
| 15 | 117 | Richard Coutu | Canada | Rosemont National (QMJHL) |