# 1977–78 Minnesota North Stars season

The 1977–78 Minnesota North Stars season was the 11th season for the North Stars. The North Stars were in financial trouble, and at season's end had the worst record in the league at 18–53–9. In June 1978, with both the North Stars and the Cleveland Barons on the verge of folding, the league approved an arrangement in which the two teams were permitted to merge under the ownership of Barons owner George Gund III. The merged franchise continued as the Minnesota North Stars, but assumed the Barons' old place in the Adams Division.

## Offseason
### NHL draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | College/junior/club team |
| 1 | 7 | Brad Maxwell | Canada | New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) |
| 2 | 25 | Dave Semenko | Canada | Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL) |
| 4 | 61 | Kevin McCloskey | Canada | Calgary Wranglers (WCHL) |
| 5 | 79 | Bob Parent | Canada | Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) |
| 6 | 97 | Jamie Gallimore | Canada | Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL) |
| 7 | 115 | Jean-Pierre Sanvido | Canada | Trois-Rivières Draveurs (QMJHL) |
| 8 | 130 | Greg Tebbutt | Canada | Regina Pats (WCHL) |
| 9 | 145 | Keith Hanson | United States | Dallas Stars Elite AAA (MWJHL) |

## Regular season
### Final standings

Smythe Division :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 80 | 32 | 29 | 19 | 230 | 220 | 83 |
| Colorado Rockies | 80 | 19 | 40 | 21 | 257 | 305 | 59 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 80 | 20 | 43 | 17 | 239 | 320 | 57 |
| St. Louis Blues | 80 | 20 | 47 | 13 | 195 | 304 | 53 |
| Minnesota North Stars | 80 | 18 | 53 | 9 | 218 | 325 | 45 |
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

### Record vs. opponents

Smythe Division record vs. opponents :
Vs. Campbell Conference
Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Smythe Division
1977–78 NHL records
Team
CHI
COL
MIN
STL
VAN
Total
Chicago
—1–1–45–0–13–1–22–3–111–5–8
Colorado
1–1–4—3–1–21–4–13–0–38–6–10
Minnesota
0–5–11–3–2—1–4–13–35–15–4
St. Louis
1–3–24–1–14–1–1—3–312–8–4
Vancouver
3–2–10–3–33–33–3—9–11–4
Vs. Patrick Division
1977–78 NHL records
Team
ATL
NYI
NYR
PHI
Total
Chicago
2–1–21–2–21–3–12–2–16–8–6
Colorado
1–2–20–4–12–2–12–35–11–4
Minnesota
1–41–40–3–22–34–14–2
St. Louis
0–4–10–4–10–4–11–41–16–3
Vancouver
1–2–20–51–40–52–16–2
Vs. Adams Division
1977–78 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
CLE
TOR
Total
Chicago
1–31–2–13–11–2–16–8–2
Colorado
0–3–11–31–1–20–42–11–3
Minnesota
1–31–30–3–10–42–13–1
St. Louis
0–40–42–1–10–2–22–11–3
Vancouver
0–2–20–1–31–2–10–3–11–8–7
Vs. Norris Division
1977–78 NHL records
Team
DET
LAK
MTL
PIT
WSH
Total
Chicago
3–12–20–3–11–2–13–0–19–8–3
Colorado
1–2–11–2–10–41–2–11–2–14–12–4
Minnesota
0–41–2–12–22–22–1–17–11–2
St. Louis
1–32–20–41–2–11–1–25–12–3
Vancouver
1–2–11–2–10–3–12–1–14–08–8–4 :

## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | L | October 12, 1977 | 3–7 | @ Montreal Canadiens(1977–78) | 0–1–0 |
| 2 | L | October 15, 1977 | 3–5 | Vancouver Canucks(1977–78) | 0–2–0 |
| 3 | L | October 19, 1977 | 1–5 | @ Atlanta Flames(1977–78) | 0–3–0 |
| 4 | L | October 20, 1977 | 4–7 | Cleveland Barons(1977–78) | 0–4–0 |
| 5 | L | October 22, 1977 | 2–4 | Detroit Red Wings(1977–78) | 0–5–0 |
| 6 | L | October 23, 1977 | 1–4 | @ Buffalo Sabres(1977–78) | 0–6–0 |
| 7 | W | October 26, 1977 | 3–0 | Boston Bruins(1977–78) | 1–6–0 |
| 8 | L | October 27, 1977 | 1–3 | @ Detroit Red Wings(1977–78) | 1–7–0 |
| 9 | W | October 29, 1977 | 7–4 | Washington Capitals(1977–78) | 2–7–0 |
| 10 | W | November 2, 1977 | 3–2 | New York Islanders(1977–78) | 3–7–0 |
| 11 | L | November 5, 1977 | 2–5 | Chicago Black Hawks(1977–78) | 3–8–0 |
| 12 | W | November 7, 1977 | 5–3 | @ Montreal Canadiens(1977–78) | 4–8–0 |
| 13 | T | November 9, 1977 | 2–2 | @ Chicago Black Hawks(1977–78) | 4–8–1 |
| 14 | L | November 11, 1977 | 2–4 | @ Vancouver Canucks(1977–78) | 4–9–1 |
| 15 | T | November 12, 1977 | 2–2 | @ Los Angeles Kings(1977–78) | 4–9–2 |
| 16 | W | November 16, 1977 | 7–4 | Pittsburgh Penguins(1977–78) | 5–9–2 |
| 17 | L | November 19, 1977 | 2–7 | Philadelphia Flyers(1977–78) | 5–10–2 |
| 18 | L | November 22, 1977 | 2–4 | @ Atlanta Flames(1977–78) | 5–11–2 |
| 19 | L | November 23, 1977 | 2–9 | New York Islanders(1977–78) | 5–12–2 |
| 20 | T | November 26, 1977 | 4–4 | Colorado Rockies(1977–78) | 5–12–3 |
| 21 | W | November 29, 1977 | 4–3 | Atlanta Flames(1977–78) | 6–12–3 |
| 22 | L | December 1, 1977 | 2–4 | @ Boston Bruins(1977–78) | 6–13–3 |
| 23 | L | December 3, 1977 | 0–4 | New York Rangers(1977–78) | 6–14–3 |
| 24 | T | December 4, 1977 | 4–4 | @ New York Rangers(1977–78) | 6–14–4 |
| 25 | L | December 6, 1977 | 2–4 | @ New York Islanders(1977–78) | 6–15–4 |
| 26 | L | December 7, 1977 | 3–6 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs(1977–78) | 6–16–4 |
| 27 | L | December 10, 1977 | 2–4 | Buffalo Sabres(1977–78) | 6–17–4 |
| 28 | L | December 11, 1977 | 3–8 | @ Chicago Black Hawks(1977–78) | 6–18–4 |
| 29 | W | December 14, 1977 | 3–2 | Montreal Canadiens(1977–78) | 7–18–4 |
| 30 | L | December 16, 1977 | 5–8 | Toronto Maple Leafs(1977–78) | 7–19–4 |
| 31 | L | December 17, 1977 | 1–5 | @ Colorado Rockies(1977–78) | 7–20–4 |
| 32 | L | December 21, 1977 | 1–8 | @ Los Angeles Kings(1977–78) | 7–21–4 |
| 33 | W | December 23, 1977 | 7–5 | @ Vancouver Canucks(1977–78) | 8–21–4 |
| 34 | W | December 27, 1977 | 1–0 | St. Louis Blues(1977–78) | 9–21–4 |
| 35 | L | December 29, 1977 | 2–5 | @ Philadelphia Flyers(1977–78) | 9–22–4 |
| 36 | L | January 4, 1978 | 3–5 | New York Rangers(1977–78) | 9–23–4 |
| 37 | L | January 7, 1978 | 1–3 | Boston Bruins(1977–78) | 9–24–4 |
| 38 | L | January 8, 1978 | 1–3 | St. Louis Blues(1977–78) | 9–25–4 |
| 39 | L | January 11, 1978 | 3–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs(1977–78) | 9–26–4 |
| 40 | T | January 13, 1978 | 2–2 | Washington Capitals(1977–78) | 9–26–5 |
| 41 | L | January 14, 1978 | 2–5 | @ St. Louis Blues(1977–78) | 9–27–5 |
| 42 | L | January 18, 1978 | 2–5 | New York Islanders(1977–78) | 9–28–5 |
| 43 | L | January 21, 1978 | 1–4 | Chicago Black Hawks(1977–78) | 9–29–5 |
| 44 | L | January 22, 1978 | 3–4 | Atlanta Flames(1977–78) | 9–30–5 |
| 45 | W | January 26, 1978 | 2–1 | @ Buffalo Sabres(1977–78) | 10–30–5 |
| 46 | L | January 28, 1978 | 1–2 | Cleveland Barons(1977–78) | 10–31–5 |
| 47 | W | January 29, 1978 | 4–0 | @ Washington Capitals(1977–78) | 11–31–5 |
| 48 | L | January 31, 1978 | 4–7 | @ Atlanta Flames(1977–78) | 11–32–5 |
| 49 | L | February 1, 1978 | 1–6 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins(1977–78) | 11–33–5 |
| 50 | L | February 4, 1978 | 2–4 | Buffalo Sabres(1977–78) | 11–34–5 |
| 51 | L | February 8, 1978 | 0–3 | @ New York Rangers(1977–78) | 11–35–5 |
| 52 | W | February 11, 1978 | 3–2 | Vancouver Canucks(1977–78) | 12–35–5 |
| 53 | T | February 12, 1978 | 3–3 | Colorado Rockies(1977–78) | 12–35–6 |
| 54 | W | February 16, 1978 | 4–2 | @ Philadelphia Flyers(1977–78) | 13–35–6 |
| 55 | L | February 18, 1978 | 4–5 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs(1977–78) | 13–36–6 |
| 56 | L | February 19, 1978 | 1–2 | @ Washington Capitals(1977–78) | 13–37–6 |
| 57 | W | February 22, 1978 | 4–1 | Los Angeles Kings(1977–78) | 14–37–6 |
| 58 | L | February 24, 1978 | 2–3 | @ Colorado Rockies(1977–78) | 14–38–6 |
| 59 | L | February 25, 1978 | 1–5 | @ Vancouver Canucks(1977–78) | 14–39–6 |
| 60 | L | February 28, 1978 | 1–7 | @ St. Louis Blues(1977–78) | 14–40–6 |
| 61 | L | March 1, 1978 | 2–3 | St. Louis Blues(1977–78) | 14–41–6 |
| 62 | L | March 4, 1978 | 1–3 | Detroit Red Wings(1977–78) | 14–42–6 |
| 63 | L | March 5, 1978 | 3–4 | @ Detroit Red Wings(1977–78) | 14–43–6 |
| 64 | L | March 8, 1978 | 3–4 | Chicago Black Hawks(1977–78) | 14–44–6 |
| 65 | T | March 11, 1978 | 1–1 | @ St. Louis Blues(1977–78) | 14–44–7 |
| 66 | L | March 13, 1978 | 2–5 | Montreal Canadiens(1977–78) | 14–45–7 |
| 67 | L | March 16, 1978 | 2–7 | @ Boston Bruins(1977–78) | 14–46–7 |
| 68 | T | March 17, 1978 | 4–4 | @ Cleveland Barons(1977–78) | 14–46–8 |
| 69 | T | March 19, 1978 | 7–7 | New York Rangers(1977–78) | 14–46–9 |
| 70 | W | March 21, 1978 | 7–1 | Pittsburgh Penguins(1977–78) | 15–46–9 |
| 71 | L | March 23, 1978 | 1–3 | Los Angeles Kings(1977–78) | 15–47–9 |
| 72 | L | March 25, 1978 | 3–4 | Philadelphia Flyers(1977–78) | 15–48–9 |
| 73 | L | March 26, 1978 | 3–6 | @ New York Islanders(1977–78) | 15–49–9 |
| 74 | W | March 28, 1978 | 9–4 | Vancouver Canucks(1977–78) | 16–49–9 |
| 75 | L | March 29, 1978 | 3–7 | @ Cleveland Barons(1977–78) | 16–50–9 |
| 76 | L | April 1, 1978 | 2–4 | @ Colorado Rockies(1977–78) | 16–51–9 |
| 77 | W | April 4, 1978 | 5–3 | Colorado Rockies(1977–78) | 17–51–9 |
| 78 | L | April 5, 1978 | 2–7 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins(1977–78) | 17–52–9 |
| 79 | L | April 8, 1978 | 2–4 | @ Chicago Black Hawks(1977–78) | 17–53–9 |
| 80 | W | April 9, 1978 | 3–1 | @ Philadelphia Flyers(1977–78) | 18–53–9 |

## Player statistics
### Skaters

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM |
| Roland Eriksson | 78 | 21 | 39 | 60 | −29 | 12 |

### 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 |