# 1972–73 Minnesota North Stars season

The 1972–73 Minnesota North Stars season was the North Stars' sixth season.
Coached by Jack Gordon, the team compiled a record of 37–30–11 for 85 points, to finish the regular season 3rd in the West Division. In the playoffs they lost the quarter-finals 4–2 to the Philadelphia Flyers.

## Regular season
### Final standings

West Division vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 78 | 42 | 27 | 9 | 284 | 225 | +59 | 93 |
| 2 | Philadelphia Flyers | 78 | 37 | 30 | 11 | 296 | 256 | +40 | 85 |
| 3 | Minnesota North Stars | 78 | 37 | 30 | 11 | 254 | 230 | +24 | 85 |
| 4 | St. Louis Blues | 78 | 32 | 34 | 12 | 233 | 251 | −18 | 76 |
| 5 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 78 | 32 | 37 | 9 | 257 | 265 | −8 | 73 |
| 6 | Los Angeles Kings | 78 | 31 | 36 | 11 | 232 | 245 | −13 | 73 |
| 7 | Atlanta Flames | 78 | 25 | 38 | 15 | 191 | 239 | −48 | 65 |
| 8 | California Golden Seals | 78 | 16 | 46 | 16 | 213 | 323 | −110 | 48 |

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

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | L | October 7, 1972 | 0–3 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1972–73) | 0–1–0 |
| 2 | W | October 11, 1972 | 5–2 | California Golden Seals (1972–73) | 1–1–0 |
| 3 | T | October 14, 1972 | 3–3 | Vancouver Canucks (1972–73) | 1–1–1 |
| 4 | L | October 15, 1972 | 2–6 | @ New York Rangers (1972–73) | 1–2–1 |
| 5 | W | October 18, 1972 | 6–0 | @ Atlanta Flames (1972–73) | 2–2–1 |
| 6 | L | October 21, 1972 | 2–3 | Atlanta Flames (1972–73) | 2–3–1 |
| 7 | W | October 24, 1972 | 2–1 | @ St. Louis Blues (1972–73) | 3–3–1 |
| 8 | L | October 25, 1972 | 3–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73) | 3–4–1 |
| 9 | W | October 28, 1972 | 2–1 | Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73) | 4–4–1 |
| 10 | L | October 29, 1972 | 1–2 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1972–73) | 4–5–1 |
| 11 | T | November 1, 1972 | 3–3 | St. Louis Blues (1972–73) | 4–5–2 |
| 12 | W | November 4, 1972 | 5–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73) | 5–5–2 |
| 13 | W | November 8, 1972 | 5–2 | California Golden Seals (1972–73) | 6–5–2 |
| 14 | L | November 10, 1972 | 1–5 | @ Atlanta Flames (1972–73) | 6–6–2 |
| 15 | W | November 11, 1972 | 3–0 | New York Islanders (1972–73) | 7–6–2 |
| 16 | W | November 14, 1972 | 4–1 | Los Angeles Kings (1972–73) | 8–6–2 |
| 17 | L | November 15, 1972 | 1–7 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73) | 8–7–2 |
| 18 | T | November 18, 1972 | 4–4 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73) | 8–7–3 |
| 19 | W | November 19, 1972 | 5–1 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73) | 9–7–3 |
| 20 | W | November 22, 1972 | 3–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73) | 10–7–3 |
| 21 | W | November 25, 1972 | 3–0 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1972–73) | 11–7–3 |
| 22 | W | November 26, 1972 | 3–1 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1972–73) | 12–7–3 |
| 23 | W | November 29, 1972 | 5–0 | Atlanta Flames (1972–73) | 13–7–3 |
| 24 | W | December 2, 1972 | 8–6 | Buffalo Sabres (1972–73) | 14–7–3 |
| 25 | L | December 3, 1972 | 4–7 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1972–73) | 14–8–3 |
| 26 | L | December 6, 1972 | 3–6 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1972–73) | 14–9–3 |
| 27 | L | December 7, 1972 | 2–6 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73) | 14–10–3 |
| 28 | W | December 9, 1972 | 7–0 | Detroit Red Wings (1972–73) | 15–10–3 |
| 29 | L | December 10, 1972 | 1–5 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73) | 15–11–3 |
| 30 | W | December 13, 1972 | 7–2 | Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73) | 16–11–3 |
| 31 | W | December 16, 1972 | 5–1 | New York Rangers (1972–73) | 17–11–3 |
| 32 | L | December 17, 1972 | 4–6 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73) | 17–12–3 |
| 33 | W | December 20, 1972 | 5–2 | @ California Golden Seals (1972–73) | 18–12–3 |
| 34 | L | December 23, 1972 | 2–4 | @ New York Islanders (1972–73) | 18–13–3 |
| 35 | W | December 27, 1972 | 3–2 | Montreal Canadiens (1972–73) | 19–13–3 |
| 36 | L | December 29, 1972 | 0–2 | Boston Bruins (1972–73) | 19–14–3 |
| 37 | T | December 31, 1972 | 4–4 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73) | 19–14–4 |
| 38 | L | January 6, 1973 | 0–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73) | 19–15–4 |
| 39 | T | January 8, 1973 | 3–3 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1972–73) | 19–15–5 |
| 40 | L | January 10, 1973 | 0–6 | Montreal Canadiens (1972–73) | 19–16–5 |
| 41 | T | January 11, 1973 | 1–1 | @ Boston Bruins (1972–73) | 19–16–6 |
| 42 | W | January 13, 1973 | 8–1 | New York Islanders (1972–73) | 20–16–6 |
| 43 | W | January 16, 1973 | 1–0 | @ New York Islanders (1972–73) | 21–16–6 |
| 44 | L | January 18, 1973 | 1–6 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73) | 21–17–6 |
| 45 | T | January 20, 1973 | 3–3 | Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73) | 21–17–7 |
| 46 | W | January 21, 1973 | 5–3 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73) | 22–17–7 |
| 47 | T | January 23, 1973 | 5–5 | Los Angeles Kings (1972–73) | 22–17–8 |
| 48 | L | January 25, 1973 | 2–5 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1972–73) | 22–18–8 |
| 49 | L | January 28, 1973 | 1–5 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73) | 22–19–8 |
| 50 | L | February 1, 1973 | 1–3 | @ Atlanta Flames (1972–73) | 22–20–8 |
| 51 | L | February 3, 1973 | 1–2 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73) | 22–21–8 |
| 52 | W | February 4, 1973 | 4–3 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73) | 23–21–8 |
| 53 | L | February 7, 1973 | 2–3 | Boston Bruins (1972–73) | 23–22–8 |
| 54 | L | February 8, 1973 | 2–3 | @ St. Louis Blues (1972–73) | 23–23–8 |
| 55 | W | February 10, 1973 | 3–1 | Detroit Red Wings (1972–73) | 24–23–8 |
| 56 | W | February 11, 1973 | 6–3 | Vancouver Canucks (1972–73) | 25–23–8 |
| 57 | W | February 14, 1973 | 5–2 | St. Louis Blues (1972–73) | 26–23–8 |
| 58 | W | February 17, 1973 | 5–2 | Boston Bruins (1972–73) | 27–23–8 |
| 59 | L | February 18, 1973 | 1–5 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73) | 27–24–8 |
| 60 | L | February 21, 1973 | 2–5 | St. Louis Blues (1972–73) | 27–25–8 |
| 61 | W | February 24, 1973 | 4–2 | Buffalo Sabres (1972–73) | 28–25–8 |
| 62 | L | February 25, 1973 | 5–6 | @ New York Rangers (1972–73) | 28–26–8 |
| 63 | W | February 28, 1973 | 7–3 | California Golden Seals (1972–73) | 29–26–8 |
| 64 | W | March 3, 1973 | 3–0 | Atlanta Flames (1972–73) | 30–26–8 |
| 65 | W | March 4, 1973 | 5–2 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73) | 31–26–8 |
| 66 | W | March 7, 1973 | 10–4 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73) | 32–26–8 |
| 67 | L | March 10, 1973 | 3–4 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73) | 32–27–8 |
| 68 | W | March 11, 1973 | 2–1 | New York Islanders (1972–73) | 33–27–8 |
| 69 | T | March 13, 1973 | 2–2 | Los Angeles Kings (1972–73) | 33–27–9 |
| 70 | W | March 15, 1973 | 5–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73) | 34–27–9 |
| 71 | W | March 17, 1973 | 4–3 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1972–73) | 35–27–9 |
| 72 | L | March 18, 1973 | 0–2 | @ California Golden Seals (1972–73) | 35–28–9 |
| 73 | L | March 20, 1973 | 1–6 | New York Rangers (1972–73) | 35–29–9 |
| 74 | L | March 22, 1973 | 3–5 | @ Boston Bruins (1972–73) | 35–30–9 |
| 75 | W | March 25, 1973 | 2–1 | @ New York Rangers (1972–73) | 36–30–9 |
| 76 | W | March 27, 1973 | 4–3 | Vancouver Canucks (1972–73) | 37–30–9 |
| 77 | T | March 28, 1973 | 3–3 | @ St. Louis Blues (1972–73) | 37–30–10 |
| 78 | T | March 30, 1973 | 3–3 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1972–73) | 37–30–11 |

## Draft picks

Minnesota's draft picks at the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 12 | Jerry Byers | Canada | Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL) |
| 3 | 44 | Terry Ryan | Canada | Hamilton Red Wings (OMJHL) |
| 4 | 60 | Tom Thomson | Canada | Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL) |
| 5 | 76 | Chris Ahrens | United States | Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL) |
| 6 | 92 | Steve West | Canada | Oshawa Generals (OMJHL) |
| 7 | 108 | Chris Meloff | Canada | Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL) |
| 8 | 116 | Scott MacPhail | Canada | Montreal Junior Canadiens (OMJHL) |
| 8 | 124 | Bob Lundeen | United States | University of Wisconsin (WCHA) |
| 9 | 140 | Glen Mikkelson | Canada | Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL) |
| 10 | 145 | Steve Lyon | Canada | Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) |
| 10 | 147 | Juri Kudrasovs | Canada | Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL) |
| 10 | 148 | Marcel Comeau | Canada | Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL) |