Minnesota Fighting Saints The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional teams based in Saint Paul , Minnesota that played in the World Hockey Association . The first team was one of the WHA ' s original twelve franchises , playing from 1972 – 76 . The second team was relocated from Cleveland , Ohio , and played for part of the 1976 – 77 season . Neither edition of the franchise completed its final season of play . Original team . The first team was one of the WHA ' s original twelve franchises . They played four seasons , beginning in 1972 – 73 . The Fighting Saints ' first game , a 4 - 3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets , was played Friday , Oct . 13 , 1972 , at the St . Paul Auditorium . Partway through the first season , the new St . Paul Civic Center opened in January 1973 . The first game in the new arena was Jan . 1 , 1973 , a 4 - 4 overtime tie with the Houston Aeros . The team colors were royal blue , white and new gold . The name was taken from the St . Paul Saints of the Central Hockey League , who had used the nickname " The Fighting Saints " in promotional material . At the outset , the Saints had a policy of favoring local players , with the 1972 – 73 roster featuring no fewer than 11 athletes who were either born in Minnesota or ( in the case of former Team USA players Keith Christiansen , George Konik and Carl Wetzel ) American citizens . This was almost unheard of in the early 1970s , when few NHL or WHA teams had even a single American player . Despite their on ice success - the Saints never missed the playoffs nor had a losing record - attendance was poor in the crowded Minnesota market . Direct competition with the NHL Minnesota North Stars , the powerful University of Minnesota Golden Gophers ( winners of two NCAA national championships in that period ) and popular high school hockey teams doomed the WHA ' s future in the market . The Saints had a winning record of 30 - 25 - 4 when they ceased operations on February 28 , 1976 , due to financial struggles . The last game was played Wednesday , Feb . 25 , 1976 at the Civic Center , a 2 - 1 overtime loss to the San Diego Mariners in front of an announced crowd of 6 , 011 . Second team . After the NHL ' s California Golden Seals moved to Cleveland to become the Cleveland Barons , the WHA ' s Cleveland Crusaders moved to St . Paul for the 1976 – 77 season . Like their predecessors , this second version of the Saints ( called the " New Fighting Saints " in advertising and promotional material ) had a winning record through their first 42 games ( 19 - 18 - 5 ) , but owner Nick Mileti was unable to sell the team to local buyers . The franchise officially folded on January 20 , 1977 . The team ' s logo and uniform design were identical to the first team ' s , but with red replacing blue in the color scheme . The " New " Fighting Saints played their final game on Friday , Jan . 14 , 1977 , a 9 - 5 home win over the Indianapolis Racers . Players . Ted Hampson was the Saints ' captain in their first four seasons . In the final season , Ron Ward was the team captain , replaced in mid - season by John Arbour . Among the Saints ' notable players in their brief history were Wayne Connelly ( the team ' s career scoring leader ) , Mike Walton , Mike Antonovich ( the team ' s career games leader ) , Ted Hampson , Dave Keon , John McKenzie and Rick Smith , tough guys Jack Carlson , Gord Gallant , Curt Brackenbury , Bill Butters and Paul Holmgren and goalies Mike Curran and John Garrett . In the 1974 WHA semifinals against Houston , controversial forward Bill " Goldie " Goldthorpe played three games for the Fighting Saints , compiling no points and 25 penalty minutes . ( The 1977 movie Slap Shot featured a wild player named Ogie Oglethorpe , based on Goldthorpe . ) Among the players the Saints selected in the inaugural WHA draft in 1972 was a man who had played for Team USA at the 1956 Winter Olympics , Wendell Anderson . Anderson said he was flattered , but he chose not to join the Saints and instead stuck to his day job - - as Governor of Minnesota . Team executives . Glen Sonmor was the Saints general manager throughout their history . Sonmor coached the Saints for the first part of their inaugural season . When Sonmor gave up his coaching duties , assistant coach Harry Neale took over as head coach . Sonmor coached the Saints again during their final season , 1976 – 77 . Neale had become head coach of the New England Whalers after the original Saints folded in 1976 . Season - by - season record . " Note : GP = Games played , W = Wins , L = Losses , T = Ties , Pts = Points , GF = Goals for , GA = Goals against , PIM = Penalties in minutes "