After the season, the Gunds tried to buy the Coliseum, but failed. On June 14, 1978, the league granted approval for the Barons to merge with another financially troubled team, the Minnesota North Stars, under the Gunds' ownership. The merged franchise would retain the Minnesota North Stars name, but assume the Barons' old place in the Adams Division. The Barons are last franchise in the four major North American sports leagues to cease operations, and as a result the NHL fielded only 17 teams for the 1978-79 season.
Dennis Maruk was the last Baron to be active in the NHL, retiring from the North Stars after the 1989 season.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Barons_(NHL)
Although Northern California was not considered a particularly fertile hockey market, the NHL's 1967-68 expansion included a Bay Area team, primarily because the terms of a new television agreement with CBS called for two of the new teams to be located in California. Thus, the Oakland Seals were one of the six expansion teams added, but were a failure both on the ice and at the gate. After nine money-losing seasons and continued low attendance, in 1976 the Seals were sold to Cleveland businessmen George and Gordon Gund and moved to Cleveland, where they became the Barons. After two more years of losses, the Gunds were permitted to merge the Barons with the financially struggling Minnesota North Stars. The Gunds emerged as the owners of the North Stars as part of the deal.
The Gunds had long wanted to bring hockey back to the Bay Area, and asked the NHL for permission to move the North Stars there in the late 1980s, but were vetoed by the league. Meanwhile, a group led by former Hartford Whalers owner Howard Baldwin was pushing the NHL to bring a team to San Jose, where a new arena was being built. Eventually a compromise was struck by the league, where the Gunds would sell their share of the North Stars to Baldwin's group, with the Gunds receiving an expansion team in the Bay Area to begin play in the 1991-92 NHL season.[1] In return, the North Stars would be allowed to participate as an equal partner in an expansion draft with the new Bay Area team.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jose_Sharks
Dispersal Draft: Before the draft, the North Stars selected 14 skaters and two goaltenders who had played at least 50 NHL games by the end of the 1989-1990 season. These players were protected. From the unprotected North Stars players (but excluding 1990 draft picks), the Sharks selected 14 skaters and two goaltenders. Up to three Shark selections could have been unsigned North Stars draft choices, while another three could have been players signed between May 2 and June 15, 1990.
After San Jose had chosen 14 skaters and two goaltenders from Minnesota, the teams would take turns choosing from the pool of unclaimed players until the Sharks roster reached thirty players.
source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_NHL_Dispersal_and_Expansion_Drafts
We're not making this stuff up. Do a little bit of research and you will see that this really is accurate.
Not trying to cause trouble just telling you what I know.
- still incorrect.
