1978–79 Minnesota North Stars season
| 1978–79 Minnesota North Stars | |
|---|---|
| Division | 4th Adams |
| Conference | 7th Wales |
| 1978–79 record | 28–40–12 |
| Home record | 19–15–6 |
| Road record | 9–25–6 |
| Goals for | 257 |
| Goals against | 289 |
| Team information | |
| General manager | Lou Nanne |
| Coach | Harry Howell Glen Sonmor |
| Captain | J. P. Parise |
| Alternate captains | None |
| Arena | Met Center |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | Bobby Smith (30) |
| Assists | Bobby Smith (44) |
| Points | Bobby Smith (74) |
| Penalty minutes | Greg Smith (147) |
| Plus/minus | Ron Zanussi (+5) |
| Wins | Gilles Meloche (20) |
| Goals against average | Gilles Meloche (3.30) |
The 1978–79 Minnesota North Stars season was the team's 12th season in the NHL. In the off season, the North Stars were on the verge of folding, and were merged with the Cleveland Barons, another team on the brink of collapse. The merged franchise continued as the Minnesota North Stars, with the old logo and colors. The changes for the franchise were new ownership and new management. Former Cleveland Barons General Manager Harry Howell assumed the coaching duties from Lou Nanne, who was named general manager. Former Barons owner George Gund III became a co-owner of the North Stars. Howell's tenure as head coach would last just eleven games before he was replaced by Glen Sonmor.
While the merger allowed the North Stars to ice a stronger team, it also saw the North Stars take the Barons' place in the tough Adams Division. The North Stars finished with 68 points, which was a substantial improvement over either the Barons' or North Stars' performance the previous season. Had the North Stars still been in the Smythe Division, that would have been good enough for second place and a playoff berth, but it was not enough to lift the team out of last place in the Adams. Minnesota missed the playoffs for the 5th time in 6 years. One of the highlights was Bobby Smith winning the Calder Trophy.