THE 1967 EXPANSION DRAFT: Birth of the North Stars

How a closed-door hotel meeting in Montreal populated the original roster and planted professional hockey roots in the Twin Cities.

AT A GLANCE: The Inaugural Selection

• Date: June 6, 1967
• Location: Queen Elizabeth Hotel (Montreal, Quebec)
• Picks Made: 20 players selected from established Original Six rosters
• First Selection: Goaltender Cesare Maniago from the New York Rangers

THE ORIGINAL SIX HARVEST

The draft rules heavily favored the existing Original Six franchises, who were allowed to protect their elite stars. The North Stars, alongside five other expansion clubs, had to build their foundational rosters from unprotected depth players:

Draft Round	Player Chosen	Position	Former Original Six Team	Historical Impact
Round 1	Cesare Maniago	Goaltender	New York Rangers	Anchored the net for 9 seasons in Minnesota
Round 2	Parker MacDonald	Forward	Detroit Red Wings	Provided veteran leadership and early scoring
Round 5	Bill Goldsworthy	Forward	Boston Bruins	Became the team’s first true offensive superstar
Round 11	Wayne Connelly	Forward	Boston Bruins	Led the inaugural 1967–68 team with 35 goals

THE DEEP DIVE: Architecture of a New Franchise

Before the summer of 1967, professional hockey in Minnesota was strictly a minor-league affair. When the NHL announced it would double in size, the newly formed Minnesota management group—led by Wren Blair—knew they needed an immediate mix of durable veterans and unpolished youth to win over the discerning local fanbase.

Sitting in the draft room, Blair prioritized positional security over flashy names. By selecting Cesare Maniago first overall, the North Stars established a defensive spine that could withstand the grueling travel schedules of a modern coast-to-coast league. The front north stars table office targeted players buried on deep depth charts in Boston and Detroit, gambling that increased ice time would unlock hidden potential. The gamble worked seamlessly; players who were once afterthought reserves quickly transformed into regional icons.

MANAGEMENT LIGHTING: The Wren Blair Strategy

“We weren’t looking for superstars who were past their prime; we were looking for hungry players desperate to prove they belonged in the NHL.”

General Manager Wren Blair constructed the roster with a specific emphasis on physical endurance. Understanding that the cold winter climate of the Upper Midwest demanded a gritty, hardworking identity, Blair deliberately passed on aging, high-priced talent. His draft strategy laid the groundwork for an immediate postseason appearance in the team’s very first year of operation, setting a competitive standard that defined the expansion class.

THE FOUNDATIONAL ECHO

The decisions made during that single June afternoon in Montreal shaped the sports culture of the region for the next quarter-century. The unheralded players pulled from the unprotected lists of the Original Six didn’t just fill out a roster; they validated the state’s claim as the true capital of American hockey. Decades later, the names pulled from those draft sheets remain etched in regional lore as the architects who built the foundation of the North Stars.