The 1967/68 Off season was a busy one, here are the highlights.

- 3 expansion teams will be joining the MAHL for the upcoming season
- 4 current teams adjusted their identity
- The MAHL announced that the Super Series will be relocated to the newly built Met Center. The 15,000 seat arena was built to host the NHL's Minnesota North Stars.
- The MAHL approved a policy that mandates that any expansion team must have player numbers located in a second spot (besides the back) on the jersey, such as the sleeves, shoulders, or chest. Teams that do not currently have second numbers are being "grandfathered" in, but are urged to add them sooner than later to help with stat keeping.
- 3 new arenas opened.
             - Rochester: The Robins and Mustangs moved from theRochester Mayo Civic Auditorium to the newly made Graham Arena.
             - International Falls: The Ice will finally be moving out of Smokey Bear Park, one of the most historically difficult places for visitors to come to. They are moving indoors to the 2,500 seat International Falls Arena.
             - Fargo: The Titans finally made the move indoors, calling the over 4,200 seatJohn E. Carlson Coliseum home now.

The biggest story of the summer was the arrival of the NHL to the State of Hockey, lets start there.

The team name identity was released for Minnesota's new NHL franchise, the North Stars. The look was embraced by fans, but many couldn't help but notice the similarities with the Roseau Stars of the Northland Hockey League. When asked about his thoughts on the issue, Stars head coach Matt Baumgartner joked "I think they probably have a bigger issue with it up in Warroad if I'm being honest".

With the NHL doubling in size, it meant more talented players were going to be able to play professionally, and the MAHL was no exception. The Minnesota Amateur Hockey League has gained a reputation for producing talent that flies under the radar. Boasting players who come from small towns that otherwise would never get the chance to play in arenas with thousands of people. There were 6 MAHL players signed by NHL teams, three of which were taken by Minnesota.

- Minnesota North Stars
             - Dand Polley, Brainerd Lumberjacks G
             - Otto Paradise, St. Paul Saints RW
             - William Soosi, Roseau Stars RW

- Philadelphia Flyers
             - Greg Patrick, Winnipeg Monarchs C

- Pittsburgh Penguins
             - Ricky Williams, Duluth Voyageurs RW

- St. Louis Blues
             - Brady Millen, Cloquet Broncos C

Last edited by Section30 (1/24/2020 4:16 pm)

Our next change is simply adding numbers to the sleeves and making the gloves black for the Bearcats.

New

Old

Last edited by Section30 (1/24/2020 4:35 pm)

With the move of those players to the NHL, will we hear how they did at the top level, or is that just too much?

Dan O'Mac wrote:

With the move of those players to the NHL, will we hear how they did at the top level, or is that just too much?

I'll probably be throwing them in here and there, but they wont be a major story line or anything.
 

Last edited by Section30 (1/24/2020 4:43 pm)

We head north of the border for our next team, all the way to Kenora, Ontario. Kenora is a sizable city just north of the Minnesota-Canada border. Kenora has a long hockey history with teams such as the Thistles who actually won the Stanley Cup back in 1907. The Muskrats will be joinging the Northland Hockey League and will call the Kenora Recreation Centre home.

The team will be called the "Muskrats" in ode to the towns original name of Rat Portage. The name referred to the amount of Muskrats in the area and was the cause of the towns foundation. Their logo is an interlocked KM monogram for Kenora Muskrats. Their colors are maize and blue.

Last edited by Section30 (1/24/2020 5:04 pm)