NHL 3 Star Time Warp: February 17, 1973

From our "NHL 3 Star Time Warp" series on our Facebook Page: A look back at the 3 stars from NHL games played on February 17, 1973.

Third Star: Danny Grant of the Minnesota North Stars

Facing the high-powered Boston Bruins, Danny Grant delivered one of his best performances of the season, leading the Minnesota North Stars to a convincing 5-2 victory. Grant recorded a hat trick and added an assist for a four-point night, proving to be the difference-maker against one of the NHL’s elite clubs.

Grant found the back of the net three times, scoring his 21st, 22nd, and 23rd goals of the 1972-73 campaign. He also set up a goal by Jude Drouin, contributing directly to four of Minnesota’s five goals.

The only North Stars goal that did not involve Grant came off the stick of J.P. Parise. That marker ultimately stood as the game-winning goal, while Grant’s offensive outburst secured him Third Star honors.

Stories From The Epic History Of NHL Hockey (Volume IV)

Dive into unforgettable tales from NHL history — the biggest moments, legendary players, and classic rivalries.

Buy on Amazon

Second Star: Ron Ellis of the Toronto Maple Leafs

Although he was the only member of the night’s three stars not to record a hat trick, Ron Ellis still put together an outstanding performance for the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 6-2 victory over the New York Islanders.

Ellis scored twice and added an assist on a goal by Dave Keon, finishing with three points. His first goal of the game, his 19th of the season, eventually held up as the game winner.

He capped off his evening with a shorthanded tally late in the second period, helping Toronto pull away and earning Second Star recognition.

First Star: Bobby Clarke of the Philadelphia Flyers

In one of the most entertaining games of the night, Bobby Clarke powered the Philadelphia Flyers to a thrilling 7-6 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum.

Clarke recorded a hat trick and added an assist on a goal by Simon Nolet, giving him a four-point performance. His leadership and offensive production were crucial in a back-and-forth contest that remained undecided until the closing minutes.

The Flyers captain completed his hat trick at 16:31 of the third period, scoring his 29th goal of the season. That goal proved to be the game winner, sealing the dramatic win and earning Clarke First Star honors.

Video Version

The PDF versions of some of our hockey books are now available for free download: Take a look!

Danny Grant Nets Two Against Capitals to Become Detroit’s Second 50-Goal Man

On April 2, 1975, at the historic Detroit Olympia, Danny Grant etched his name into Red Wings history. With two goals against the expansion Washington Capitals, Grant became just the second player in franchise history to score 50 goals in a season.

The only Red Wing to reach the milestone before him was Mickey Redmond, who hit the 50-goal mark in both 1972-73 and 1973-74. Grant’s 50-goal campaign in 1974-75 didn’t surpass Redmond’s team record of 52, but it firmly secured his place among Detroit’s elite scorers.

The game marked the second half of a home-and-home series with Washington. Grant had already tormented the Caps earlier, posting a goal and two assists. In six games against the new franchise that season, he piled up five goals and seven assists for 12 points, clearly relishing the matchup.

Detroit trailed 2-0 after the opening period in the April 2 contest, but the tide turned quickly. By the 9:30 mark of the second period, Grant buried his 49th goal of the season to give Detroit a 4-2 lead. The tally came against goaltender John Adams, with assists from linemates Marcel Dionne and Phil Roberto. That goal would stand as the game-winner in an eventual 8-3 Red Wings victory.

Grant’s milestone 50th goal came at 6:16 of the third period, once again assisted by Dionne and Roberto. Dionne enjoyed a standout night himself, recording a goal and three assists for four points. Grant, meanwhile, would finish the season right at 50, going scoreless in Detroit’s final two games.

Redmond’s franchise record of 52 goals remained intact until 1984-85, when John Ogrodnick raised the bar to 55.

The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings (A Curated History of Hockeytown)

Explore the storied history of the Detroit Red Wings — legends, moments, rivalries, and the culture that made Hockeytown iconic.

Buy on Amazon

The PDF versions of some of our hockey books are now available for free download: Take a look!

Danny Grant’s First NHL Hat Trick Set the Stage for His Calder Trophy Triumph

Danny Grant’s path to NHL stardom didn’t begin in Montreal, but the seeds were planted during his brief time with the Canadiens in 1967-68. In just 22 games, he scored three goals, and despite contributing during Montreal’s successful Stanley Cup run, he remained Calder-eligible heading into the next season. A major step came over the summer when he was traded to the Minnesota North Stars along with Claude Larose in exchange for a first-round pick that became Dave Gardner.

The move proved transformative. Grant burst out of the gate with Minnesota, scoring three goals and adding three assists in his first five games. And on November 9, 1968, he delivered a defining early milestone, his first NHL hat trick, scored fittingly against the Detroit Red Wings, the team he would later join. In the North Stars’ 6-4 win, Grant found the net once in each period, including two power-play markers, showcasing the scoring touch that would come to define his career.

His first goal, scored at 8:16 of the opening frame with assists from Danny O’Shea and Bill Collins, chased Red Wings starter Roger Crozier from the game after just five shots. Detroit turned to Terry Sawchuk, but Grant wasn’t done. His second goal, at 11:54 of the middle period, stood as the game-winner, the first of 21 he would record over his NHL career. Ray Cullen played a major supporting role, assisting on two of Grant’s tallies while enjoying a five-point night of his own.

By the time the 1968-69 season wrapped up, Grant had firmly established himself as one of the league’s brightest young talents. His 34 goals and 65 points earned him the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in a tightly contested race with Oakland’s Norm Ferguson. Brad Park, Gerry Desjardins, and Andre Lacroix also received strong consideration, but it was Grant who stood tall.

The PDF versions of some of our hockey books are now available for free download: Take a look!

NHL Hockey Trivia: Danny Grant

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. With which NHL team did Danny Grant win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year?

Minnesota North Stars
Montreal Canadiens
Detroit Red Wings
Los Angeles Kings

2. How many goals did Danny Grant score during his Calder-winning 1968-69 season?

27
34
41
52

3. Which team did Danny Grant score his first NHL hat trick against?

Boston Bruins
Oakland Seals
Detroit Red Wings
St. Louis Blues

4. Danny Grant later became a 50-goal scorer with which NHL team?

Minnesota North Stars
Detroit Red Wings
New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs

5. Danny Grant was traded from Montreal to Minnesota in a deal involving which future first-round pick?

Pierre Mondou
Chuck Arnason
Dave Gardner
Doug Jarvis

NHL Hockey Trivia: Minnesota North Stars

The Minnesota North Stars were one of the six expansion teams that doubled the size of the NHL for the 1967-68 season. The North Stars remained in the Twin Cities until the end of the 1992-93 season when they were moved to Dallas where they became known as simply the Stars. NHL hockey returned to Minnesota in 2000 as the Wild entered the league.

Test and expand your knowledge of Minnesota North Stars trivia with the following questions.

Q. In their first trip to the Stanley Cup finals in 1981, which team did the Minnesota North Stars lose to?

A. The North Stars lost to the New York Islanders. For New York, it was their second of four consecutive Stanley Cup victories. The North Stars finished the 1980-81 regular season in third place in the Adams Division, behind the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins. Minnesota knocked off both those teams before upsetting the Calgary Flames in the conference final.

The playoff hero for Minnesota was Steve Payne with 17 goals and 29 points over 19 games. He was followed close behind by Bobby Smith and Dino Ciccarelli. Now in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Ciccarelli played the last half of the 1980-81 season with the North Stars, his first National Hockey League action, after starting the year with the Oklahoma City Stars of the CHL. Minnesota was coached that year by Glen Sonmor with Murray Oliver and J.P. Parise at his side.

Q. In their second trip to the Stanley Cup finals, which team beat the North Stars in 1991?

A. The Pittsburgh Penguins took out the North Stars in six games. The North Stars finished the regular season with an anaemic 27 wins but upset Chicago, St. Louis and Edmonton before bowing out to the Penguins.

That version of the North Stars had a Montreal Canadiens feel behind the bench with Bob Gainey acting as head coach and Doug Jarvis by his side as assistant coach. Minnesota was led in the playoffs by Dave Gagner’s 12 goals and Brian Bellows and his 29 points. Mike Modano was in just his second year in the NHL and contributed 20 points over 23 playoff games.

Q. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was named for the Minnesota North Stars player who died as a result of an on-ice injury during Minnesota’s first season. Who was the only Minnesota North Star to win the Masterton?

A. Al MacAdam won the award in 1979-80. MacAdam started his NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers, playing just five games with the club in 1973-74. The following year, he was a member of the California Seals and followed that franchise through Cleveland and eventually to Minnesota.

In 1979-80, Al scored 42 goals and assisted on 51 for 93 points, leading the team in goals and points. Over his career, MacAdam played 864 regular season games in the NHL with the Flyers, Seals, Barons, North Stars and Vancouver Canucks.

Q. In their second season in the NHL, which Minnesota North Stars forward won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie?

A. Danny Grant won the Calder in 1968-69. Grant played the season before with the Montreal Canadiens but didn’t appear in enough regular season games to qualify as a rookie. He helped Montreal in the playoffs as they won the 1969 Stanley Cup. Grant is one of just four players to win the Stanley Cup before winning the Calder.

In that 1968-69 season, Grant scored 34 and assisted on 31 for 65 points over 75 games, leading the North Stars in goals and points. Danny played 736 regular season games in the National Hockey League between 1965-66 and 1978-79 with the Canadiens, North Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings. He was a 50 goal scorer with Detroit in 1974-75.