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The team originally had three sets of jerseys—white, blue and gold—all bearing the Saints "S" logo on the front, with the word "Saints" across the middle of the "S." (The gold jerseys were rarely used, and were worn only in the first season.) When the Saints left the St. Paul
Auditorium for the new
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Founded in
November 1971, the first Fighting Saints team played four seasons beginning in 1972–73 under the ownership of nine local businessmen. St. Paul attorney Wayne Belisle purchased the team late in the 1973–74 season. Belisle was the front man for a group of owners that included Jock Irvine.
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moved to St. Paul for the 1976–77 season. Like their predecessors, this second version of the Saints (called the "New
Fighting Saints" in advertising and promotional material) had a winning record through their first 42 games (19–18–5), but owner Nick Mileti was unable to sell the team to local
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when they ceased operations because of financial struggles. Saints officials announced on
December 31, 1975, that the team was broke, and the players would continue to play without pay. (Belisle's group withdrew its backing at the start of the season.) A permanent buyer was never found, and the
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At the outset, the Saints had a policy of favoring local players, with the 1972–73 roster featuring no fewer than 11 athletes who were either born in
Minnesota or were at least American citizens (as in the case of former Team USA players
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Civic Center on
January 1, 1973, the familiar "little saint" logo replaced the "S" on the white and blue jerseys. While a halo was part of the team's "little saint" logo in promotions and advertising, it was never used on the jersey.
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Fighting Saints games were televised sporadically on WTCN from 1973 to 1975. The first WTCN game was a home contest versus
Cleveland on December 23, 1973, with Buetel and Allard simulcasting. Buxton called subsequent games on WTCN.
385:, the Fighting Saints always drew more fans than the WHA average. On a few occasions, the Fighting Saints drew more fans than their local NHL rivals. They also boasted a handful of expensive marquee players such as
358:). This was almost unheard of in the early 1970s, when few NHL or WHA teams had even a single American player. In fact, one of the players the Saints selected in the inaugural WHA draft in 1972 was
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The team colors were royal blue, white and new gold. The name was taken from the St. Paul Saints of the
Central Hockey League, who had used the nickname "Fighting Saints" in promotional material.
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was the Saints general manager throughout their history. Sonmor coached the Saints for the first part of their inaugural season. When Sonmor gave up his coaching duties, assistant coach
405:'s mold, the Saints were unable to secure a lucrative television deal. As a result, even above-WHA average gate receipts were not enough to overcome the team's financial woes.
1028:). Buetel's color commentators included Roger Buxton (1972–73) and Bob Halvorson, the Saints' first-season public relations director (1972–73), and Bill Allard (1973–1976).
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573:, but had to decline as his team was in the playoffs, so his role was recast). The last Saint regularly playing in pro hockey was Bruce Boudreau, who played in the
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took over as head coach (his first game was
February 17, 1973). Sonmor coached the Saints again during their final season, 1976–77. Neale became head coach of the
460:. The franchise officially folded on January 20, 1977. The team's logo and uniforms were identical to the first team's, but with scarlet replacing royal blue.
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The Saints never missed the playoffs nor had a losing record. Perhaps even more impressively, given that they were in direct competition with the
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1036:" was used as the theme song for WLOL's Fighting Saints broadcasts. No local radio station carried games of the New Fighting Saints (1976–77).
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615:(1974–1977). Team organists included Rob Meads (1973–1976) and Ronnie Newman (1976–77). Jim Bowers often sang the National Anthem.
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buyers. (Also, the new Saints weren't drawing as well as the old ones: just 6,211 a night, versus the league average of 7,675.)
306:. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972 to 1976. The second team was relocated from
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GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
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Radio (1330 AM) from 1972 to 1976, with Frank Buetel as play-by-play announcer. Buetel was the original TV voice of the NHL's
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made his professional debut with the Saints, playing 30 games in the 1975–76 season and scoring three goals and six assists.
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The second incarnation's logo (identical to the first, only with the original blue changed to red), from the 1976–77 season.
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in front of an announced crowd of 6,011. The decision to fold the franchise occurred
February 28, 1976, in the lobby of the
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310:, and played for part of the 1976–77 season. Neither edition of the franchise completed its final season of play.
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The Fighting Saints' last game was played February 25, 1976, at the Civic Center, a 2–1 overtime loss to the
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until 1992. (In 1996, Mike Antonovich came out of retirement as a player-coach, playing a few games in the
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370:. Anderson said he was flattered, but he chose not to join the Saints and instead stuck to his day job—as
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The main sponsors of the Fighting Saints on radio and TV were Schmidt Beer and Midwest Federal.
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The "New" Fighting Saints played their final game on January 14, 1977, a 9–5 home win over the
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played three games for the Fighting Saints, compiling no points and 25 penalty minutes;
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featured a wild player named Ogie Oglethorpe, based on Goldthorpe.) Veteran NHL coach
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In 1975–76, the Saints had a record of 30–25–4 and were second in the West behind the
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The Saints drew an average of 7,288 over four seasons, with the WHA average at 6,617.
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On January 7, 1973, CBS aired its first WHA game between the Fighting Saints and
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was the Saints' captain in their first four seasons. In the final season,
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The last active Fighting Saints player in major professional hockey was
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announcing. In the 1973–74 season, one Saints home game was carried on
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The Saints' public address announcers included Al Tighe (1973–74) and
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after the original Saints folded in 1976, and later coached the
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and a member of the silver medal-winning Team USA squad at the
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1113:"1972-73 Minnesota Fighting Saints Roster and Statistics"
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with the North Stars (Carlson was also invited to be in
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was the team captain, replaced on December 28, 1976, by
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Howard Baldwin Trophy / Robert Schmertz Memorial Trophy
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players received one paycheck in the final two months.
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Former ice hockey team of the World Hockey Association
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Games of the original Fighting Saints were heard on
1138:"1976-77 New England Whalers Roster and Statistics"
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1163:"1978-79 Vancouver Canucks Roster and Statistics"
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1047:live from the new St. Paul Civic Center with
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619:was the team's physician from 1973 to 1976.
422:Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport
1452:Gary L. Davidson Award / Gordie Howe Trophy
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319:The Saints' first game, a 4–3 loss to the
470:List of Minnesota Fighting Saints players
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
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199:Royal blue, new gold and white (1972–76)
1565:Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 1977
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488:Among the Saints' notable players were
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323:, was played October 13, 1972, at the
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201:Scarlet, old gold and white (1976–77)
1560:Ice hockey clubs established in 1972
520:. Also on the Minnesota roster were
47:adding citations to reliable sources
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1575:1977 disestablishments in Minnesota
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1024:from 1967 to 1970 on WTCN-TV (now
362:, a former star defenseman at the
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1213:United States Hockey Hall of Fame
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1524:North American Hockey League
327:. The team moved to the new
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58:"Minnesota Fighting Saints"
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546:, controversial forward
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364:University of Minnesota
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143:Saint Paul, Minnesota
1412:San Francisco Sharks
1390:Philadelphia Blazers
731:Lost Quarterfinals (
585:Executives and staff
579:United Hockey League
368:1956 Winter Olympics
43:improve this article
1509:List of WHA players
1504:List of WHA seasons
1395:Phoenix Roadrunners
1364:New England Whalers
1338:Indianapolis Racers
1311:Cleveland Crusaders
1306:Cincinnati Stingers
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772:Won Quarterfinals (
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381:of the established
325:St. Paul Auditorium
279:(folded mid-season)
271:Cleveland Crusaders
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184:St. Paul Auditorium
1477:Paul Deneau Trophy
1467:Ben Hatskin Trophy
1457:Bill Hunter Trophy
1407:San Diego Mariners
1343:Los Angeles Sharks
567:1986–87 NHL season
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418:San Diego Mariners
348:Keith Christiansen
175:(Second franchise)
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1514:WHA amateur draft
1462:Lou Kaplan Trophy
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1422:Vancouver Blazers
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170:(First franchise)
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1529:Broadcasters
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1321:Denver Spurs
1316:Dayton Aeros
1217:. Retrieved
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522:Jeff Carlson
518:John Garrett
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99:October 2021
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41:Please help
36:verification
33:
594:Harry Neale
590:Glen Sonmor
514:Mike Curran
494:Mike Walton
483:John Arbour
475:Ted Hampson
428:Second team
399:Gordie Howe
387:Mike Walton
356:Carl Wetzel
1544:Categories
1440:and awards
1172:16 January
1147:16 January
1122:16 January
1090:References
510:Rick Smith
403:Bobby Hull
296:ice hockey
180:Home arena
69:newspapers
1049:Ron Oakes
827:Nordiques
571:Slap Shot
552:Slap Shot
539:Slap Shot
502:Dave Keon
391:Dave Keon
277:1976–1977
267:1972–1976
234:1972–1976
191:(1973–77)
173:1976–1977
1438:Trophies
692:Playoffs
479:Ron Ward
160:Operated
1219:July 8,
1199:July 8,
1030:Al Hirt
1026:KARE-TV
923:1976–77
835:1975–76
821:Whalers
788:1974–75
741:1973–74
700:1972–73
604:in the
544:Houston
464:Players
210:WTCN-TV
186:(1972)
83:scholar
960:Totals
872:Totals
774:Oilers
686:Finish
640:Season
528:, and
196:Colors
150:League
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1269:Teams
1085:Notes
780:Aeros
629:Note:
206:Media
90:JSTOR
76:books
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1201:2021
1174:2023
1149:2023
1124:2023
1061:KTCA
1055:and
1018:WLOL
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860:1354
813:1233
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733:Jets
725:1134
516:and
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290:The
255:1972
214:WLOL
168:1976
164:1972
138:City
62:news
1000:600
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990:136
951:DNF
948:600
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882:154
877:293
863:DNF
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