Dino Ciccarelli - Playing Career - Minnesota North Stars

Minnesota North Stars

Ciccarelli made his professional hockey debut with the Oklahoma City Stars of the CHL at the end of the 1979-80 season. In six games with Oklahoma City, Ciccarelli had three goals and five points.

He spent most of the 1980-81 season with Oklahoma City, playing in 48 games, scoring 32 goals and 57 points. Ciccarelli was brought up to the National Hockey League, and in 32 games with the Minnesota North Stars, Ciccarelli had 18 goals and 30 points. In the playoffs, Ciccarelli scored 14 goals and 21 points in 19 games, as the North Stars lost to the New York Islanders in the 1981 Stanley Cup Finals.

Ciccarelli spent the entire 1981-82 with the North Stars, playing in 76 games, scoring a team high 55 goals, while earning 106 points for the season. During the season, Ciccarelli played in the 1982 NHL All-Star Game, hosted by the Washington Capitals, with the Campbell Conference, where he assisted on a goal by Wayne Gretzky in a 4-2 loss to the Wales Conference. In the playoffs, Ciccarelli had three goals and four points in four games.

He saw a decrease in offensive production during the 1982-83 season, scoring 37 goals and 75 points in 77 games, which was 18 fewer goals and 31 less points than the previous season. Ciccarelli did appear in the 1983 NHL All-Star Game, hosted by the New York Islanders. Ciccarelli had a goal and an assist as the Campbell Conference defeated the Wales Conference 9-3. In the post-season, Ciccarelli appeared in nine games, scoring four goals and 10 points.

Ciccarelli had another solid season with Minnesota in 1983-84, scoring 38 goals and 71 points in 79 games, helping the North Stars into the playoffs once again. In 16 playoff games, Ciccarelli had four goals and nine points, as the North Stars lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference finals.

Injuries cut short Ciccarelli's season in 1984-85, as in 51 games, Ciccarelli scored 15 goals and 32 points, his lowest point total since his rookie season in 1980-81, and the lowest goal total of his NHL career. In nine playoff games, Ciccarelli had three goals and six points.

Ciccarelli had a healthy 1985-86 season, as in 75 games, he led the North Stars with 44 goals, while finishing second in points with 89, which were his highest totals since 1981-82. In five playoff games, Ciccarelli was held to an assist.

In 1986-87, Ciccarelli improved his offensive numbers once again, scoring 52 goals and 103 points in 80 games, which both led the club in scoring. The North Stars struggled during the season, and failed to qualify for the post season.

Ciccarelli had his third straight 40+ goal season in 1987-88, as he once again led Minnesota with 41 goals and 86 points in 67 games. It was another tough season for the team though, as they missed the playoffs for the second straight season.

In 1988-89, Ciccarelli made his first all-star game appearance in six years, as he played with the Campbell Conference in the 1989 NHL All-Star Game held in Edmonton, Alberta. In the game, Ciccarelli assisted on a goal by Steve Yzerman, as the Campbell Conference won the game over the Wales Conference by a score of 9-5. Overall with Minnesota, Ciccarelli played in 65 games, scoring 32 goals and 59 points. On March 7, 1989, the North Stars traded Ciccarelli and Bob Rouse to the Washington Capitals for Mike Gartner and Larry Murphy.