Becher's Bytes: The Sharks Origin Story

The
origin of sharks
is obscure but likely goes back more than 350 million years. Modern sharks appeared about 200 million years ago and have changed very little in the last 60 million years. There are
hundreds of species
of Sharks which can be distinguished/identified by their teeth.
But you're probably reading this to learn about the
San Jose Sharks
.

The origins of the San Jose Sharks can be traced back to the 1967 NHL expansion. The San Francisco Seals, a WHL minor league team, was purchased by a new owner who moved them from the Cow Palace to the Oakland Area and renamed them the California Seals. Over the next 7 years, they had four different owners, eight different coaches, and two other names (Oakland Seals,
California Golden Seals
). In 1976, the Seals relocated to Cleveland, Ohio and became the Cleveland Barons. Unfortunately, they only lasted two seasons in Cleveland, merging with the Minnesota North Stars in 1978.

By the mid-1980's, it was clear that the North Stars' arena, the
Met Center
, needed substantial upgrades or to be replaced but the venues commission didn't support either option. Gordon and George Gund, who were partial owners of the Seals (and thus the North Stars) tried to make the best of the situation but still believed hockey could flourish in the Bay Area. Because the NHL did not want hockey to leave Minnesota, the League granted the Gunds rights to an expansion team on the condition they sell their portion of the North Stars to a buyer who would keep the team in Minnesota. As part of the deal, the Sharks were entitled to select players in an Expansion Draft prior to the 1991-92 season. Clubs could protect 16 skaters and 2 goalies - much different than the last two expansions! Example players that the Sharks selected in the Expansion Draft include Kelly Kisio from the Rangers, Craig Coxe from the Canucks, and Guy Lafleur from the Nordiques.
In 1989, the North Stars were sold to a group led by Howard Baldwin (former Hartford Whalers owner) and Morris Belzberg (Budget Rent-A-Car). However, this group couldn't raise all the required financing and worked with the Gunds to amend the original deal. As part of this new deal, the North Stars would effectively "sell" some of their players during a dispersal draft. The North Stars would keep the core of their team, but Sharks would select some players off the NHL roster along with prospects.

This amended deal never happened. Norm Green (former Calgary Flames co-owner and real estate developer), who had been added to the ownership group, didn't agree with the dispersal draft as it would have sent top prospect Mike Craig to the Sharks. In 1990,
Green bought out Baldwin and Belzberg
, and worked out a deal to give the Sharks the North Stars' 2nd round pick in the Entry Draft in exchange for keeping Mike Craig. The Sharks did get NHL players Rob Zettler and Brian Hayward from the North Stars as part of the dispersal draft.
The Sharks first
NHL Entry Draft was 1991
. With likely superstar Eric Lindros as the unanimous first overall pick, the NHL decided the Sharks should not draft first overall but rather draft second. The Sharks select Pat Falloon and Lindros ended up in Philadelphia. In the second round, the Sharks selected Ray Whitney with their own pick and Sandis Ozolinsh with the extra second they got from the North Stars.
From 1991-1993, the Sharks played in the Cow Palace - nearly 25 years after the Seals left. In September 1993, the Sharks moved into their current home - the SAP Center. A banner commemorating George Gund III hangs in the rafters.

Meanwhile back in Minnesota, Green tried to improve the North Stars business conditions but was unable to resolve the venue situation. In 1993 Green moved the North Stars to Dallas, despite the NHL originally insisting the team couldn't leave Minnesota. These newly-created Dallas Stars were the original Minnesota North Stars, minus a few players that were dispersed in the unique agreement with the Sharks. Seven years later, the NHL granted a new expansion franchise to the Minnesota Wild.
The Sharks origin history is complicated, and I doubt we'll ever see anything like it again.