The NHL in Seattle may not be a lost hope after all, PNWers! Also, only one spot remains undecided in the second round of the playoffs, and rattlesnake rodeos exist.
The Stars were not an expansion team, of course. The Minnesota North Stars were, though. Back in 1967-68, the NHL expanded from the "original" six teams to twelve, adding Pittsburgh, Philly, Minnesota, St. Louis, Oakland (*seal barking noises*) and Los Angeles. I have to think the rest of the league groaned when the two California teams were announced, considering the relative discomfort involved in air travel back in the late sixties.