New Era Alphabet Challenge - N

Tonight we're looking at Letter N. Unlike the previous letter, I don't have many options. That makes selecting one to represent really easy. The cap I've selected is also one of my very favorite caps in my entire collection. It is a defunct logo, but it is not a baseball logo. This cap is the primary reason why I hate the NHL teams the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild. If that hasn't given it away, well here you go:

Minnesota North Stars. As Nature intended.

I love vintage NHL logos. I own quite a number of caps and jerseys of defunct teams. Some of them are teams I've never had any allegiance to whatsoever. But for some reason I get all warm and fuzzy inside when I see some of these logos. The North Stars is pretty high up on that list.

First off, the colors are gorgeous. And who doesn't recognize that logo at a glance?(unless you're not a hockey fan) As far as I'm concerned it is one of the great NHL logos of all time. Right up with the original six, and I'm deadly serious when I say that.

I wish so badly that when that jackass owner Norman Green relocated to Dallas, he would have left the colors, name and logo in Minnesota. But no, they became the Dallas Stars, utilizing the North Stars logo in part. So wrong.

And when hockey returned to the Twin Cities? The Minnesota Wild? You want to replace a great name and logo with a name like the Wild and a logo that looks like it's more at home in a KOA brochure? Come on. And the Wild scored no points when they ended up with Dany Heatley on their roster. Screw that guy.

It's interesting because I have no ties to this franchise, or any other defunct or relocated NHL team. But I can't stand that the Whalers are no longer in Hartford and the Nordiques are no longer in Quebec. At least Winnipeg got the Jets back, albeit with a substandard logo. But you can't win 'em all.

I wonder if someone in Minnesota took a poll if they'd say they're fine with the Wild monicker or if they'd rather have the North Stars name and colors back. I know how I'd vote.

Now for the ones that didn't make it. Only two, and one recently acquired.

Damn that ASG cap looks great.

So here you have the Nevada Wolfpack cap and the 2013 All Star Game cap worn during the Home Run Derby. (I have the AL version of this cap and forgot to include it in my Letter A post)

Great looking caps, but nothing can compare to that great Minnesota North Stars logo.