Starting Off Skatingly
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With the addition of the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets next season, the NHL will number 30 teams. The Mighty Ducks joined in the league’s seventh expansion in 1993-94, along with the Florida Panthers. The Kings were part of the first expansion in 1967-68, along with the California Seals (who, in a very roundabout way, are now the Dallas Stars), Minnesota North Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues.
The NHL expansion teams with the best first-year records:
1. Florida (1993-94) 33-34-17 (83 points)
2T. Hartford (1979-80) 27-34-19 (73)
2T. Philadelphia (1967-68) 31-32-113 (73)
4. Kings (1967-68) 31-33-10 (72)
5. Mighty Ducks (1993-94) 33-46-5 (71)
Reported by BOB ROHWER/Los Angeles Times
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