Regarding the Northstars ownership:
 
The Gund brothers also had their hands in the Cleveland hockey team (I can't
remember the nickname, but they were the same franchise, I believe, which
moved to Kansas City, then Denver, and is now the New Jersey Devils - I think
they also had something to do with the Sacramento Seals).
 
They sold the No-Stars (a little local Minnesota terminology) to Green because
of their interest in the San Jose expansion team.  You may remember that when
the Sharks were founded, about 1/4 of the roster were old Minnesota players -
the Gunds somehow convinced the league to have a restricted draft in which
the Stars would protect 5 (or 10, or whatever it was - I can't remember)
players, the Sharks would pick one or two; then the Stars would protect a
few more, and so on...    I think that San Jose picked up about seven or eight
ex-NorthStars in this manner.
 
Hope this helps
Mark Johnson