Final answer:
The Minnesota North Stars and Cleveland Barons merged in 1978 due to financial struggles, which was a unique event in the National Hockey League's history.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Minnesota North Stars teamed up with the Cleveland Barons in 1978. This event is noted in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL) as the merger between two struggling franchises. It was aimed at stabilizing the financial and on-ice performance of the teams involved.
Financial struggles of both the Barons and the North Stars led the NHL to orchestrate the merger, hoping it would strengthen the teams' market presence and on-ice success. The combined team continued to compete in the NHL as the Minnesota North Stars until the franchise moved to Dallas in 1993 and became the Dallas Stars.