Lou Nanne is a Minnesota Hockey Legend.

Signing as a free agent with the expansion Minnesota North Stars, Nanne started his National Hockey League career in 1968 following the Olympics. He would spend his entire career in Minnesota, playing 635 NHL regular season games for the North Stars through the 1977-78 season. A steady defenceman and sometime forward, he scored 21 goals in 1971–72 but was mostly known for his defensive, penalty killing abilities. Nanne played for U.S. National Team in 1976 and 1977 (years that the North Stars failed to make the Stanley Cup playoffs), participating in the 1976 and 1977 Ice Hockey World Championship tournaments and competing in the inaugural Canada Cup in 1976. Nanne also served as National Team captain or alternate in both years.

Nanne is arguably best known for his career as a general manager and coach of the North Stars and for the United States Canada Cup entries. With an infusion of notable players from the merger with the Cleveland Barons and through the draft, Nanne quickly rebuilt the North Stars into a contender after his playing career ended in 1978. The Stars would reach the Stanley Cup finals in 1981, the semifinals in 1984, and would make it to the playoffs seven consecutive seasons (1979-80 - 1985-86). This winning run would see the North Stars average over 35 wins per season, and encompass the North Stars sole 40-win season and six of the organization's ten 35-plus-win seasons.