BEFORE I BEGIN...
All of the material expressed in this post are mostly based on opinion and speculation. It is not entirely based on investigative reporting or deep research. Do not take too much of what you are about to read too seriously. This post is, however, professional enough to warrant proper discussion of the topic at hand.NHL in Houston?
^ from: (Wikipedia) - Hockey in Houston was last possible with this team- the Houston Aeros. Could Houston join the NHL? Should the NHL go through Houston? This blog post of mine will share my innermost thoughts.
The National Hockey League is one of the most competitive and fun pro sports in America. While I don't watch hockey as much as I used to with the days of NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), I do watch hockey from time to time. I do love watching hockey. There were some plans for if/when the city of Houston has an NHL team. We did have the Houston Aeros of the WHA (World Hockey Association) and the AHL (American Hockey League) before they moved and rebranded as the Iowa Wild. I even been to the final-ever(?) game the Houston Aeros had in 2013 before moving to Iowa. We played against the San Antonio Rampage, and the Aeros won that night. I even saw a good hockey fight in that game! :)
To my knowledge, Houston never had an NHL team. According to the Houston Chronicle, Houston has been the largest city without an NHL team since 1967. We are a proud sports city with lots of talented players, teams, and sporting events. Houston has hosted events like the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals (in the "Clutch City" days), the MLB All-Star Game, the World Series, the College Football Playoff in 2024, the NCAA Men's Final Four, the MLS All-Star Game, some top-level soccer games, and even Wrestlemania among other sporting events. We're even hosting some games in the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup here in Houston. Houston is currently buzzing with the Houston Texans and CJ Stroud, the Houston Rockets starting 2023-2024 from 0-3 to now 6-3 and a six game winning streak, and let's not forget the run the Astros have had since about 2016 and two World Series titles (2017 title controversial).
What if you're a hockey fan who wants to enjoy some hockey in Houston? You don't have that choice. There have been here-and-there rumblings of Houston getting an NHL team. What was the most likely scenario was if the Arizona Coyotes wanted to relocate. It may ultimately come down to if a completely new team joins the NHL like the league's most recent team, the Seattle Kraken. Who knows? Maybe Houston gets an NHL team and may one season hoist the beautiful Stanley Cup and become NHL champions. Possibilities are endless!
Let's think about the logistics of the NHL in Houston now.
NHL in Houston: Logistics
The City of Houston is a great place for sports, even if a lot of the sports teams haven't been too successful. Only a handful of American cities have franchises in the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, and the NHL. Houston is one of the largest and finest cities in America. Having an NHL hockey team would further solidify this city as a world-class city. Here are some talking points now.
Before I get into the logistics of an NHL team, let me address something I think will be a main talking point about Houston getting an NHL team:
Does Houston Deserved to be Considered a "Hockey Town?"
Some purists of NHL teams feel hockey only exists and only should exist in Frost Belt states or in Canada. Last I checked... places like Dallas, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles aren't exactly Winter Wonderlands. Heck, I've even seen on the college front schools like Arizona State and Tennessee State with hockey teams. So what makes Houston less qualified a city if you think only actually cold places should have hockey teams compared to other cities that aren't exactly "Winter Wonderland" or "Hockey Cities?" It rarely snows in Arizona or Nevada, and I don't think Winter even exists in Florida. You could even put an NHL team in Hawaii/Hawai'i for all I care! As long as a team can be competitive and financially stable, any place can be worthy of an NHL franchise, including Houston.People normally think Texas is a football state (and it still is). However, recent success of the Houston Astros winning two World Series and (cringe...) the Texas Rangers winning the 2023 World Series shows a recent trend of baseball success in the state of Texas. The Dallas Stars won it all in 1999. Who's to say maybe the Houston NHL team doesn't win a title as well should one form here?
Now that I cleared this up, let's talk about more important matters of the NHL in Houston.
Expansion or Relocated?
I feel there may be an expansion team more than a team relocating. I doubt some other team besides the Arizona Coyotes would be so disinterested in staying and decide to come to Houston. The last NHL such team I can remember relocating was when the Atlanta Thrashers moved out of Atlanta to become the Winnipeg Jets.How about this for a weird scenario- the Oilers return to Houston! Only... they play hockey. Imagine if the Edmonton Oilers relocated to Houston and became the Houston Oilers. I know that will NEVER happen, but it's a weird concept. It's okay to be weird! :D
Team Name and Colors?
I wondered among my fellow Houstonians- do you bring back the Aeros but make them an NHL team name? Or do you go with some sort of team nickname unique to Houston and/or Texas? Do you also try not to use some overused nickname- such as all the Cougars, Tigers, Wildcats, Bulldogs, Eagles, Cardinals, and such in college sports?Let's say Houston goes the route of unique and indigenous namesakes. When names were being decided for the name of Houston's new NFL team after the Houston Oilers moved out of Houston and became the Tennessee Titans, one of the team nicknames for the ultimately named Texans was the "Wildcatters." That's because one of Houston's nicknames is the "Wildcat City." Wildcatters sound kind of lame to me. Besides the University of Houston Cougars, we have one cat-themed team called the Sabercats of Major League Rugby. The NHL already has a cat team- the Florida Panthers. Surely a livestock-themed team would be completely indigenous to Houston and Texas. Or maybe Houston highlights on space exploration and name their team based on astronomy. We obviously can't be the Stars, because Dallas; and I am not sure using "Comets" would work since that was the name of Houston's WNBA team (I may discuss the Houston Comets in a future blog post). We also could name our team after our insights on energy and oil. I am not sure what a good nickname for Houston would be.
When I researched this topic, some suggested names for a Houston NHL team include the aforementioned Aeros. Also possible names are the Houston Stallions, the Houston Wranglers, and the Houston Bulls. Some people even believe the Coyotes would eventually relocate and become the Houston Coyotes.
Since the Houston Aeros of the WHA and AHL were the AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild, they had Wild colors- green, red, and white. Back in the WHA days, however, the Aeros wore a dark blue, a lighter blue, and white. Those are your three options- (1) bring back the blue and white colors, (2) bring back the green/red/white colors, or (3) come up with a completely different color scheme overall devoid of any WHA or AHL affiliations.
Potential Opponents and Conference?
One of the most obvious opponents for Houston's NHL team would be an in-state rivalry with the Dallas Stars. I could see a possible rivalry with the Arizona Coyotes since the Coyotes were long seen as a possible team. I could also see a rivalry with the Nashville Predators. Houston vs. Nashville is already apparent in the NFL with the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans. However, I think the greater rival would be the Dallas Stars. We all know Houston-Dallas rivalries including the NBA's "Texas Triangle."I am absolutely certain Houston would be in the Central Division of the NHL. This would give the Central Division nine teams while the other three divisions have eight teams each.
Arena?
The most likely home of the Houston NHL team would be Toyota Center. That's especially if Tillman Fertitta is funding everything the effort to bring the NHL to Houston.Second most likely would be using an existing arena. Towards the sunset of the WNBA's Houston Comets, the Comets played at Reliant Arena (now NRG Arena). I am not sure if people would pack the house at NRG Arena as they would for almost any event at Toyota Center. The days of Six Flags Astroworld are [sadly] long gone. The Astros moved from the Astrodome to today's Minute Maid Park, the Houston Oilers moved from the Astrodome to Nashville and rebranded as the Tennessee Titans, and it is really the Houston Texans keeping alive the area now known as NRG Park. I also don't see even the Fertitta Center (formerly Hoffheinz Pavillion) hosting any hockey outside of it being the home of the University of Houston's basketball.
The most unlikely scenario would be a completely new, hockey-specific arena. For that to happen, the Houston NHL team would have to be so good that it gets its own arena and not have to share it with another Houston sports team. This is more down-the-road stuff.
Players and Coaching Staff?
The Vegas Golden Knights had a solid lineup for when they picked out their players for their maiden season in the NHL. I'd have to imagine the Houston NHL team would pick up either some talented free agents or some talented college or international players for their hockey team.It may also be possible for having some unemployed coaches and coaching staff members help coach up a new Houston NHL team. If coaches see the potential to coach a young team starting up in Houston, that coach will surely take up on that offer and try to coach Houston to success.
Financial Feasibility?
A professional sports team will never prosper with unloyal fans and improper management. I'd have to wonder issues like taxation and such would be factors in determining whether an NHL hockey franchise will last as long as possible in Houston. A number of Houston natives and residents would lovingly support an NHL team here should one come to form both as a team and financially.Another aspect on financial concerns would be in television deals. In 2023, it was announced that AT&T SportsNet Southwest would rebrand as the Space City Home Network (SCHN). SCHN is the television home of the Houston Rockets and the Houston Astros. I am probably sure it could serve as the home of the Houston NHL team as well. Of course, national broadcasts of Houston's NHL team would be on the likes of ESPN and TNT. Maybe also on the NHL Network.
Well, this was about as many things I could speculate on regarding the NHL in Houston.
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