Is NHL Hockey Finally Coming To Houston?

Another one of the things people don't know about me besides Renee Martin is that I am a serious hockey fan.   I learned how to ice skate before I attempted to learn how to roller skate. 

My teen self not only witnessed the first game of the Houston Aeros in the Sam Houston Coliseum as they beat the Chicago Cougars, I was a passionate fan of the team   The two time World Hockey Association Avco Cup champions had Gordie Howe and his sons Mark and Marty Howe on the squad. 

Unfortunately, financial instability helped kill this team.  They went through three ownership groups despite being a successful team on the ice.  The Aeros were not admitted into the NHL, and were disbanded when the two leagues merged in 1978 and the Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques, the New England Whalers and the Edmonton Oilers were absorbed.

The Aeros 2.0 started playing as an International Hockey League expansion team at Compaq Center in 1994 and when the IHL folded in 2001, joined the American Hockey League.  That same year they also became affiliated of the NHL's Minnesota Wild and moved to Toyota Center to play their games in 2003. . 

Despite being ranked in the top 5 in AHL attendance and winning titles in both the IHL and AHL, the Minnesota Wild, who owned the team, decided to move them to Des Moines, Iowa in 2013..

Because Houston is the third largest city in the country and the largest TV market without an NHL franchise, we have repeatedly been teased and tortured with the NHL either considering expanding here or NHL teams having problems in other markets considering relocation to H-town, only to go somewhere else.

The Dallas Stars would also like that to happen so that we can start an instate NHL rivalry .

While the WHA Aeros were collapsing due to fiscal issues, the original NHL Colorado Rockies were considering moving to Houston.  They eventually became the New Jersey Devils in 1982.

The other NHL team that considered relocating to Houston but eventually set up somewhere else includes the Edmonton Oilers.  Back in the mid 1990's, then Oilers owner Peter Pocklington was battling with the city of Edmonton to get a better deal, and threatened to sell the team to then Rockets owner Les Alexander and move the Oilers to Houston.  That drama was happening about the same time that Bud Adams was threatening to move the NFL Oilers to Nashville.

That sale of the NHL Oilers didn't happen, and it probably led to why Les messed with Houston's chances to get an NHL team in the 1997 round of NHL expansion that eventually went to Nashville.   
And now, Seattle is getting the NHL's 32nd franchise to start play in 2020 once the renovations to bring Key Arena to NHL standards are completed.

With getting a team through NHL expansion being dashed once again, it appears that if Houston is going to get an NHL team. it's going to be through relocation.   We have an NHL ready arena in the Toyota Center and a diverse hockey loving fanbase ready to embrace our own NHL team instead of flying or driving to Dallas to see NHL hockey.

We have rumors that the Arizona Coyotes and possibly the Calgary Flames may be eyeballing a possible move to Houston. 

Both teams have arena issues, and more fuel was added to the rumors when the NHL Board of Governors voted to move the Arizona Coyotes into the NHL's Central Division, the same one that the Dallas Stars (and Calgary Flames) happen to play in. 

As to whether it will happen, not getting excited about until the announcement is made an NHL team is moving here and will playing its games in downtown Houston..

But I do have a suggestion if it happens for the team's nickname if it does. .   

JT Brown Brings Racial Inequality Anthem Protests To NHL

There are only 30 Black players in the NHL despite many of the ways that the game is creatively played originated in the Black hockey leagues of Nova Scotia as the book Black Ice documents.

The NHL is overwhelmingly white (93%), and probably thought they were insulated from the controversy surrounding the anthem protests about police brutality and racial inequality aimed at Black citizens being conducted by NFL and NBA players and now spreading to the collegiate ranks.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward JT Brown changed all that with one clenched fist salute during a Saturday road came with the Florida Panthers.

And predictably their overwhelmingly white NHL fan base lost their collective minds.   He has reportedly had death threats aimed at him .

For those of you with melanin free skin who consistently bellow politics has no place in sports, let me remind you that politics and sports have always been intertwined, with the Olympics being the most salient example of that.

And your anti-Black white sheets are showing.

Black athletes have never been able to just 'shut up and play' because the 'woke' nature of our athletes compels up to use their sporting platforms to speak truth to power about the issues of the day 

Bravo to JT Brown for doing so in the NHL, and basically doing it alone. Thanks also for getting the social justice conversation started in the league.

Hey Renee, USA 2014 Women's Olympic Hockey Team Is Set

The NHL's Winter Classic between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings happened yesterday at Michigan Stadium.

It was played in front of a record New Year's Day crowd of 105,591 fans who endured 13 degree temps and blowing snow that fell through the entire game at The Big House. 

It was the largest crowd to ever witness a hockey game be it collegiate or professional, and the Maple Leaf fans making the five hour drive to Ann Arbor, MI went back across the border to Toronto happy after the 3-2 shootout win over Detroit.   

But of more importance to moi was what occurred during the Winter Classic second intermission, the  introduction of the 2014 USA Women's Olympic hockey team.   These are the 21 women who will attempt to earn our first gold medal in women's hockey since the 1998 squad did so at Nagano. 

Ahem, here's the Team USA women's hockey roster. for Sochi. 

Forwards: Alex Carpenter, Kendall Coyne, Julie Chu, Brianna Decker, Meghan Duggan, Lyndsey Fry, Amanda Kessel, Hilary Knight, Jocelyne Lamoureux, Monique Lamoureux, Kelli Stack

Defensemen: Kacey Bellamy, Megan Bozek, Gigi Marvin, Michelle Picard, Josephine Pucci, Anne Schleper, Lee Stecklein

Goaltenders: Brianne McLaughlin-Bittle, Molly Schaus, Jessie Vetter

Julie Chu made it to her fourth USA Olympic squad and is one of the 11 Olympic vets on the 2014 team.  Chu is also their oldest player at age 31.  The other ten vets who join her are goaltenders: Jesse Vetter, Molly Schaus and Brianne McLaughlin-Bittle, Kacey Bellamy, Meghan Duggan, Hilary Knight, Jocelyne Lamoureux, Monique Lamoureux, Gigi Marvin and Kelli Stack. 

Amanda Kessel is the sister of Toronto Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel (who made the men's squad) and is also on this Sochi Olympic team.  While this is her first USA Olympic team, she already knows the thrill of beating Canada in international hockey competition. 

The College Player of the Year, Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner (the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy in women's collegiate hockey) for unbeaten NCAA national champs Minnesota scored the winning goal in the IIHF championship game against Canada last April.  

Amanda Kessel, as y'all found out on your home soil last year is all that and four bags of chips. 

Speaking of world championship winning gold medalists, 18 of the 21 members of this Sochi squad were members of the IIHL World Championship team  in Ottawa, and all 21 have played in the IIHL championships for Team USA. 

And this time a woman will be large and in charge of coaching our Olympic squad in Katey Stone.  She is the most successful coach in our NCAA women's hockey ranks as the head coach at Harvard.  She was also the head coach of the 2013 IIHF World Championship squad.

So now that our team is set, can't wait for the Olympic women's ice hockey tournament to start on February 8.  And yes Renee, February 12 is already circled on my new 2014 calendar.  

That's the day we play y'all in the final Group A match in Sochi before it heads to the medal round..   

Big Night Coming In Winnipeg

The 2011-2012 NHL season opens this coming weekend, and nowhere is it being more eagerly anticipated than in Winnipeg.   After 15 years without their beloved Jets, Winnipeggers got the news last May the Atlanta Thrashers were being purchased and relocated to the city.   They snapped up 13,000 season tickets, bought the new gear and jerseys when the redesigned Jets logo was released and have eagerly awaited the October 9 clash with the Montreal Canadiens that opens their 2011-2012 season.

The NHL put off realignment until the conclusion of this season, so for the time being the Jets are in the NHL's Southeast Division 1500 miles away from their nearest division rival.  

But Jets fans don't care.   They have NHL hockey back and they'll be rocking the MTS Centre on Sunday and proving how much they missed it.

It's Official-The Winnipeg Jets Are Back

The folks in Winnipeg can't wait for the 2011-12 NHL season to start because for the first time since 1996, there will be an NHL team in the city. 

The deal to purchase the Atlanta Thrashers and move them to Winnipeg became official when it was approved at the June 24 NHL Board of Governors meeting.   It was subsequently followed by a crowd pleasing announcement that the team would officially be renamed the Winnipeg Jets.

The new owners of the team are coming up with a brand new logo and uniforms for the team.  As for what division the Jets will play in, they will stay in the Southeast Division for now   The NHL decided to table the realignment issues caused by the move until the end of the 2011-12 season.  

The peeps in Winnipeg don't care.   They are just counting the days until the NHL season starts.