Houston Aeros

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Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros.svg
City Houston, Texas
League American Hockey League
Conference Western Conference
Division West Division
Founded 1994 (in the IHL)
Home arena Toyota Center
Colors Forest green, iron range red, wheat
              
Owner(s) Minnesota Sports and Entertainment (majority), Chuck Watson (minority), Leslie Alexander (minority)
General manager Jim Mill
Head coach John Torchetti
Media Houston Chronicle, 1070 KNTH
Affiliates Minnesota Wild (NHL)
Bakersfield Condors (ECHL)
Franchise history
1994–2001 (IHL) Houston Aeros
2001–present (AHL) Houston Aeros
Championships
Regular season titles 1 IHL (1998–99)
0 AHL
Division Championships 1 IHL (1998–99)
1 AHL (2002–03)
Conference Championships 3 (1998–99) (2002–03) (2010–11)
Turner Cups 1 (1998–99)
Calder Cups 1 (2002–03)

The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.

Contents

[edit] History

The Houston Aeros were an expansion team in the International Hockey League in 1994. The team's name is a homage to the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association in the 1970s, one of the teams Gordie Howe played for in the WHA. The Aeros were the second IHL team to be named after a WHA franchise, the first being the Phoenix Roadrunners; unlike the Roadrunners, who used the same logo as their WHA predecessor, the IHL Aeros used a new logo, a bomber flying over the team name (essentially their current logo). The Aeros would defeat the Orlando Solar Bears to win the 1999 Turner Cup, following an impressive 54-win season.

The Aeros were one of six IHL teams to join the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2001 when the IHL folded. The AHL version of the Aeros would go on to win the 2003 Calder Cup; they would reach the 2011 Calder Cup finals as well, but lost to the Binghamton Senators. They are the AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild

The team plays their home games in the Toyota Center, which they moved to from the Compaq Center for the 2003–04 season.

In 2003, the Aeros replaced their original bomber logo, carried over from their IHL days, to a new logo featuring a forward-facing modern fighter jet below a bold "AEROS", and using the WHA Aeros' colors of light and dark blue. In 2005, as part of their affiliation with the Wild, the Aeros changed their colors to the Wild's forest green and Iron Range red. This new logo was not popular with many of the long-term fans. On April 18, 2006, the team announced that the 2006–07 season would see the Aeros return to their original bomber logo associated with their championship seasons, with only minor color alterations; the blue elements of the original logo were replaced with green.

The principal owner is Minnesota Sports and Entertainment, with Chuck Watson, the former owner, now owning a 10% minority share along with Houston Native, Nick Sheppard, holding a 4% share.

[edit] Season-by-season results

[edit] Regular season

Season Games Won Lost Tied OTL SOL Points Goals
for
Goals
against
Standing
1994–95 81 38 35 8 84 272 283 2nd, Central
1995–96 82 29 45 8 66 262 328 5th, Central
1996–97 82 44 30 8 96 247 228 2nd, Southwest
1997–98 82 50 22 10 110 268 214 2nd, Southwest
1998–99 82 54 15 13 121 307 209 1st, Southwest
1999–00 82 44 29 9 97 219 197 3rd, Western
2000–01 82 42 32 8 92 229 245 2nd, Western
2001–02 80 39 26 10 5 93 234 232 2nd, West
2002–03 80 47 23 7 3 104 266 222 1st, West
2003–04 80 28 34 14 4 74 197 220 4th, West
2004–05 80 40 28 6 6 93 212 195 4th, West
2005–06 80 50 24 3 3 106 285 242 2nd, West
2006–07 80 27 43 4 6 64 205 269 7th, West
2007–08 80 45 29 2 4 96 206 183 3rd, West
2008–09 80 38 31 2 9 87 218 230 3rd, West
2009–10 80 34 34 7 5 80 206 224 7th, West
2010–11 80 46 28 1 5 96 238 211 2nd, West

[edit] Playoffs

Season Prelim 1st round 2nd round 3rd round Finals
1994–95 L, 1–3, PHX
1995–96 Out of playoffs.
1996–97 W, 3–0, LV W, 4–1, SA L, 1–4, LB
1997–98 L, 1–3, MIL
1998–99 W, 3–2, LB W, 4–3, CHI W, 4–3, ORL
1999–00 W, 4–1, UT L, 2–4, CHI
2000–01 L, 3–4, MTB
2001–02 W, 3–2, UT W, 4–0, HER L, 1–4, CHI
2002–03 W, 3–0, MIL W, 4–2, NOR W, 4–3, GR W, 4–3, HAM
2003–04 L, 0–2, CIN
2004–05 L, 1–4, CHI
2005–06 W, 4–0, PEO L, 0–4, MIL
2006–07 Out of playoffs.
2007–08 L, 1–4, RFD
2008–09 W, 4-3, PEO W, 4-3, MIL L, 4-2, MTB
2009–10 Out of playoffs.
2010–11 W, 4-0, PEO W, 4-3, MIL W, 4–3, HAM L 2-4, BIN

[edit] Current roster

Updated February 14, 2012.[1][2]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
12 Canada Almond, CodyCody Almond C L 22 2009 Calgary, Alberta Wild
4 Canada Bagnall, DrewDrew Bagnall (A) D L 28 2010 Oakbank, Manitoba Wild
56 Canada Broda, JoelJoel Broda C L 22 2010 Yorkton, Saskatchewan Wild
61 Canada Cuma, TylerTyler Cuma D L 22 2010 Bowmanville, Ontario Wild
14 United States DiSalvatore, JonJon DiSalvatore (C) RW R 30 2009 Bangor, Maine Wild
37 Canada Fontaine, JustinJustin Fontaine RW R 24 2011 Bonnyville, Alberta Wild
7 Canada Fredheim, KrisKris Fredheim D R 25 2010 Campbell River, British Columbia Wild
39 Canada Genoway, ChayChay Genoway D L 25 2011 Morden, Manitoba Wild
31 Canada Hackett, MattMatt Hackett G L 21 2010 London, Ontario Wild
35 Canada Kuemper, DarcyDarcy Kuemper G L 21 2011 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Wild
26 Canada McIntyre, DavidDavid McIntyre C L 25 2011 Oakville, Ontario Wild
21 Canada McKenzie, MikeMike McKenzie F L 25 2011 Whitby, Ontario Aeros
8 United States Medvec, KyleKyle Medvec D L 23 2011 Burnsville, Minnesota Wild
11 Canada Mignardi, RobRob Mignardi RW R 21 2012 Richmond Hill, Ontario PTO
41 United States Ortmeyer, JedJed Ortmeyer (A) RW R 33 2011 Omaha, Nebraska Wild
5 Canada Penner, JeffJeff Penner D L 24 2011 Steinbach, Manitoba Wild
10 United States Radja, MikeMike Radja C L 26 2012 Yorkville, Illinois PTO
20 United States Rau, ChadChad Rau C R 25 2009 Eden Prairie, Minnesota Wild
22 United States Taffe, JeffJeff Taffe C L 31 2011 Hastings, Minnesota Wild


[edit] Franchise records

Single season
Goals: 47 United States Patrick O'Sullivan (2005–06)
Assists: 88 Canada Brian Wiseman (1998–99)
Points: 110 Canada Kirby Law (2005–06)
Penalty minutes: 333 Canada Gord Donnelly (1995–96)
GAA: 2.01 Canada Josh Harding (2004–05)
SV%: .930 Josh Harding (2004–05)
Career
Career goals: 132 Canada Mark Freer
Career assists: 210 Canada Mark Freer
Career points: 342 Canada Mark Freer
Career penalty minutes: 721 United States Erik Reitz
Career goaltending wins: 126 Canada Frederic Chabot
Career shutouts: 18 Canada Frederic Chabot
Career games: 469 Canada Mark Freer
Retired numbers
9 Canada Gordie Howe (1973-77 with the WHA team)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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