Houston Aeros (AHL)

For the World Hockey Association team, see Houston Aeros (WHA).

Houston Aeros
File: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:	Green, red, wheat
Owner(s):	Minnesota Sports and Entertainment (majority), Chuck Watson (minority)
General Manager:	Jim Mill
Head Coach:	Kevin Constantine
Media:	Houston Chronicle, 1070 KNTH
Affiliates:	Minnesota Wild (NHL), Johnstown Chiefs (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:	1 (2002–03)
Turner Cups:	1 (1998–99)
Calder Cups:	1 (2002–03)

The Houston Aeros is a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center.

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 AHL in 2001 when the IHL folded. The AHL version of the Aeros would go on to win the 2003 Calder Cup. 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. 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.

Season-by-season results

• Houston Aeros 1994–2001 (International Hockey League)
• Houston Aeros 2001–present

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

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	—

Current roster

Goaltenders
#		Player	Catches	Place of birth
30		Anton Khudobin	L	Ust-Kamenogorsk, Soviet Union
31		Wade Dubielewicz	L	Invermere, British Columbia
33		Barry Brust	L	Swan River, Manitoba

Defensemen
#		Player	Shoots	Place of birth
4		Jamie Fraser	L	Sarnia, Ontario
5		Ryan Gunderson	L	Bensalem, Pennsylvania
11		J. P. Testwuide	L	Vail, Colorado
24		Jaime Sifers	R	Stratford, Connecticut
26		Maxim Noreau	R	Montreal, Quebec
28		Brandon Rogers - C	L	Rochester, New Hampshire
44		Justin Falk	L	Snowflake, Manitoba
57		Ryan Lannon	L	Grafton, Massachusetts

Forwards
#		Player	Pos	Shoots	Place of birth
8		Nathan Smith	C	L	Strathcona, Alberta
10		Peter Zingoni	C	L	Bridgeport, Connecticut
12		Cody Almond	C	L	Calgary, Alberta
14		Jon DiSalvatore	RW	R	Bangor, Maine
18		Colton Gillies	LW	L	White Rock, British Columbia
17		Robbie Earl	LW	L	Chicago, Illinois
19		Danny Irmen	RW	R	Fargo, North Dakota
20		Chad Rau	C	R	Eden Prairie, Minnesota
23		Duncan Milroy	RW	R	Edmonton, Alberta
27		Carson McMillan	RW	R	Brandon, Manitoba
32		Petr Kalus	LW	L	Ostrava, Czech Republic
42		Matt Kassian	LW	L	Edmonton, Alberta
62		Jean-Michel Daoust	RW	R	Valleyfield, Quebec
91		Andy Hilbert	C	L	Howell, Michigan

As of February 15, 2010

Franchise records

Single season

Goals: 47 Patrick O'Sullivan (2005–06)

Assists: 88 Brian Wiseman (1998–99)

Points: 110 Kirby Law (2005–06)

Penalty minutes: 333 Gord Donnelly (1995–96)

GAA: 2.01 Josh Harding (2004–05)

SV%: .930 Josh Harding (2004–05)

Career

Career goals: 132 Mark Freer

Career assists: 210 Mark Freer

Career points: 342 Mark Freer

Career penalty minutes: 721 Erik Reitz

Career goaltending wins: 126 Frederic Chabot

Career shutouts: 18 Frederic Chabot

Career games: 469 Mark Freer

Retired numbers

9 Gordie Howe (1973-77)

References

External links

• Houston Aeros Official Site
• The Internet Hockey Database - Houston Aeros (AHL)
• The Internet Hockey Database - Houston Aeros (IHL)