Houston Aeros
Order classic Houston Aeros tees, hoodies and jerseys. Hockey in Houston, Texas, dates back to the 1970s, and the city has been home to two professional teams named the Aeros, the first from 1972 to 1978 and the second from 1994 to 2013. Celebrate these historic Houston franchises by browsing all of our Aeros gear, then read the team history below. Vintage Ice Hockey Canada is a small business that keeps the designs and history of forgotten hockey clubs alive.
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Houston Aeros History
Houston Aeros WHA
The WHA Houston Aeros were originally founded in 1971 and slated to play in Dayton, Ohio as the Dayton Arrows. However, they were unable to find a suitable place to play in Dayton and settled in Houston, Texas, for the 1972-73 season at the Sam Houston Coliseum.
The team had a successful run, winning two AVCO World Trophies as league champions in 1974 and 1975. Gordie Howe, in his 26th and 27th (!!) seasons in professional hockey helped lead the team with a combined 199 points during those two seasons. Howe's sons, Mark and Marty, were also on the team giving them a very unique father and sons trio. The Aeros also had several notable players, including Gordie Howe, who played alongside his sons Mark and Marty. The Aeros almost made it a three-peat in 1976, but would lose in the finals to the Winnipeg Jets. Over the course of their 7-year run in the WHA, the Aeros had a record of 369-311-23, made the playoffs every season, and attracted aroudn 8,000 fans per game.
Like many of the WHA franchises, the Houston Aeros weren't financially and were a hockey hot potato, going through three ownership groups in six years. By the 1977-78 season, the Aeros were up for sale again but no suitor could be found and the team folded. It would only be one year later that the WHA would merge four of its teams into the NHL. If the Aeros had held on for one more season, would they still be in the NHL today?
Houston Aeros 1990s
The Houston Aeros name was revided for a minor league team in the 1990s and 2000s that had another successful run. This time, the franchsie would last for 19 season and win two more titles.
These Aeros started play in the IHL for the 1994-95 season. The team was an instant success both on the ice and off, averaging over 10,000 fans per game each of the first two seasons and posting a winning record in the first season. After one year skating for the Aeros, future NHL coach Dave Tippett would take the reigns and guide the Aeros for four season and an IHL title, before leaving for an assistant coaching gig with the LA Kings. The Aeros won the IHL title in the 1998-99 season, led by future NHLer Manny Fernandez in goal and 109 points from Brian Wiseman. The Aeros final season in the IHL would be 2000-01, as the IHL would fold and the Aeros joined the AHL.
The Aeros had continued success in the American League with another future big league coach at the helm in Todd McLellan. McLellan would coach then to their second league title in 2002-03. The Aeros would continue to have success on the ice as a Minnesota farm team, with a number of players having big league success including Hnat Dominichelli, Anton Khudobin, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Brent Burns, Mikko Koivu, and others.
Unfortunately, the Aeros weren't able to successfully renegotiate their lease and left Houston after the 2012-13 season.
