Believe it or not the American state of Texas has had a long history when it comes to ice hockey as the area has been home to several professional teams over the years. Currently, the lone NHL team in Texas is the Dallas Stars but the city of Houston has long been rumoured as a potential site for an NHL expansion franchise.
When did the Dallas Stars Join the NHL?
The Dallas Stars made their NHL debut in the 1993/94 season. However, the franchise originated in 1967 as the Minnesota North Stars. The club was part of the NHL’s six-team expansion and began play in 1967/68.
In 1978, financial difficulties led to the franchise merging with the league’s Cleveland Barons team, which originated in 1967 as the California Golden Seals. The franchise remained in Minnesota after the merger while the Cleveland team folded, but poor attendance brought about the move to Dallas in 1993.
The club’s current minor-league affiliates are the Texas Stars of the AHL (American Hockey League) and the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League).
How Many Stanley Cups Have the Dallas Stars Won?
The Dallas Stars have won the Stanley Cup once, which came in 1998/99. The club had also won two President’s Trophies as the NHL’s top regular-season team in 1997/98 and 1998/99.
Where is the Dallas Stars Hockey Stadium?
The Stars currently play their home games at the American Airlines Center which opened in 2001 and can hold 19,323 fans for ice hockey. From 1993 to 2001 the team played its home games at Reunion arena, which had a capacity of 17,000 for hockey.
Who Are Some of The Most Notable Players from the Dallas Stars?
There are several former players who appeared with either the Dallas Stars or Minnesota North Stars franchise who are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. These are:
Ed Belfour, Leo Boivin, Guy Carbonneau, Dino Ciccarelli, Mike Gartner, Brett Hull, Eric Lindros, Sergei Makarov, Mike Modano, Larry Murphy, Joe Nieuwendyk, Gump Worsley and Sergei Zubov. In addition, former off-ice members of the club, Herb Brooks, Walter Bush and John Mariucci are in the Hall of Fame in the Builder’s Category.
Some of the most notable players who represented the Dallas Stars only include:
Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Brenden Morrow, Jere Lehtinen, Mike Ribeiro, John Klingberg, Loui Eriksson, Darryl Sydor, Derian Hatcher, Jamie Langenbrunner, Trevor Daley, Jason Spezza, Brad Richards, Steve Ott, Roope Hintz, Alexander Radulov, Joe Pavelski, Stephane Robidas, Jason Robertson, Jason Arnott, Alex Goligoski, Richard Matvichuk, Marty Turco, Craig Ludwig, Pat Verbeek, Mike Keane, Kari Lehtonen, Ben Bishop, Andy Moog and Jake Oettinger.
Who Are Some Famous NHL Players Born in Texas?
As of February, 2023 there have only been a dozen players born in Texas who have stepped on the ice in an NHL game.
These are Hall of Famer Brian Leetch, Seth Jones, Tyler Myers, Blake Coleman Mike Christie, Stefan Noesen, Logan O’Connor, Caleb Jones, Thomas Bordeleau, Chris Brown, Nicolas Kerdiles and Jon Rheault.
What AHL Teams are in Texas?
There is currently one AHL team based in Texas, as the Texas Stars play in the city of Cedar Creek, which is approximately 20 miles from Austin.
The team is in the Central Division of the Western Conference and plays its home games at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, which holds 6,778 fans for ice hockey. The venue opened in 2009 and was known as the Cedar Park Center until 2016.
The Texas Stars franchise originated in 1999 as the Louisville Panthers until 2001. It became the Iowa Stars from 2005 to 2009 and the Iowa Chops in 2008/09. The club moved to Texas in 2009 with its first season in Cedar Creek taking place in 2009/10. The team won the Calder Cup championship in 2013/14. and is currently affiliated with the Dallas Stars.
Does Texas Have Any ECHL Teams?
The state’s lone ECHL team at the moment is the Allen Americans who play their home games in the city of Allen, Texas at the Credit Union of Texas Event Center which has a capacity of 6,275 for ice hockey.
The franchise, which plays in the Mountain Division in the Western Conference, was founded in 2009 and played in the CHL (Central Hockey League) for five seasons. The CHL ceased operations in 2014 and the Americans then joined the ECHL in 2014/15. The club is affiliated with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators and won the league championship Kelly Cup in 2014/15 and 2015/16.
The Texas Wildcatters ECHL team was based in Beaumont, Texas and played their home games at the Ford Arena from 2003 to 2008. The franchise originated as the Huntington Blizzard and played in West Virginia between 1993 and 2000.
In 2008 the club relocated to Ontario, California and became the Ontario Reign from 2008 to 2015 and then moved to new Hampshire and became the Manchester Monarchs from 2015 to 2019.
Does Texas Have NCAA Hockey?
College hockey is popular in Texas with the most notable example being the men’s Texas Collegiate Hockey Conference (TCHC). This competition was founded in 2016 and plays in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division II West Region.
The conference consists of eight Texas teams which currently are: East Texas Baptist University, Texas A&M, the University of Texas, the University of Texas at El Paso, Texas State, Texas Christian University, Dallas Baptist University and the University of North Texas.
Is Hockey Popular in Texas?
Texas has been home to many minor-pro league teams over the years as well as its current NHL franchise and former WHA club. There’s also a current AHL and ECHL team and college hockey program.
In addition, the Texas Amateur Hockey Association also has several members. Due to the climate in Texas though and the state’s love for football, basketball and baseball; ice hockey isn’t really one of the most popular sports. However, the teams that do exist in the state are well supported, especially the Dallas Stars.
Does Houston Have a Hockey Team?
The city of Houston doesn’t have a pro hockey team at the moment but had several in the past such as the Houston Aeros of the IHL and AHL. However, the most famous Houston Aeros franchise was the one that belonged to the WHA (World Hockey Association) from 1972 to 1978 with the great Gordie Howe and his sons Mark and Marty playing for the squad.
The team played its home games at the the Sam Houston Coliseum and then the Summit. The team won league championships in 1973/74 and 1974/75. The franchise played its last season in 1977/78 and then folded as it wasn’t included in the 1979 partial merger of NHL and WHA teams.
The second version of Houston Aeros played in both the IHL (International Hockey League) and AHL with the team’s home games being played at the Toyota Center (formerly the The Summit and the Compaq Center). The club was formed in 1994 and competed in the IHL until joining the AHL in 2001/02. The franchise one a championship in both the IHL and AHL but relocated to Des Moines, Iowa in 2013 and became the Iowa Wild.
Other former pro hockey teams in the city include the Houston Apollos of the CHL and the Houston Huskies/Skippers of the USHL (United States Hockey League).
Does San Antonio Have a Hockey Team?
The city of San Antonio doesn’t currently have a pro hockey team but did in the past. The San Antonio Rampage played in the AHL from 2002 to 2020, when it relocated to Nevada and became the Henderson Silver Knights.
San Antonio played its home games at the AT&T Center which opened in 2002 and was known as the SBC center until 2006. The franchise originated in 1971/72 as the Tidewater Wings then became the Virginia Wings from 1972 to 1975 and the Adirondack Red Wings from 1979 to 1999 before relocating in San Antonio.
The San Antonio Iguanas played in the CHL between 1994 and 1997 and 1998 and 2002 at the Freeman Coliseum. In addition, the San Antonio Dragons played in the IHL from 1996 to 1998 with their home games being played at the Freeman Arena and a few being held at the Alamodome.
Does Fort Worth Have a Hockey Team?
There’s currently no pro hockey club in Fort Worth but the city had several franchises in the past.
The Fort Worth Rangers played in the AHA (American Hockey Association) in 1941/42 season and in the USHL from 1945 to 1949 with their home games taking place at the Will Rogers Memorial Center.
The Fort Worth Wings began play in the CHL in 1967 with their home games being held at Will Rogers Coliseum. The club changed its name to the Fort Worth Texans in 1974 and played in the city until 1982.
The Fort Worth Brahmas played in the CHL and WPHL (Western Professional Hockey League) with home games being played at the Fort Worth Convention Center and then the NYTEX Sports Centre. The team played from 1997 to 2013 and between 2007 and 2012 were known as the Texas Brahmas.
The Fort Worth Fire competed in the CHL from 1992 to 1999 with their home games being played at the Fort Worth Convention Center Arena.
Final Thoughts
Fans may be surprised to learn that Texas has been the home to many minor-league pro teams throughout the ages as most of them were affiliated with NHL teams even as far back as the six and 12-team NHL era.
The first NHL franchise didn’t show up in the state until 1993 but the Dallas Stars may not be the last big-league team in Texas. There’s a distinct possibility the NHL will expand to Houston in the future or could relocate an existing club to the city if one of them run into financial difficulty or lose fan support.
Read about other states hockey teams:
- What Hockey Teams are in California?
- What Hockey Teams are in Wisconsin?
- What Hockey Team Is in Ohio?
- What Hockey Team Is In New York?
- What Hockey Team is in Minnesota?
- What Hockey Teams are in Alberta? (Battle of Alberta)
Jamie is the founder of Hockey Response and he is the chief writer/ lead editor. Jamie has been playing hockey for over 20 years. He was the defenseman of the year in NL and has played Jr A level hockey. Jamie has coached several kids hockey camps and he was the assistant coach of the Western Kings.