Houston Aeros (1994–2013)

=== IHL years ===
The Houston Aeros started out as an expansion franchise in the [[International Hockey League (1945–2001)|International Hockey League]] (IHL) in 1994 with home games at [[Compaq Center (Houston)|The Summit]]. The team's name was a tribute to the original [[Houston Aeros (WHA)|Houston Aeros]] of the [[World Hockey Association]] in the 1970s, who won the [[Avco World Trophy]] twice with hockey legend [[Gordie Howe]] anchoring the team. The Aeros were the second IHL team to be named after a WHA franchise, the first being the [[Phoenix Roadrunners (IHL)|Phoenix Roadrunners]]; unlike the Roadrunners, who used the same logo as their WHA predecessor, the IHL Aeros used a new logo, a [[Douglas B-23 Dragon]] bomber underneath a stylized wordmark. The original color scheme was forest green, navy blue, and a red accents on jerseys.

The team was an immediate success, both on the ice and at the gate. The Aeros posted a winning record in their inaugural season and made the playoffs, while the team repeatedly sold out its home games at The Summit after not having professional hockey in the region for nearly two decades. Despite missing the playoffs in their sophomore campaign, the Aeros spent the back half of the 1990s becoming one of the more dominant teams of the IHL. Independently owned and operated by [[Charles Watson (businessman)|Chuck Watson]] without a primary [[National Hockey League]] (NHL) affiliate, the franchise spent money on younger players still trying to make a name for themselves and former NHL players at the end of their careers. Some of these signings included [[Mark Freer]], who set the Houston franchise record for career goals, eventual coach [[Mike Yeo]], veteran NHL player [[Jim Paek]], and goaltending duo [[Frederic Chabot]] and [[Manny Fernandez (ice hockey)|Manny Fernandez]]. In 1996, Watson hired former [[Hartford Whalers]]' player [[Dave Tippett]] as his head coach. Houston won 44 games in 1996–97 and followed that with their first 50-win campaign the next year, losing in the 1998 Western Conference Finals to the [[Long Beach Ice Dogs]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Houston Aeros hockey team [IHL] statistics and history at hockeydb.com|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/houston-aeros-6118.html|website=HockeyDB}}</ref>

By the start of the 1998–99 season, the Aeros were led by the goalie tandem of Chabot and Fernandez posted a combined 2.35 goals against average, the best average in the league, minor league journeyman [[Jeff Christian]] scored a team-leading 45 goals and 109 points (including 88 assists) from former [[Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey|Michigan Wolverines]]' player [[Brian Wiseman]]. Houston earned a 54–15–13 record for 121 points in the standings and the [[Fred A. Huber Trophy]] for the regular season championship.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Houston Aeros 1998-99 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0004801999.html|website=HockeyDB}}</ref>

Despite their regular season, the Aeros struggled in the playoffs. While they earned a bye from the best-of-three preliminary round, it took Houston the full five games series to eliminate the Long Beach Ice Dogs in the second round. In the Western Conference Finals, Houston faced the [[Chicago Wolves]], which took seven games for the Aeros to advance to their first Turner Cup Finals. The Aeros then faced the [[Orlando Solar Bears (IHL)|Orlando Solar Bears]] for the 1999 Turner Cup and again lasted seven games. In front of a sold-out home crowd of more than 16,000, the Aeros won their first championship with a 5–3 victory.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/m9s4fqDMfcw Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200813125038/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9s4fqDMfcw Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web|date=April 29, 2014|title=Houston Aeros Win Turner Cup 1999 (IHL)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9s4fqDMfcw|via=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Following the 1999 Turner Cup championship, Dave Tippett left to take an assistant job with the [[Los Angeles Kings]]. Captain Mike Yeo signed an NHL contract with the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]], who assigned him to their minor league affiliate in the AHL, the [[Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins]]. While Houston still posted winning seasons with playoff appearances the next two years, they were never able to get close to another Turner Cup.