Mission Control: Houston's Hockey Podcast

Mission Control Houston's Hockey Podcast is back, and the NHL expansion rumors have officially exploded into a $3.5 billion reality! Following the NHL Board of Governors' massive announcement that the league is exploring a 33rd franchise in Texas, the battle between Houston and Austin is officially on. To make sense of the chaos, we are joined by Jennifer Streeter—hockey reporter for On SI...

Mission Control takes to the road for an early June trip to Kansas City! Matt saw Game 1 of the ECHL Finals to watch the KC Mavericks. I came away with some thoughts on empty arenas, the ongoing stadium struggles in Atlanta and Tampa Bay, and the arena bottlenecks keeping Space City out of the NHL. But after flying back for the inaugural Houston Bulls NAHL Draft Party, my perspective completely sh...

The wait is officially over—hockey is charging back into the Houston area! In this special edition of Mission Control, we sit down with Devon Buckland, the Vice President of Business Operations for the brand-new Houston Bulls. Devon pulls back the curtain on the massive logistics of relocating a historic franchise from North Iowa down to the Lone Star State. We discuss the incredible surge in fan...

This episode of Mission Control is a massive Space City hockey roundup! We dive into the latest news, the roaring success of the Houston Hockey Hall of Fame Banquet, and the incredible 6,000-fan turnout at the 3rd annual Hockey Day in Houston at St. Arnold Brewing. The weekend proved once again that Houston is a Hockey TownThe episode caps with a brief on-site interview with Houston hockey royalty...

In this massive episode, we assemble the "Brady Bunch" of Hockey Day in Houston, Powered By Main Event: Lance Rosenberg, Ryan Brooks, Marc Tushnet, Mary Adler, Michel Petit, and Eric Kimmel preview everything happening this Saturday at St. Arnold Brewing Company. We cover how a simple block party idea evolved into a massive, free festival featuring the Dallas Stars' Ice Girls and Vic...

In this episode of Mission Control, we are joined by former NHL defenseman Michel Petit. Michel shares incredible locker room stories from nearly two decades of pro hockey experience, including what it was like to room with his childhood idol, and the wild reality of fighting a player one game, only to defend him as a teammate weeks later. But this episode isn't just about the past—it’s about...

What does an Emergency Backup Goalie (EBUG) for the Philadelphia Flyers and a former KHL executive have to do with the resurgence of hockey in Space City? In this episode of Mission Control, we sit down with Lance Rosenberg—Co-Chair of Hockey Day in Houston and President of the local Hockey Players in Business chapter. Lance shares incredible behind-the-scenes stories from his time with the Flyers...

Matt spent a few minutes talking to Marc Tushnet, who's involved in nearly everything in Houston hockey. He's got some great evidence as to why Houston is a HUGE market for Pro Hockey. We'll talk a little about the Oil Kings Hockey Club, the HUGE Memorial Day tournament, and - naturally, Hockey Day in Houston.00:00 - Let's Meet Marc Tushnet!08:45 - What Really Grows the Player Base...

Join us as we sit down with board members of WHOAH (Women's Hockey Outreach Association of Houston) to discuss women's hockey in Space City. We'll talk about their "By Women, For Women" mission and the details for Girls & Women's Hockey Day - Saturday, February 7th at Frost Town Brewing. Whether you're a seasoned skater, curious about hockey, or want to learn just...

In this special 20th episode and first-ever livestream of Mission Control: Houston's Hockey Podcast, we are joined by WHA champion and broadcasting pioneer Jack Stanfield for a deep dive into Houston’s pro hockey history. Jack shares untold stories from the 1974 Avco Cup run, reveals exactly how close the Aeros came to joining the NHL (and how that deal eventually created the New Jersey Devils...

Matt takes you on a Christmas hockey road trip in this episode of Mission Control: Houston’s Hockey Podcast — but not before covering key local and national headlines. We break down the final three inductees to the 2026 Houston Hockey Hall of Fame, why the $1.7B Penguins sale matters to Houston, and healthy rants about the Team USA Olympic roster snubbing Jason Robertson, Team USA's inability...

Remember to leave Beaver Nuggets, Butter Tortillas, and Beaver Nuggets for Santa. Maybe he'll put in a good word with the Board of Governors about Houston. Do you believe in Christmas miracles? In this holiday episode of Mission Control: Houston’s Hockey Podcast, Savage recaps the latest NHL expansion chatter, reacts to the still-not-ready Olympic ice arena in Italy, and shares the next induct...

In this episode of Mission Control: Houston’s Hockey Podcast, Savage reacts to Bettman’s CNBC interview, confirming the NHL’s plan to expand by two teams with a price tag “starting with a 2” — and unpacks what that really means for Houston. We break down Olympic arena drama in Milan (spoiler: it’s a complete s-show), why ice size could shake up the tourney, and revisit the Houston arena question w...

God help me, I love this stupid pic so much I had to use it for a thumbnail. Welp. It's not just $2 Billion the league wants. They also want a brand-new, hockey-specific arena — so where could we put one? In addition to exploring viable options, we'll also break down the AAC drama in Dallas, more youth hockey drama, local ball hockey, and Olympic drama/complaining. Mostly, this episode div...

Follow on X! https://x.com/MCHockeyPodcastAdd on Discord - @MCHockeyPodcast While clickbait tweets tease expansion news with nothing, Houston media is quietly hinting at something real: the possibility of a new NHL-caliber arena. We dive into the latest from the Chronicle, explore comments from local hockey leaders, and ask whether a Toyota Center interim solution is feasible. We also ask an uncom...

The life of a fan... there's a blank space where a NHL team should be. This episode is a nostalgic look at the IHL era of the Houston Aeros. Matt takes you on a journey with the sights, sounds, and Aeros players of 1994-2001. It's a Love Story that needs a re-release. Whether or not you were there, this episode will show you why fans felt Enchanted. We'll also cover the busy October ahead, the Pho...

In this episode of Mission Control, Houston's Hockey Podcast, Savage runs through a flurry of Houston hockey updates—from NHL expansion chatter and local college club growth, team name drama, and a reminder that nature is not to be effed with. Plus, news on upcoming local events, NHL 26 thoughts, and Savage's new Aeros jersey review. Whether you’re here for the laughs, insights, or myopic...

It's a shorter episode, but it checks out. Feeling better — but a long way from okay — Savage takes a deep breath and reassesses where Houston stands in the NHL expansion race. While arguing that Houston's NHL future deserves more than a nostalgic look at its past, Matt lays out reasons for hope amid lingering frustrations and growing impatience. This episode covers the new NHL schedule (a...

A Low-Energy Episode... because the intrusive thoughts are winning. In this episode of Mission Control: Houston’s Hockey Podcast, Matt asks the uncomfortable question: Are we about to blow it? With NHL expansion rumors heating up and rival cities like Atlanta, Indianapolis, Austin, and Quebec City making noise, Houston fans have reason to feel uneasy. Savage breaks down each contender’s strengths,...

Follow on X! https://x.com/MCHockeyPodcastAdd on Discord - @MCHockeyPodcastLike rainy-day traffic on 610, NHL expansion to Houston is inevitable. In this episode of Mission Control: Houston’s Hockey Podcast, Matt Savage separates fact from fiction — taking on bad headlines, faulty rumors, and uninformed speculation. From confirmed reports about Dan Friedkin and Tilman Fertitta's cooperation to...

Is the title too much of a stretch? I was trying to play off of "Death & Taxes". Ah well, we're talking about the non-controversy about teams that don't pay state income taxes - but that's not all. In this episode, Matt talks about Bettman’s recent comments on the state income tax issue, explores what NHL expansion means for Houston, Canadian markets, and the league’s pla...

What does the new Toyota Center naming rights deal mean for hockey in Space City? In this episode of Mission Control: Houston's Hockey Podcast , Matt breaks down the latest arena news, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly’s comments on expansion, the Stars’ playoff collapse, and goes on a weird tangent about seat colors. Plus, we take a look at the Utah Mammoth rebrand, the "BEARS Act"...

This episode has it all: costumes, inappropriate memes, and a Very Special Guest drops by the studio. Houston is inching closer to NHL expansion, so we're going to give some attention to the man rumored to be the franchise owner: Dan Friedkin. In this episode of Mission Control: Houston’s Hockey Podcast , we break down why ownership matters, and what kind of NHL franchise owner Friedkin might...

You clicked on this? With that thumbnail? Might as well watch the whole episode, then. In this episode of Mission Control: Houston’s Hockey Podcast , host Matt Savage tackles a fan identity crisis — is supporting the Dallas Stars from Houston like seeing someone else’s team? He shares his thoughts on a recent Stars game, breaks down harsh takes from the Dallas Stars subreddit, and explains why Hou...

GO JR. AEROS!Is Houston really ready for an NHL franchise? In this episode of Mission Control: Houston’s Hockey Podcast, Matt responds to the online haters following the Dan Freidkin expansion buzz. Instead of yelling into the void, we did the math. Using weighted data across corporate presence, media market size, income level, fan interest, and more, we ranked 15 potential NHL expansion cities ba...