Mission Control: Houston's Hockey Podcast

Bringing Hockey to Houston: Houston Bulls VP Devon Buckland Inside the New NAHL Franchise

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 interest, with over 3,000 season ticket requests already flooding the front office for the new 2,000-capacity arena at the Deep South Ice & Sports Complex in Richmond, Texas. Devon breaks down what fans can expect from the notoriously fast and physical NAHL South Division, gives us an insider update on the building's progress ahead of its August grand opening, and teases major upcoming events. Whether you're a die-hard fan or completely new to the sport, get ready to find out how the Bulls are establishing a premier development pathway for young athletes eyeing NCAA Division 1 programs, and exactly what the gameday experience will look like for local fans. Are you still anxiously awaiting your season ticket email? The next chapter of Houston-area hockey is hitting the ice! 00:00 - Introduction 10:52 - When Does Deep South Ice Open? 20:10 - How to Sponsor the Bulls 35:00 - Where to Get your Bulls Merch 42:25 - Broadcast InfoSHOW LINKS:The Houston Bulls: http://www.houstonbullsnahl.com Partner with the Bulls: devon@houstonbullsnahl.com Billet the Bulls: billets@houstonbullsnahl.com Official Bulls Merch: http://officialmerch.shop/houston-bulls-hockey Deep South Ice & Sports Complex: https://www.deepsouthice.com/ NAHL: http://www.nahl.com NAHLtv: http://www.nahltv.com NAHL free audio broadcasts: http://www.mixlr.comThe Mission Control of Mission Control: http://www.mchockeypodcast.com - you can get sexy merch there, too. Follow on X! https://x.com/MCHockeyPodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mchockeypodcast/ Add on Discord - @MCHockeyPodcastThe NHL isn't in Houston - but the Hockey Fans Are!If you've been obsessing over every rumor about a potential NHL hockey franchise in Houston, you've found your people. Mission Control exists for the Houston hockey fans.

2026 Hockey Day in Houston Reflection, and a talk with Terry Ruskowski

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: Terry Ruskowski. The two-time WHA Avco Cup Champion, inaugural IHL Aeros coach, and the only player to ever captain four different pro franchises sits down to share his memories. Terry discusses the tight-knit culture of the WHA Aeros, the chaos of the NHL merger, drawing massive playoff crowds with the Laredo Bucks, and why he firmly believes Houston is more than ready for an NHL franchise. 00:00 - Brief News Bullet Points 08:43 - Thoughts on the Houston Hockey Hall of Fame Banquet & Hockey Day in Houston 18:06 - Favorite Parts of the Weekend (and what went horribly terribly wrong for me) 26:10 - Terry Ruskowski: Playing Days in Houston 35:00 - Terry Ruskowski: Coaching Career and if Laredo can do it...SHOW LINKS:Hockey Day in Houston: http://www.hockeydayinhouston.comThe Howe Foundation: http://www.howefoundation.comInter Scholastic Hockey League: http://www.ishl.orgWHOAH (Women's Hockey Outreach Association of Houston): http://whoahhtx.wixsite.com/homeChampions Club Texas: http://www.championsclubtexas.comBeer League Warriors Apparel: http://www.beerleaguewarriors.comoh hey, the website doesn't suck as much now: http://www.mchockeypodcast.com - you can get sexy merch there, too.Follow on X! https://x.com/MCHockeyPodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mchockeypodcast/Add on Discord - @MCHockeyPodcastThe NHL isn't in Houston - but the Hockey Fans Are!If you've been obsessing over every rumor about a potential NHL hockey franchise in Houston, you've found your people. Mission Control exists for the Houston hockey fans.

Inside the "Hat Trick" Year of Hockey Day in Houston!

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 Victor E. Green, Chilly Dog, street hockey, and adaptive sled hockey clinics with the Houston Hellhounds. The panel also dives into the serious impact of the event, from the Howe Foundation's incredible scholarship match to the sold-out Houston Hockey Hall of Fame Banquet, and how this surging demand is highlighting the urgent need for more ice rinks in the city. Whether you are a lifelong beer-leaguer or have never watched a shift in your life, find out why there is a spot for you at Hockey Day in Houston!00:00 - The Brady Bunch14:17 - What's Different About Houston20:38 - Is Hockey Day in Houston Just for the Players?29:14 - The Impact of the Howe Foundation40:53 - When Should You Arrive?Make Sure You're At Hockey Day in Houston on March 21st: https://www.hockeydayinhouston.com/Main Event Entertainment, Powering Hockey Day in Houston: https://www.mainevent.com/St. Arnold's Brewing: https://www.saintarnold.com/HTX Storm Hockey: https://www.htxstorm.com/Houston Hellhounds Sled Hockey: https://www.facebook.com/houstonhellhounds/American Special Hockey Association: https://www.specialhockey.org/University of Houston Ice Hockey: https://www.houstonicehockey.com/Rice University Ice Hockey: https://www.instagram.com/ricehockey/Women's Hockey Outreach Association of Houston: https://whoahhtx.wixsite.com/homeBlueline Slapshot: https://www.bluelineslapshot.com/The Howe Foundation: https://howefoundation.com/Dallas Stars: https://www.nhl.com/stars/oh hey, the show's website doesn't suck as much now: http://www.mchockeypodcast.com - you can get sexy swag there, too.Follow on X! https://x.com/MCHockeyPodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mchockeypodcast/Add on Discord - @MCHockeyPodcastThe NHL isn't in Houston - but the Hockey Fans Are!If you've been obsessing over every rumor about a potential NHL hockey franchise in Houston, you've found your people. Mission Control exists for the Houston hockey fans. Hockey Day in Houston,Houston Hockey,St. Arnold's Brewing,Dallas Stars,Gordie Howe,Mark Howe,Marty Howe,Howe Foundation,Houston Sports,HTX Storm,Houston Aeros,Sled Hockey,Texas Hockey,NHLtoHouston,NHL,Houston,Houston Texas,Houston TX,NHL Shorts,HoustonIsAHockeyTown,NHL expansion,Hockey,Aeros,St. Arnold's,Beer League,Hockey Players in Business,USA Hockey,NHL to Houston

18 year NHL Veteran Michel Petit on New Arenas, the ECHL, & Hockey Day in Houston

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 the future of Space City. As a key figure behind Blueline Slapshot, Michel breaks down the ambitious plan to build a state-of-the-art, 8,000-seat dual-sheet ice facility in the Houston suburbs. We discuss conversations with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, the immediate goal of landing an ECHL franchise, and Houston is the most untapped hockey market in North America. Plus, we talk about the upcoming Houston Hockey Hall of Fame Banquet and Hockey in Day in Houston!Learn about Michel's Blueline Slapshot initiative here: https://www.bluelineslapshot.com/Get Tickets and Attend the Houston Hockey Hall of Fame Banquet: https://hockeyplayersinbusiness.org/event/hpib-hou-houston-hockey-hall-of-fame-banquet-march-20th/Make Sure You're At Hockey Day in Houston on March 21st: https://www.hockeydayinhouston.com/00:00 - Introduction15:24 - How Do All these Pro Hockey Players End Up in Houston?25:23 - Michel's thoughts on Bettman38:26 - Today's ECHL52:07 - Of Course, We Talk about Hockey Day in HoustonThe NHL isn't in Space City yet - but the fans are.Welcome to Mission Control: Houston’s Hockey Podcast — a fan podcast for a team that hasn't arrived yet. Whether you’ve been following NHL relocation rumors since 2013 or are just hyped from the Winter Olympics, this channel is for those who believe Houston has deserved a team for a long time. The show covers Houston’s hockey history, NHL expansion gossip, and local events. With throwback stories, occasional interviews, and poor attempts at humor, we’re building the fanbase before the 33rd franchise gets here. Subscribe, interact, and be part of Houston’s hockey future. NHLtoHouston,NHL,Houston,Houston Sports,Houston Texas,Houston Aeros,Houston TX,NHL Shorts,HoustonIsAHockeyTown,NHL expansion,Hockey,Aeros,Hockey Players in Business,USA Hockey,Hockey Day in Houston,Houston Hockey Hall of Fame,Houston Hockey,World Hockey,Philadelphia Flyers,Hockey Podcast,Michel Petit,New York Rangers,ECHL,Blueline Slapshot,NHL History,Guy LaFleur,Chris Nyland,Hockey Fights,Texas Hockey

Why Houston is a Hockey Town: Lance Rosenberg on Hockey Day in Houston and Growing the Game in Texas

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 organization, navigating Far East Russia, and ultimately finding a new hockey family in Texas.We talk about the massive grassroots effort behind the 3rd annual Hockey Day in Houston at St. Arnold's Brewing and preview the incredible Houston Hockey Hall of Fame banquet, which will feature the return of a unique Houston hockey artifact and honor local legends. The conversation also highlights the incredible generosity of the Howe Foundation. Hear Lance detail exactly how Mr. Hockey's family continues to directly shape the future of the game right here in Houston.THREE THINGS TO DO:1) Join us at Nick's Place on Saturday, March 7th at 10am for Team USA Paralympic Sled Hockey. Let's get that Triple Crown this year!2) Get Tickets and Attend the Houston Hockey Hall of Fame Banquet: https://hockeyplayersinbusiness.org/event/hpib-hou-houston-hockey-hall-of-fame-banquet-march-20th/3) Make Sure You're At Hockey Day in Houston on March 21st: https://www.hockeydayinhouston.com/00:00 - Lance's Flyers Background13:45 - Lance's Adventures in Russia27:15 - The Howes Involvement in Hockey Day in Houston41:56 - What You Might Not Realize about Hockey Day in Houston58:14 - The Future of Hockey Day in HoustonFor more information on Hockey Players in Business: https://hockeyplayersinbusiness.org/The John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation: https://johnandmatty.orgHouston Storm (Girls Hockey): https://htxstorm.comWHOAH (Women's Hockey Outreach Association of Houston): https://whoahhtx.wixsite.com/homeHouston Junior Aeros: https://houstonjunioraeros.com-oh hey, the website doesn't suck as much now: http://www.mchockeypodcast.com - you can get sexy merch there, too.Follow on X! https://x.com/MCHockeyPodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mchockeypodcast/Add on Discord - @MCHockeyPodcastThe NHL isn't in Houston - but the Hockey Fans Are!If you've been obsessing over every rumor about a potential pro hockey franchise in Houston since the Aeros left, you've found your people. Mission Control exists for the Houston hockey fans.