Move-In Ready Home?

There have been a few vocal pockets of people both decrying the fact that the Arizona Coyotes haven't been moved to Houston, Texas yet while simultaneously calling for NHL expansion to the Texas metropolitan city. Quite frankly, either option makes sense when it comes to the health of the NHL and the growth of the NHL, but the NHL would prefer to keep Houston as an expansion location thanks to the idiotic expansion fees they charge from which the other 32 owners benefit. So why hasn't the NHL moved into Houston's Toyota Center yet when it seems like a very easy decision to do so? Well, some of it may be due to what the Toyota Center doesn't have as renovations on the arena are planned and will continue for several years.

As reported by Jonathan Feigen for Texas Sports Nation, Houston Rockets president of business operations Gretchen Sheirr noted that the renovations planned for the Toyota Center would include a number of upgrades, including "making sure this building is ready for anything, which includes making sure it's hockey ready."

"We are looking at things all the time," Sheirr continued. "Making sure it’s hockey-ready is going to be important for the future of the city and the future of the arena."

The last time that there was a full sheet of ice in the Toyota Center was ten years ago when the AHL's Houston Aeros called the arena home. Since that time, there's been no need to make ice as the NBA's Houston Rockets and the now-defunct WNBA's Houston Comets were the only teams playing there regularly. With basketball being the focus and professional hockey nowhere near Houston, having an ice plant that was ready for any hockey season was a low priority.

The renovations that are planned for the Toyota Center, however, will see a state-of-the-art, brand-new ice plant to the Toyota Center in anticipation for future neutral site or exhibition games, or, ultimately, an NHL franchise to move into town. With how the stadium is currently constructed, no other major changes would be needed since the Toyota Center used to host hockey. Essentially, once the ice plant is installed, Houston's ready for NHL hockey!

The ice plant may not be the first, second, or even third upgrade being done to the Toyota Center, however, so we should likely temper any excitement on that front. The $30 million renovation inside the arena includes upgrades to club suites, new lighting, the additions of a second and third LED ribbon board above and below the current one, upgrades to the two "end zone" scoreboards, and more. It should be noted that all of these upgrades have been done to make the fan experience at Toyota Center better for the fans who cheer on the Houston Rockets, of course, so we'll have to see how they play into the hocey fan experience once there's a game held at the Toyota Center.

"Phase two will start whenever basketball season is over this year," Sheirr told Feigen. "All of the equipment that will control these boards will be upgraded so we will have a brand-new control room. We are relocating it. And there will be a new center hung scoreboard."

It seems pretty clear that Houston is preparing for NHL hockey if that opportunity arises. I can't imagine the NHL won't be moving into Houston in the decade, and, with interest from Salt Lake City, Atlanta, and Quebec City, it seems a 36-team league might be a reality at some point if the NHL can manage to find a way to stay relevant in the sports stratosphere. Being behind the MLS and F1 Racing in fan popularity won't do anything to help build excitement for expansion, so we'll have to see what the NHL does to find its way back into the good graces of hockey and potentially new fans.

One thing is certain, though: Houston is getting ready for hockey!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!