Two former Eros still have a chance to win the Stanley Cup

Professional hockey in Houston has been in the rearview mirror for 11 years, with last Saturday marking the official anniversary of the Eros’ incarnation in the American Hockey League playing its final game in a first-round playoff loss to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Although the Eros no longer skate in Houston after moving to Des Moines, Iowa, their alumni aren’t quite extinct.

Two former Houston players, Carolina defenseman Brent Burns and Boston center Charlie Coyle, still have a chance to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup as the NHL playoffs enter their second round.

Burns, who turned 39 on March 9, played 74 games in Houston, all but one of which came during the 2004-05 season, when Minnesota’s 2003 first-round draft pick went to the Eros as owners NHL players have infamously locked out players for an entire period of time. season in a labor dispute.

With 1,415 games played in the regular season, Burns is second to Dallas defenseman Ryan Suter (1,444) for the most games among active players without winning a Stanley Cup.

Burns, who has played in 116 career playoff games, has reached the Stanley Cup Final once, in 2016 with San Jose. The Sharks lost in six games to the Pittsburgh Penguins that year. Burns has only reached the conference finals one other time, in 2019, when the Sharks lost to the St. Louis Blues.

Burns’ Hurricanes find themselves trailing 2-0 by the Rangers in the Eastern Conference semifinals after a double overtime loss Tuesday in New York. The series resumes Thursday evening in Raleigh, North Carolina

Coyle, a first-round draft pick by San Jose in 2010, was accidentally traded to Minnesota in the June 2011 deal that sent Burns to San Jose. Coyle, a Boston University alum, made his professional debut with the Eros during the 2012-13 season, playing in 47 games. During his career, he played in 867 regular season and 115 non-championship playoff games.

The Wild traded him to his hometown Bruins days before the NHL trade deadline in February 2019. Coyle, 32, got closer to a Stanley Cup that year, the Bruins losing Game 7 of the Finals at home to St. Louis.

The Bruins are tied 1-1 with Florida in the Eastern semifinals after the Panthers evened the series on Wednesday. Game 3 will take place Friday night in Boston.

Four other former Eros — right winger Cal Clutterbuck (New York Islanders), defenseman Matt Dumba (Tampa Bay Lightning), goaltender Darcy Kuemper (Washington Capitals) and left winger Jason Zucker (Nashville Predators) — were eliminated in the first round.