2024 AIHL season

The 2024 AIHL season is the 23nd season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). The season consists of 155 total games, split between the 150 games regular season and 5 game Goodall Cup Finals post-season. The regular season is scheduled to run from 6 April to 11 August 2024. The Finals is scheduled to run from 23-25 August 2024 in Melbourne, Australia.

Teams

In 2024 the AIHL had 10 teams split into two conferences, Rurak and Hellyer, competing in the league.^[1]

2024 AIHL teams

Hellyer Conference
Team	City	Arena	Head Coach	Captain
Melbourne Ice	Melbourne	O'Brien Icehouse	Kerry Goulet	Mackenzie Caruana
Melbourne Mustangs	Melbourne	O'Brien Icehouse	Scott Timmins	Todd Cutter
Perth Thunder	Perth	Perth Ice Arena	Benjamin Breault	Jamie Woodman
Sydney Bears	Sydney	Macquarie Ice Rink	Tyler Huberty	Ryan Annesley
Sydney Ice Dogs	Sydney	Macquarie Ice Rink	Jason Kvisle	Daniel Pataky
Rurak Conference
Team	City	Arena	Head Coach	Captain
Adelaide Adrenaline	Adelaide	Adelaide IceArenA	Stu Henly	Joey MacDougall
Brisbane Lightning	Brisbane	Boondall Iceworld	Terry Kiliwnik	No Captain
Canberra Brave	Canberra	Phillip Ice Skating Centre	Stuart Philps	Kai Miettinen
Central Coast Rhinos	Central Coast	Erina Ice Arena	Ron Kuprowsky	Robert Malloy
Newcastle Northstars	Newcastle	Hunter Ice Skating Stadium	Kevin Noble	Liam Manwarring

League Business

The 2024 regular season fixture list was released publicly by the AIHL on 21 October, confirming all 10 teams from 2023 would be returning to compete in 2024.^[2] 2024 AIHL Finals information was released by the league in February 2024, confirming dates and location.^[1] The Goodall Cup, H Newman Reid Trophy, Rurak and Hellyer conference trophies would continue to the be prizes AIHL teams would compete for in 2024. The league held its official season launch event at Bondi Icebergs Club on 20 march 2024. Mick McCormack was appointed as the first patron of the AIHL at the event.^[3]

The AIHL confirmed AIHL.TV would return in 2024 on 4 March. The paid service would provide live and on-demand online streaming of all AIHL regular season and finals games, 155 games in total.^[4] With the sudden collapse of 2023 service provided Clutch in late 2023, the service provider for AIHL.TV in 2024 moved to Swedish company StayLive AB.^[5] Thought fox Media Group, ATC Productions, Spacequake Sports and Front Row Screens (FRS Sport) continue as the four local production companies associated with the service. 2023 season streams would also be made available on the service.^[6]

Exhibition games

In 2024, the Newcastle Northstars and Central Coast Rhinos were the only two teams to schedule exhibitions games. The pair faced off over two games in Newcastle and Erina, Central Coast in March 2024. Apart from these two exhibition games, the Sydney Ice Dogs, Brisbane Lightning and Adelaide Adrenaline arranged intraclub pre-season exhibition games. This included a early March men’s and women’s showcase in Brisbane and a alumni vs current team match-up in Adelaide in early April.^[7]

Personnel changes

Ron Kuprowsky ended his five-year stint with the Sydney Bears as their head coach in October 2023. During this time, Ron guided the Bears to two consecutive grand finals appearances, one Hellyer conference trophy and one championship title.^[8] Kuprowsky was later unveiled as the new head coach of the Central Coast Rhinos in December 2023, replacing Ashley Marsh. Marsh moved into a new coaching role with the Rhinos.^[9] In February 2024, the Brisbane Lightning announced the hiring of the vastly experienced Canadian Mike Sirant as an associate coach. Sirant joined the Queenslanders after stepping down from his 30-year position as head coach of the University of Manitoba hockey program.^[10]

Player transfers

All player transfers by the ten AIHL teams for season 2024.^{[11][12][13][14]}

Interclub transfers Nat Player Previous team New team Josh Adkins Newcastle Northstars Adelaide Adrenaline Mackenzie Bolger Sydney Ice Dogs Central Coast Rhinos Ellesse Carini Sydney Bears Melbourne Ice Hayden Dawes Sydney Bears Central Coast Rhinos Justin Dixon Melbourne Ice Melbourne Mustangs Joakim Erdugan Central Coast Rhinos Melbourne Ice Glen Forbes-White Brisbane Lightning Central Coast Rhinos Mike Giorgi Canberra Brave Melbourne Mustangs Justin Harrison Sydney Bears Central Coast Rhinos Sam Hodic Melbourne Ice Brisbane Lightning Joey Hughes Canberra Brave Melbourne Ice Zane Jones Newcastle Northstars Perth Thunder John Kennedy Newcastle Northstars Perth Thunder Yuga Kikuchi Melbourne Ice Melbourne Mustangs Brody Lindal Melbourne Ice Sydney Bears Jake Riley Canberra Brave Sydney Bears Drew Robson Perth Thunder Newcastle Northstars Jayden Ryan Central Coast Rhinos Newcastle Northstars Andrew Smardon Newcastle Northstars Central Coast Rhinos Thomas Steven Sydney Bears Canberra Brave Mac Tutton Central Coast Rhinos Sydney Bears * Mid-season transfer.

Retirements Nat Player Team New role Damian Bright Brisbane Lightning No team Joshua Lammon Sydney Bears No team

New signings Nat Player Previous team New team Jeremiah Addison Utah Grizzlies Perth Thunder Derry Adler Southern Jokers Brisbane Lightning John Aonso Fredonia Blue Devils Melbourne Ice Oliver Ashby Seattle Jr. Kraken Melbourne Mustangs Maximilian Astner No team Canberra Brave Aziz Baazzi Gothiques d'Amiens Central Coast Rhinos Connor Bartholomew No team Sydney Ice Dogs Samuel Bartlett Melbourne Sharks Melbourne Ice Léo Bertein Corsaires de Dunkerque Perth Thunder Hunter Boland Southern Drop Bears Brisbane Lightning Connor Bolger No team Central Coast Rhinos Estefano Bonfante Sydney Bombers Central Coast Rhinos Joseph Braun Sydney Pigeons Sydney Bears Max Bu Norwest Emperors Sydney Ice Dogs Matt Buskas Canberra Blades Canberra Brave Jacob Carey New Jersey Rockets Canberra Brave Billy Cliff No team Sydney Ice Dogs Tyler Colev West Coast Flyers Blue Perth Thunder Bray Crowder Adirondack Thunder Sydney Ice Dogs Richard Crowe Solihull Barons Sydney Bears Mike Dalhuisen Gyergyói HK Sydney Ice Dogs Cooper Davidson-Peacock Adelaide Falcons Adelaide Adrenaline Brad Demmitt Sydney Sabres Sydney Ice Dogs Mathieu Desautels EV Lindau Islanders Newcastle Northstars Kesho Donald No team Sydney Ice Dogs Shaun Dosanjh IHC Leuven Chiefs Adelaide Adrenaline Michael Douglas York Lions Sydney Ice Dogs Mitchell Dyck Winkler Royals Brisbane Lightning Chris Eaden Canterbury Red Devils Sydney Bears Kaden Elder Outlook Ice Hawks Adelaide Adrenaline Lachlan Fixter Brisbane Spitfires Brisbane Lightning Batu Gendunov Darkhan Brisbane Lightning Finlay Gordon West Coast Flyers Blue Perth Thunder Flyn Gower Melbourne Glaciers Melbourne Ice Matheson Graham Canterbury Red Devils Melbourne Mustangs Jeremy Granger Sydney Bombers Sydney Bears Quentin Greenwood Southern Puckers Brisbane Lightning Sean Greer No team Adelaide Adrenaline Zachery Gumm Southern Jokers Brisbane Lightning Samuel Hou Gustafsson Courchevel-Méribel-Pralognan Central Coast Rhinos Jacob Haley Braves IHC Melbourne Mustangs Sean Hamilton Northern Chiefs Perth Thunder Adam Harper Pacific Coast Academy Prep Melbourne Mustangs Arki Hearn-Crombie Newcastle Northstars U17 Central Coast Rhinos Lucas Herrmann Pensacola Ice Flyers Sydney Bears Bryce Hodges Southern Puckers Brisbane Lightning Tatsunoshin Ishida Yokohama Grits Melbourne Ice Patrick Ivens Brisbane Spitfires Brisbane Lightning Eugene Ju Polyflor Raptors Sydney Bears Adam Kadlec No team Sydney Bears CJ Kemp Ontario Jr Reign Sydney Ice Dogs Raymond Khalil Braves IHC Melbourne Ice Daniel Koudelka Adelaide Generals Adelaide Adrenaline Matthew Lavergne Southern Puckers Brisbane Lightning Yoann Levesque Northern Chiefs Adelaide Adrenaline Arvid Ljung IHK Comet Halden Sydney Ice Dogs Skyler Luo Battle Creek Kernels Perth Thunder Alex MacDonald Toulouse-Blagnac Hockey Club Sydney Ice Dogs Matt Marasco Canberra Blades Canberra Brave Bodhi Matthew Adelaide Generals Canberra Brave Brayden Maybee Sun Devils Perth Thunder Curtis Meger Regina Cougars Brisbane Lightning Jack Mollee Southern Puckers Brisbane Lightning Nathan Moncrieff Polyflor Raptors Sydney Bears Luke Moore No team Brisbane Lightning Spencer Nave Melbourne Demons Melbourne Ice Oscar Noone Sydney Sabres Sydney Ice Dogs Anand Oberoi Arnprior Rivermen Central Coast Rhinos Stepan Olkin Sydney Bombers Sydney Ice Dogs Luka Ouimette Brisbane Whalers Brisbane Lightning Tyrone Oxlade Polyflor Raptors Sydney Bears Nick Ponomarev South Shore Kings Melbourne Mustangs Samuel Poole PAdelaide Blackhawks Sydney Bears Max Portnov Sydney Sting Sydney Bears Shai Rabinowitz Frontenac Phantoms Central Coast Rhinos Jake Ratcliffe Danbury Hat Tricks Canberra Brave Jonatan Ruth Central Coast Stingrays Canberra Brave Colby Shumak North Shore Warriors U17 Prep Sydney Bears Victor Sjodin Canberra Bulls Canberra Brave Paul Smith Central Coast Stingrays Central Coast Rhinos Jeff Solow Birmingham Bulls Melbourne Ice Patrick Sucher Sun Devils Perth Thunder Kenwrick Sze Krazy to the Max Sydney Ice Dogs Rylan Toth Foam Lake Flyers Adelaide Adrenaline Samuli Vainionpää Koovee Sydney Bears Aiden Wagner Evansville Thunderbolts Newcastle Northstars Lachie Walls Melbourne Jets Melbourne Ice Jesse Wilson Reach Rebels Sydney Ice Dogs Ty Wright No team Adelaide Adrenaline

Players lost Nat Player Previous team New team Steven Adams Central Coast Rhinos No team Austin Albrecht Canberra Brave Maine Mariners Artem Astafiev Melbourne Mustangs No team Andrew Bellant Perth Thunder Indy Fuel Josh Bortignon Adelaide Adrenaline No team Declan Bronte Melbourne Ice Franklin Pierce Ravens Mitch Bye Central Coast Rhinos No team Andreas Camenzind Canberra Brave No team Liam Campbell Perth Thunder No team Jack Carpenter Melbourne Mustangs No team Lachlan Clifford Brisbane Lightning Brisbane Moose Will Clifford Brisbane Lightning Brisbane Moose Brendan Connors Melbourne Mustangs No team Darren Corstens Adelaide Adrenaline No team Tristan Côté-Cazenave Perth Thunder Rivière-du-Loup 3L Ace Cowans Sydney Bears No team Tom Cross Central Coast Rhinos No team Luka Dimopoulos Central Coast Rhinos No team Nicholas Doornbos Sydney Ice Dogs No team Ivan Doukhovnikov Central Coast Rhinos No team Luke Doyle Perth Thunder Cockburn Blackhawks Ryan Duchemin Newcastle Northstars Newcastle Northstars (ECSL) Alexander Dvinyaninov Sydney Ice Dogs No team Brandon Egli Sydney Ice Dogs Étoile Noire de Strasbourg Darcy Flanagan Melbourne Ice Oxford City Stars Anthony Gagnon Perth Thunder Rivière-du-Loup 3L Logan Gallacher Melbourne Ice No team C.J. Garcia Perth Thunder Manchester Storm Alexandre Gauthier Sydney Bears No team Alexis Girard Brisbane Lightning Laval Pétroliers Andrew Glass Canberra Brave Adelaide Tigers Andrew Hamilton Adelaide Adrenaline No team Jake Hazel Adelaide Adrenaline No team Joshua Healey Perth Thunder No team Brady Heppner Sydney Ice Dogs No team Alexander Higgins Brisbane Lightning Southern Drop Bears Mark Hobday Central Coast Rhinos Sydney Heat Jay Hodgson Brisbane Lightning No team Liam Hughes Melbourne Mustangs No team Mitchell Humphries Melbourne Mustangs No team Kyle Hunter Sydney Ice Dogs No team Samuel Ivanic Sydney Ice Dogs Hasle-Løren IL Michael James Melbourne Ice No team Conner Jean Perth Thunder Kalix UHC Hunter Johnson Central Coast Rhinos No team Kahu Joyce Melbourne Ice No team Adam Kimbley Central Coast Rhinos No team Artem Klein Melbourne Ice Mad Dogs Mannheim Brendan Kleipas Central Coast Rhinos Polyflor Raptors Patrick Klöpper Melbourne Ice Hannover Scorpions Roman Kraemer Melbourne Ice Carolina Thunderbirds Kasey Kulczycki Brisbane Lightning Rivière-du-Loup 3L Nathan Lacasse Perth Thunder No team Paul Lazzarotto Melbourne Ice No team Tyler Leeming Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide Redwings Austin Lefkowicz Melbourne Ice No team Mathew Lindsay Newcastle Northstars No team Savva Lukin Central Coast Rhinos No team Andrew Masters Central Coast Rhinos HYC Herentals Brendan McDowell Melbourne Mustangs No team Michael McDowell Melbourne Mustangs No team Shannon McGregor Sydney Ice Dogs No team Marc McNulty Sydney Bears Maple Creek Hawks Casey Minson Melbourne Mustangs No team Melker Molund Newcastle Northstars Järfälla HC David Nelson Brisbane Lightning No team Keenan Nelson Melbourne Mustangs Ontario Hockey Academy Jake O’Brien Adelaide Adrenaline No team Thomas Papas Melbourne Mustangs SAHA U17 Prep Jake Pappalardo Sydney Bears No team Jaden Pine-Murphy Brisbane Lightning Brisbane Moose Félix Plouffe Canberra Brave Valenciennes Jett Porter Melbourne Mustangs A21 Academy Coy Prevost Adelaide Adrenaline Knoxville Ice Bears Dash Quartarolo Central Coast Rhinos Salem State Vikings Vladislav Rachinsky Melbourne Mustangs No team Brett Radford Adelaide Adrenaline No team Mikko Rippon Brisbane Lightning St. Francis High Prep Alexander Rose Melbourne Mustangs No team Maxwell Roth Brisbane Lightning Drakkars de Caen Ryan Ruddle Melbourne Mustangs No team Connor Schultz Newcastle Northstars No team Chris Schutz Melbourne Ice Hammer Eisbären Lachlan Shumak Sydney Ice Dogs No team Eric Speedie Brisbane Lightning No team Kristian Stead Perth Thunder Knoxville Ice Bears Zachary Steele Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide Redwings Corey Stringer Melbourne Ice No team Lukas Subrt Melbourne Mustangs No team Lachlan Sucher Perth Thunder Crystal Beach Academy Brett Thompson Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide Tigers Zoltán-László Tőke Melbourne Ice CSM Corona Brașov Riley Tonks Newcastle Northstars No team Albin Torstensson Central Coast Rhinos Comètes de Meudon Lachlan Tripp Brisbane Lightning No team Byron Tschuma Melbourne Ice No team Lee Turner Melbourne Mustangs No team Lukas Vaic Sydney Bears Polyflor Raptors Carson Vance Canberra Brave Birmingham Bulls Connor Vermeulen Adelaide Adrenaline HC Wikov Hronov Curtis Villani Adelaide Adrenaline No team Tom Voller Sydney Ice Dogs No team Hector Vrielynck Melbourne Ice No team Darcy Walsh Adelaide Adrenaline No team Jordan Warren Melbourne Mustangs No team Thomas Wedesweiler Newcastle Northstars No team Nicholas Windle Perth Thunder No team Matthew Wrankmore Central Coast Rhinos No team Kevin Yu Adelaide Adrenaline No team Joe Zanlunghi Melbourne Mustangs No team

Regular season

Fixtures and results

The 2024 regular season consists of 150 games that are scheduled to run from 6 April to 11 August 2024. Teams are split into two five-team conferences named Rurak and Hellyer. Each team plays a total of 30 regular season games, playing each other team in their conference four times (two at home and two away) and playing teams outside their conference two to three times.^[15]

April

Key:

Standings

Overall

Hellyer Conference

Rurak Conference

Awards

Skaters Network player of the week

Each week the AIHL, through sponsorship, names a player of the week.^[16]
The award is based on the following criteria:

• individual performance, including significant game statistics;
• contribution to the team's success through individual leadership abilities; and
• performance off the ice, including community engagement.

Round	Awarded to	Pos	Ref
1	Joey Hughes	F	Ref
2	Wehebe Darge	F	Ref
3	Noah Moncrieff	F	Ref

Goodall Cup playoffs

For season 2024, the AIHL adopted another new Finals format not previously used by the league. Six teams will qualify, three from each conference, to play five games in three days. AIHL Finals uses single-game elimination with winning teams advancing to the next round and losing teams eliminated. Melbourne's O'Brien Icehouse will host Finals once again for the 11th time. Finals winners are crowned AIHL Champions and claim the historic Goodall Cup. Man of the match in the grand final is named AIHL Finals MVP.^[17]

References

External links

• The Australian Ice Hockey League
• Ice Hockey Australia