Melbourne Mustangs | |
---|---|
City | Melbourne, Victoria |
League | Australian Ice Hockey League |
Conference | Hellyer Conference |
Founded | 2010 |
Operated | 2010–present |
Home arena | O'Brien Icehouse |
Colours | Black, orange, white |
Owner(s) | John Belic |
General manager | Joyce Price |
Head coach | Scott Timmins |
Captain | Todd Cutter |
Affiliates | Melbourne Chargers (Women's Tier 2) |
Website | mustangs |
Franchise history | |
2010–2011 | Mustangs IHC |
2012–present | Melbourne Mustangs |
Championships | |
H Newman Reid Trophies | 1 (2014) |
Goodall Cups | 2 (2014, 2023) |
Current season |
The Melbourne Mustangs (formally Mustangs IHC) is an Australian semi-professional ice hockey team from Melbourne, Victoria. Formed in 2010, the Mustangs have been a member of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) since 2011. The Mustangs are based at the O'Brien Icehouse in the Docklands district of Melbourne. The Mustangs are two time Goodall Cup and one time H Newman Reid Trophy winners.
2010 Mustangs Ice Hockey Club roster | |||
---|---|---|---|
Goaltenders | |||
#25 Michael James | #26 Fraser Carson | #27 Mitchell Waters | |
Defencemen | |||
#12 Brendan Oakes | #18 Mike McDowell | #19 Troy Robertson | #20 Tristan Muir |
#21 Travis Woods | #22 Enrico Bergamin | #23 Chris Drake | #24 Ryan Bennett |
Forwards | |||
#1 Scott Corbett (A) | #2 Mike Thorburn | #3 Steve Belic (A) | #4 Matt Stringer |
#5 Andrew Belic | #6 Jack Carpenter | #7 Dean Dunstan | #8 Jullius Vittika |
#9 Chris James | #10 Damien Bright | #11 Travis Alabaster | #13 Brendan McDowell |
#14 Shane Hardy (C) | #15 Jack McCoy | #16 Adrian Nash | #17 Andrew Fitzgerald |
Coaching staff | |||
Steve Laforet (Head coach) | |||
The Melbourne Mustangs was founded in 2010 as the Mustangs Ice Hockey Club (Mustangs IHC). [1] The club looked to join the Australian Ice Hockey League in 2011. In preparation foundation club president John Belic held a number of try-out sessions and organised a number of exhibition matches for the Mustangs during the 2010 AIHL season. In May, the Mustangs finalised their first ever roster and selected Shane Hardy to captain the team for the six planned exhibition matches around Australia. [2]
The first match occurred on 5 June 2010 at the Melbourne Icehouse against the visiting Western Thunder. Michael McDowell scored the first ever Mustangs goal in any match, with a blistering top-shelfer from the point for a 1–0 lead in the first period. The match was high scoring, the Thunder led 3–6 at the halfway point but the match ended 7–6 in favour of the Mustangs to give the club their first ever victory. [2]
In the second match on 13 June, the Mustangs proved too good for the young Victorian Tange representative team, defeating them 9–0. [2]
The Mustangs third match at the Icehouse was an international exhibition against Canada's Kelowna. The Mustangs iced 12 players over two lines. Kelowna brought with them 28 players. Unsurprisingly the Mustangs registered their first defeat with Kelowna beating them 7–4 after taking an early 4–0 lead. [2]
The Mustangs then travelled to the Gold Coast to take on their first AIHL opposition, the Gold Coast Blue Tongues at Iceland ice Rink. [3] In another high scoring affair, the Mustangs defeated the Gold Coast Blue Tongues 9–6. The result provided team management belief in the team's abilities to compete at the highest level in the AIHL. In the second match of the day the Mustangs overcame local side, Gold Coast Grizzlys, 16–2. [2]
Following the conclusion of the 2010 season, The Mustangs applied for and were granted an AIHL licence to join the league in 2011. [4] The AIHL imposed a condition of entry on the Mustangs that prevented them from incorporating 'Melbourne' into their name. The purpose of this condition was to protect the existing Melbourne Ice brand. [5]
The Mustangs appointed Steve Laforet as their inaugural head coach for the 2011 AIHL season. [6] Shane Hardy was named the club's first AIHL team captain. [7] In the lead-up to the 2011 season, the Mustangs took on their new local rivals, the Melbourne Ice, in a warm-up match at Docklands. [8] 14 April 2011, the Mustangs took part in the AIHL season opener at the Melbourne Icehouse against the Ice in the first ever AIHL Melbourne derby. The Ice won the match 8–4, condemning the Mustangs to their first ever AIHL defeat. [9] The Mustangs registered their first ever AIHL victory on 16 April 2011, overcoming the Sydney Bears 6–2 at the Penrith Ice Palace. [10] On 23 June 2011, Laforet announced his resignation as head coach for personal reasons. It was later revealed Laforet was temporarily stood down by the club as a result of an altercation at a game against the Gold Coast Blue Tongues. [11] Assistant coach, Doug Stevenson, stepped in and took over for the rest of the season. [12] At the end of the regular season, the Mustangs finished sixth in the league standings, ahead of the Canberra Knights and Sydney Bears. [13]
In 2012, during the off-season before the new season started, the annual AIHL general meeting (AGM) sat and a decision was made to lift the restrictions on the Mustangs from using the geographical word 'Melbourne' from their brand with immediate effect. [5] Four days later the Mustangs announced they had officially changed their brand and name to the Melbourne Mustangs. [14] The Mustangs also appointed experienced Canadian Bill Wilkinson new head coach. [15] Ontario-born Wilkinson was a long time NCAA head coach in the US and former Spanish national team head coach. [16] The performances on the ice did not translate with Wilkinson's experience and by mid-season Wilkinson was replaced by the Mustangs assist coach and former head coach, Laforet. [11] Under Laforet, the Mustangs registered five wins from eight matches but it was not enough to lift the team off the bottom of the Easton Conference at season's end. [17]
Ahead of the 2013 season it was revealed the Mustangs and Laforet had parted company by mutual termination of Laforet's contract. [11] The Mustangs would have to appoint a new head coach for the third season running. On 12 December 2012 the Melbourne Mustangs announced Brad Vigon as the new head coach of the team for 2013. Brad would be assisted by Ice Hockey Victoria stalwart Mark "Chuck" Connolly, providing the Mustangs a blend of youth and experience on the bench. [18] On 7 February 2013 Mustangs CEO Rod Johns revealed the Mustangs had selected a new logo for the team. The Mustangs had completed a comprehensive consultation period with stakeholders, including fans, and selected a logo featuring a redesigned mustang horse, holding an ice hockey stick. [19] Under the guidance of Vigon and Connolly, the Mustangs enjoyed their best AIHL season yet. The team finished fifth in the league standings, just missing out on finals. It was the Mustangs' highest ever regular season ranking at the time. It was also the first time the Mustangs had won more than ten matches and won more matches than they had lost. [20]
2014 proved to be a breakout season for the Mustangs in the AIHL. It was the first season the Mustangs started without a new coach as Brad Vigon stayed on in charge. The 8–3 pre-season exhibition loss to the Melbourne Ice proved to be a poor indicator for the season ahead. The 2014 season ended up a very close season with a number of teams competing for top spot and the H Newman Reid Trophy. The Mustangs for the first time were challenging for the regular season title along with the Ice, CBR Brave and Sydney Ice Dogs. In the end the Mustangs proved too good and clinched the title and H Newman Reid Trophy by finishing three points ahead of the Ice in first place. [21] It was the Mustangs' very first title and trophy and it qualified them for their first appearance at the AIHL finals weekend the following week. On 30 August 2014, the Mustangs faced the Sydney Ice Dogs at a packed Icehouse for semi-final one. In a hard-fought match that swung one way and then the other, the Mustangs prevailed, 6–4, to clinch a maiden Goodall Cup final birth. Gibbs-Sjödin and Bourke both scored twice and set up two other goals with Gibbs-Sjödin named first star of the match. [22] The Ice won semi-final two, which set up a derby for the final. Both head coaches agreed the derby final would have a significant positive effect on the sport and the league in Australia. [23] Derby form leading into the Goodal Cup final was with the Ice, who despite finishing behind the Mustangs in the final standings in the regular season, had continued to dominate the derby head-to-head, winning three of four matches in 2014. [24] The Mustangs showed why form guides don't tell the final story in the final. In front of 2,000 people, the Mustangs put on a master-class display to run out 6–1 victors over the Ice. [25] Viktor Gibbs-Sjodin led the way for the Mustangs with a hat trick of goals to his name, while goaltender Fraser Carson made 29 saves in the match. Gibbs-Sjodin was named finals MVP after the match and the Mustangs claimed their maiden AIHL championship and Goodall Cup. [26] [27]
In 2015, the Mustangs could not repeat their previous season's successes and the team finished sixth in the league and missed out on finals. [28] In November, Brad Vigon announced his resignation from the head coaching role at the Mustangs with immediate effect as he felt the competing commitments between the team and his family was too great. He expressed his gratitude to the Mustangs organisation and advised he would still be seen around the rink in the future. [29] A couple of weeks later, Vigon was named new head coach of the Australian national team (The Mightyroos) by Ice Hockey Australia. [30]
For season 2016, the Melbourne Mustangs announced Vigon's replacement on 21 December 2015. Former assistant coach, Michael Flaherty, was appointed the Mustangs new head coach. Flaherty had been Vigon's assistant in 2015 and had previously held roles in state teams and in the AJIHL. [31] The Mustangs finished the 2016 season in fifth place. In 2017, the team improved their overall position and finished fourth, qualifying for finals for the second time in franchise history. The Mustangs faced familiar opponents in the semi-finals, with the team drawn against the Melbourne Ice. The Ice had set a new league record for most points in the regular season so the Mustangs headed into the match as underdogs. The Ice took an early lead and by the end of the second period the Mustangs trailed by two goals. Mitch Humphries and Finnish import Anton Kokkonen led the Mustangs resurgence in the third period, both getting on the score sheet, but Ice forward Sebastian Ottosson scored an empty netter near the end of the match to claim the victory for the Ice. The Mustangs were eliminated. [32]
In 2018, the Mustangs welcomed a new head coach after Flaherty stepped-down from the position. [33] French Canadian, Maxime Langelier-Parent took over the role in addition to his playing commitments with the team. [34] The Mustangs backed up their 2017 performance and again finished fourth in the league standings and qualified for the AIHL finals. [35] It was the first time the Mustangs had qualified for finals two seasons in a row. The Mustangs came up against the CBR Brave in the semi-finals in 2018. Brett Ferguson scored for the Mustangs in the second period but that was the only highlight for the team in a match otherwise dominated by the Brave. The Mustangs ended up going down to the eventual champions, Brave, 1–5 to again repeat 2017 and get eliminated at the same semi-final stage. [36]
In 2019, the Mustangs reached an agreement and signed a memoriam of understanding (MOU) with tier 2 women's team, Melbourne Chargers. The agreement sees resources and knowledge shared across the two organisations in the effort to grow the sport of ice hockey for both men and women. [37] One of the goals of the partnership is to help develop the Chargers into a position to apply for a licence to the top level of women's hockey in Australia, the Australian Women's Ice Hockey League (AWIHL). [38]
Since 2017, the Mustangs have hosted an annual Pride Round in support of the LGBTQIA+ community. President John Belic has stated: "Sport is such a massive part of my life and that of our family and forms the very fabric of many of our social interactions. I would hate to think what life would be like if we could not participate because of fear, discrimination or ridicule. The Melbourne Mustangs Ice Hockey Club firmly believes in equality, fairness and inclusion for all. Our annual Pride game showcases the club’s commitment to these values. [39]
Melbourne Mustangs all-time record | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Regular season | Finals | Top points scorer | |||||||||||||||||||||
P | W | T | L | OW | OL | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Finish | Conf | P | W | L | GF | GA | Result | Preliminary-Final | Semi-Final | Goodall Cup Final | Name | Points | ||
2010 | Played 6 exhibition games as part of their AIHL licence application in preparation for joining the league in 20111 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2011 | 28 | 8 | – | 17 | 2 | 1 | 107 | 132 | -25 | 29 | 6th | – | Scott Corbett | 43 | ||||||||||
2012 | 24 | 5 | – | 16 | 1 | 2 | 54 | 107 | -53 | 19 | 9th | 5th | Jake Ebner | 17 | ||||||||||
2013 | 28 | 12 | – | 10 | 4 | 2 | 118 | 103 | +15 | 46 | 5th | – | Patrick O'Kane | 51 | ||||||||||
2014 | 28 | 17 | – | 8 | 0 | 3 | 108 | 88 | +20 | 54 | 1st | – | 2 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 5 | Champion | – | Won 6-4 (Ice Dogs) | Won 6-1 (Ice) | Patrick O'Kane | 44 | |
2015 | 28 | 11 | – | 12 | 3 | 2 | 139 | 105 | +34 | 41 | 6th | – | Patrick O'Kane | 48 | ||||||||||
2016 | 28 | 11 | – | 15 | 2 | 0 | 89 | 102 | -13 | 37 | 5th | – | Jamie Bourke | 32 | ||||||||||
2017 | 28 | 11 | – | 12 | 2 | 3 | 104 | 113 | -9 | 40 | 4th | – | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | Semi-finalist | – | Lost 2-4 (Ice) | – | Jamie Bourke | 47 | |
2018 | 28 | 12 | – | 12 | 2 | 2 | 106 | 97 | +9 | 42 | 4th | – | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | Semi-finalist | – | Lost 1-5 (Brave) | – | Benjamin Davies | 42 | |
2019 | 28 | 12 | – | 11 | 1 | 4 | 108 | 99 | +9 | 42 | 5th | – | Christian Isackson | 41 | ||||||||||
2020 | 2020 and 2021 AIHL seasons were cancelled and not contested | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022 | 18 | 8 | – | 9 | 0 | 1 | 89 | 83 | +6 | 28 | 4th | – | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | Semi-finalist | – | Lost 3-7 (Bears) | – | Scott Timmins | 45 | |
2023 | 26 | 17 | – | 7 | 2 | 0 | 147 | 94 | +53 | 55 | 4th | 2nd | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 3 | Champion | Won 8-3 (Lightning) | Won 4-0 (Bears) | Won 1-0 (Brave) | Scott Timmins | 82 | |
2024 | 30 | 13 | – | 14 | 2 | 1 | 136 | 120 | +16 | 44 | 6th | 4th | Scott Timmins | 61 | ||||||||||
2025 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
Totals | 322 | 137 | – | 143 | 21 | 21 | 1305 | 1243 | +62 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 31 | 24 | ||||||||||
Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
Team roster for the 2024 AIHL season. [40] [41] [42]
Active Roster | Inactive Roster | Coaching staff | ||||
Goaltenders Defencemen | Forwards | Head Coach Coaches Legend Statistics | ||||
Last updated on: 22 April 2024 | ||||||
Elite Prospects IHNA |
These are the top-ten all-time player records in franchise history for the following categories: Apperiences, [43] goals, [44] assists, [45] points [46] and penalty minutes [47]
Current as of 2019 AIHL season
(Figures are updated after each completed AIHL regular season)
Current as of 2024 AIHL season [48] [49]
Role | Name |
---|---|
Head coach | Scott Timmins |
Assistant coach | Jon Moses |
Assistant coach | Matt Armstrong |
Assistant coach | Steve Belic |
Strength & conditioning coach | Lyndsay Buchanan |
Team manager | Chris Browne |
Equipment manager | Wes Holmes |
Assistant equipment manager | Dylan Kelso |
Head physiotherapist | Emma Poynton |
Physiotherapist | Jen Stanghi |
Physiotherapist | Brandon Vernelli |
Physiotherapist | Madi Noone |
Director of hockey operations | Ty Wishart |
Chief Executive Officer | Joyce Price |
President | John Belic |
Vice president | Rod Johns |
The Melbourne Mustangs have had a total of six captains in the team's history. [50] The Mustangs first captain in their 2010 exhibition year and inaugural AIHL season in 2011 was Shane Hardy. [2]
Season | Captain | Alt Captain One | Alt Captain Two |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Shane Hardy | Scott Corbett | Stephen Belic |
2011 | Shane Hardy | Scott Corbett | Stephen Belic |
2012 | Shane Hardy | Scott Levitt | Christopher James |
2013 | Sean Jones | Brendan McDowell | Andrew Belic |
2014 | Sean Jones | Brendan McDowell | Patrick O'Kane |
2015 | Sean Jones | Brendan McDowell | Patrick O'Kane |
2016 | Patrick O'Kane | Sean Jones | Jamie Bourke |
2017 | Michael McMahon | Jamie Bourke | Brendan McDowell |
2018 | Michael McMahon | Jamie Bourke | Brendan McDowell |
2019 | Michael McMahon | Jamie Bourke | Brendan McDowell |
2022 | Brendan McDowell | Stephen Belic | Jordan Warren |
2023 | Brendan McDowell | Ty Wishart | Sean Jones |
2024 | Todd Cutter | Michael McMahon | Sean Jones |
References:
The Melbourne Mustangs have had a total of eleven head coaches in the team's history. [51] Steve Laforet was the first head coach appointed by the Melbourne Mustangs for the AIHL in their inaugural season in 2011. [52]
No. | Name | Term |
---|---|---|
1 | Steve Laforet | 2010–11 |
2 | Doug Stevenson (interim) | 2011 |
3 | Bill Wilkinson | 2012 |
4 | Steve Laforet (interim) | 2012 |
5 | Brad Vigon | 2013–15 |
6 | Michael Flaherty | 2016–17 |
7 | Maxime Langelier-Parent | 2018–20 |
8 | Steve Zanlunghi | 2021 |
9 | Chris Lawrence | 2022 |
10 | Patrick McMahon | 2023 |
11 | Jon Moses(interim) | 2023 |
12 | Scott Timmins | 2024 |
The Mustangs have kept the same colours since foundation in 2010. Orange, black and white are the three primary colours the club uses for their identity. The colours are used in all aspects of the club including: uniforms, supporter merchandise, official media and digital production.
The Mustangs have gone through one major re-brand to its name since it was founded in 2010. In 2012 the AIHL lifted a restriction on the word 'Melbourne' that enabled the Mustangs to change its name from Mustangs Ice Hockey Club to Melbourne Mustangs Ice Hockey Club. The club updated their logo to match the new name but it was not until 2013 when the club presented a fully updated logo to signify their new identity.
Name history | ||
---|---|---|
# | Name | Term |
1 | Mustangs Ice Hockey Club | 2010–11 |
2 | Melbourne Mustangs | 2012–Present |
Since inception in 2010, the Mustangs have been based out of the Melbourne Icehouse, located in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne. They have played all home matches in their AIHL history (2011 onwards) at the Icehouse. They share the facility with rivals, the Melbourne Ice. [57] The Icehouse is the premier ice facility in Australia since it was built in 2010. The arena cost $58 million to build and is the only twin ice-sheet facility in Australia. [58] The rink where ice hockey is played on is named the Henke Rink, in honour of Geoffrey Henke AO. [59] The Icehouse has an Olympic sized ice surface, café, bar, specialist winter sports gym, pro shop, corporate boxes and seating for 1,000 spectators as well as room for additional 500 standing attendance on match days. [60] [61]
Melbourne Ice
The Mustangs main rival is the Melbourne Ice. The two may share the same home venue but the Melbourne derby has developed into one of the big fixtures in the AIHL each season over the past ten years. The derbies are regular sell out matches during the regular season and are known to be heavily physical affairs with high numbers of penalties minutes. [62] There have been two Melbourne derby matches in AIHL finals history, including one Goodall Cup final. [23] The Mustangs and Ice share the spoils in these matches with one win apiece. [25] [32]
Current:
Former:
The Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) is Australia's top-level men's ice hockey league. Established in 2000, the AIHL is sanctioned by Ice Hockey Australia. The AIHL is a semi-professional league that is contested by ten franchised teams in two conferences spanning six Australian states and territories. AIHL premiers are awarded the H Newman Reid Trophy and AIHL champions are awarded the Goodall Cup, the world's third oldest ice hockey trophy, having been first awarded in 1909. The most successful team in AIHL history is the Newcastle Northstars, having claimed six championship titles. The current champions, from 2023, are the Melbourne Mustangs.
The Melbourne Ice is an Australian semi-professional ice hockey team from Melbourne, Victoria, based at the Icehouse in the Docklands precinct of central Melbourne. Founded in 2000, the Ice have been a member of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) since 2002, and are four-time Goodall Cup champions and H Newman Reid Trophy premiers.
The Newcastle Northstars is an Australian semi-professional ice hockey team from Newcastle, New South Wales. The Northstars are a member of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL), joining as an expansion team in 2002. The team is based at the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium in Warners Bay, a suburb of Lake Macquarie, 15 kilometres south-west of Newcastle. The Northstars are affiliated with the ice hockey club of the same name. The team have won six Goodall Cups and five H Newman Reid Trophies, making them the most successful team in AIHL history.
The Adelaide Adrenaline is a semi-professional ice hockey team based in Adelaide, South Australia. The team is a member of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). The team was founded in 2008 as the Adelaide A's to replace the defunct Adelaide Avalanche who folded mid-season. The team plays its home games at the IceArenA, located in the suburb of Thebarton. The Adrenaline are one time Goodall Cup champions from 2009.
The Sydney Ice Dogs is an Australian semi-professional ice hockey team from Sydney. Formed in 2002, the Ice Dogs are a member of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). The Ice Dogs are two time Goodall Cup champions.
The Perth Thunder is an Australian semi-professional ice hockey team from Perth, Western Australia. Founded in 2010, the Thunder have been a member of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) since 2012. The Thunder are based at the Perth Ice Arena, located in the suburb of Malaga. Perth are one time Goodall Cup runners-up and two time H Newman Reid Trophy runners-up.
The 2013 AIHL season was the 14th season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). It ran from 20 April 2013 until 1 September 2013, with the Goodall Cup finals following on the 7 and 8 September. The Sydney Ice Dogs won both the H Newman Ried Trophy for finishing first in the regular season, and the Goodall Cup after defeating the Newcastle North Stars in the final.
The Canberra Brave is a semi-professional ice hockey team based in Canberra, ACT. The team is a member of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). The team was founded in 2014 to replace the defunct Canberra Knights in the AIHL. Their home venue is the Phillip Ice Skating Centre known as The Brave Cave. The Brave have claimed three Goodall Cup championships and four H Newman Reid Trophy premierships.
The 2014 AIHL season was the 15th season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). It ran from 12 April 2014 until 24 August 2014, with the Goodall Cup finals following on 30 and 31 August. The Melbourne Mustangs won both the H Newman Reid Trophy for finishing first in the regular season, and the Goodall Cup after defeating the Melbourne Ice in the final.
The 2016 AIHL season was the 17th season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). It ran from 23 April 2016 until 21 August 2016, with the Goodall Cup finals following on 27 and 28 August. The Melbourne Ice won the H Newman Reid Trophy after finishing the regular season with the most points. The Newcastle North Stars won the Goodall Cup for the second year in a row after defeating the CBR Brave in the final.
The 2019 AIHL season is the 20th season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). It ran from 20 April 2019 until 25 August 2019, with the Goodall Cup finals following on 31 August and 1 September 2019. The CBR Brave won the H Newman Reid Trophy after finishing the regular season with the most points in league history for the second time. The Sydney Bears won the Goodall Cup for the third time by defeating the Perth Thunder in the final.
The 2020 AIHL season was going to be the 21st season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). It was originally scheduled to run from 18 April 2020 until 23 August 2020, with the Goodall Cup finals following on 29 August and 30 August 2020. However, on 12 March 2020 the league announced the postponement of the 2020 season to a to be determined date due to COVID-19. Then on 29 July 2020, the AIHL commission's return to play committee announced the official cancellation of the 2020 AIHL season due to July COVID outbreaks on the east coast as well as continued border closures for WA and SA. This marked the first time the Goodall Cup was not awarded since 1993, when the competition was cancelled as a result of financial problems.
The 2017 CBR Brave season was the Brave's 4th season in the Australian Ice Hockey League since being founded and entering the league in 2014. The season ran from 22 April 2017 to 3 September 2017 for the Brave. CBR finished third in the regular season behind the Melbourne Ice and Perth Thunder. The Brave qualified for the AIHL Finals in Melbourne and played in semi-final two. Canberra defeated the Thunder 6–2 to qualify for the Goodall Cup Final for the second time in franchise history. The Brave were defeated in the final by the Ice 1–4, Canberra's second championship final loss in a row.
The 2014 CBR Brave season was the Brave's 1st season in the Australian Ice Hockey League since being founded in pre-season before the 2014 AIHL season. The season ran from 12 April 2014 to 30 August 2014 for the Brave. CBR finished third in their inaugural regular season behind the Melbourne Mustangs and Melbourne Ice. The Brave qualified for the AIHL Finals in Melbourne and played in semi-final two. Canberra were defeated by the Melbourne Ice, 1–6 in their semi-final match and were knocked out of the finals weekend, ending their season.
The 2021 AIHL season was going to be the 21st season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL), following the cancellation of the 2020 season. However, on 2 February 2021, the AIHL announced the season would not go ahead, citing ongoing border restriction issues between different Australian states as the reason for the cancellation. For the second year in a row, the Goodall Cup would not be contested.
The 2022 AIHL season is the delayed 21st season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL), following the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The season will consist of 60 regular season games and is scheduled to run from 30 April to 28 August 2022, with the Goodall Cup finals, consisting of 2 semi-finals, a preliminary final and a grand final, following the regular season on 2–4 September 2022. The CBR Brave won the double and claimed the H Newman Reid Trophy for a third time and Goodall Cup for a second time in 2022 by finishing top of the regular season standings and winning the AIHL grand final. The Newcastle Northstars were runner's up to both titles and the Sydney Ice Dogs claimed the wooden spoon.
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The 2023 AIHL season was the 22nd season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). The season consisted of 130 regular season games from 15 April to 13 August 2023, with the Goodall Cup finals consisting of two play-in matches, two semi-finals, and a grand final, following the regular season on 26–27 August 2023. The CBR Brave and Sydney Bears claimed the Rurak and Hellyer conference trophies for finishing top of their respective conference standings. The CBR Brave also won the Premiership and claimed the H Newman Reid Trophy for a record fourth consecutive time by finishing top of the regular season standings. The Melbourne Mustangs won the Championship and claimed the Goodall Cup for the second time in their history, defeating the Brave in the grand final. The returning Central Coast Rhinos claimed the wooden spoon.
The 2022 CBR Brave season was the Brave's 7th season in the Australian Ice Hockey League since being founded and entering the league in 2014. Canberra completed the double by finishing first in the regular season and winning the grand final in the AIHL Finals, lifting the H Newman Reid Trophy for the third time and Goodall Cup for the second time in franchise history.
The 2024 AIHL season was the 23nd season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). The season consisted of 155 total games, split between 150 regular season games and a 5 game Goodall Cup Finals post-season. The regular season ran from 6 April to 11 August 2024. The Finals ran from 23–25 August 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. The Sydney Bears claimed a conference-Premiership double by winning the Hellyer conference trophy and H Newman Reid Trophy. The Newcastle Northstars claimed the Rurak conference trophy, while the Canberra Brave were crowned AIHL Champions and hoisted the Goodall Cup after defeating the Melbourne Ice in the grand final. The much-improved Central Coast Rhinos picked up the wooden spoon for a second year running.