The 2017 AIHL season was the 18th season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). It ran from 22 April 2017 until 27 August 2017, with the Goodall Cup finals following on 2 and 3 September. The Melbourne Ice won both the H Newman Reid Trophy for finishing first in the regular season, and the Goodall Cup after defeating the CBR Brave in the final.
Teams In 2017 the AIHL had 8 teams competing in the league.
2017 AIHL teamsTeam City Arena Head Coach Captain Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide IceArenA Sami Mantere David Huxley CBR Brave Canberra Phillip Ice Skating Centre Robert Starke Mark Rummukainen Melbourne Ice Melbourne O'Brien Group Arena Charles Franzén Lliam Webster Melbourne Mustangs Melbourne O'Brien Group Arena Michael Flaherty Michael McMahon Newcastle Northstars Newcastle Hunter Ice Skating Stadium Andrew Petrie Robert Malloy Perth Thunder Perth Perth Ice Arena Dave Ruck Jamie Woodman Sydney Bears Sydney Macquarie Ice Rink Ron Kuprowsky Michael Schlamp Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Macquarie Ice Rink Christopher Blagg Scott Stephenson
League business In December 2016 the Adelaide Adrenaline revealed their new logo designs. The new primary logo features two peaks in the shape of the letter "A". The club also introduced a secondary logo featuring a piping shrike. In January 2017 the Melbourne Mustangs announced that the James Hotel would be their naming rights sponsor for the 2017 season, replacing MOAT: Mental Health Services which had held it since 2014. The James Hotel will also continue as the clubs pre- and post-game and function venue. The Mustangs also added Quest Docklands as a major sponsor in May. On 17 January 2017 the league announced that the Sydney Bears and Sydney Ice Dogs would relocate to the Macquarie Ice Rink. The Bears move from the Penrith Ice Palace where they have played since 2015 and the Ice Dogs move from the Liverpool Catholic Club Ice Rink. In March 2017 the Ice Dogs revealed their new jersey designs which saw the club remove their logo in favour of the words "ICE DOGS" written out diagonally across the front. In addition to the changes from the Adrenaline and Ice Dogs the CBR Brave, Melbourne Ice, Melbourne Mustangs, Newcastle Northstars and Sydney Bears also released new jersey designs. In March and April the Perth Thunder signed Richard's Tyrepower, MacTrack, MyLeadPod and Bendigo Bank as new sponsors for the 2017 season. The Thunder also announced that CD Dodd had increased their level of sponsorship for 2017, becoming the clubs naming rights sponsor. In April the Brave announced that the Tuggeranong Hyperdome had signed on as a major sponsor and Anytime Fitness had increased their sponsorship to be a major sponsor of the club. The following month the Brave announced that ONTHEGO had signed on as their official apparel partner. In April 2017 Newcastle changed their name from the Newcastle North Stars to the Newcastle Northstars. The re-brand was done to align the club with the New South Wales registered club, the Newcastle Northstars Ice Hockey Club. At the end of April the Adrenaline announced that radio station 1079 Life had signed on as their official media partner with the deal including at least one game being live broadcast and regular interviews. Also at the end of April both the Bears and Ice Dogs announced their official venue sponsors. The Bears signed The Ranch Hotel as their home venue sponsor while the Ice Dogs signed with T.G.I. Friday's Macquarie Centre restaurant. In May the Ice Dogs announced that they would be radio streaming the remainder of their home games via Mixlr. Also in May the Ice Dogs released a new logo as part of their 15th anniversary celebrations. The new logo featured a redesigned bulldog holding a broken ice hockey stick. In June the Brave signed The Woden Tradies & Quality Hotel as their official post-game venue for the remainder of the season. In June the Melbourne Ice announced that 'Life. Be in It' had signed on as their naming rights sponsor and Kidney Health Australia as their charity partner and volunteer sponsor. In August the Ice Dogs announced the signing of Crankt Protein as a new sponsor for the club.
Exhibition games In February 2015 the Melbourne Ice and Melbourne Mustangs announced that they would host the New Zealand men's national ice hockey team in a four-game exhibition series at the O'Brien Group Arena, competing in two games each. The series was held as part of a warm up for New Zealand ahead of the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group B tournament. The Mustangs won both of their games 5–4 with the first being won in a shootout. The Ice defeated New Zealand 3–1 in the first game, however lost their second 0–9. The 2017 edition of the Wilson Cup was not held due to a high workload in relation to the move of the Bears to the Macquarie Ice Rink. It is the first time since 2013 that the tournament has not been held. The Wilson Cup was later re-purposed to be awarded to the winner of the regular season series between the Bears and Ice Dogs. The Bears retained the Cup after the series was tied both on wins and goal difference. On 13 April the Melbourne Ice and Melbourne Mustangs competed in an exhibition match at the O'Brien Group Arena with the Ice winning 8–1. On 15 April the Adelaide Adrenaline held an exhibition match against an Ice Hockey South Australia All Star team as part of the Hockey Day in Adelaide event at the Adelaide Ice Arena. The Adrenaline won the match 9–1. On 22 June the Melbourne Ice and Melbourne Mustangs joined the Ice Hockey Classic series for an exhibition game at the O'Brien Group Arena. The Ice joined Team Canada and the Mustangs joined Team USA for the 4 on 4 match. Team USA and the Mustangs defeated Team Canada and the Ice 8–5. On 22 July the Perth Thunder played an exhibition game at Cockburn Ice Arena against a team of Western Australian All-Stars to help raise funds for junior ice hockey. The Thunder won the match 9–1. On 7 September 2017 the Mustangs held their players v sponsors match at the O'Brien Group Arena with the game finishing in an eight all draw.
Personnel changes In October 2016 it was announced that the Adelaide Adrenaline had signed Sami Mantere to the position of head coach, replacing interim head coach Eric Lien who had been in the role since June. The following month Perth Thunder head coach Dave Kenway stepped down from his position due to family and work commitments. Following his resignation Kenway took on the role of Director of Hockey at the club. Kenway was replaced in the position of head coach by former player Dave Ruck. In January 2017 the CBR Brave announced the signing of former Northstars' player Rob Starke as head coach. Starke comes into the position which was left empty after the departure of Josh Unice in August 2016. In March 2017 it was announced that the Ice Dogs had signed former Australian national team player Christopher Blagg to the position of head coach. The signing follows the resignation of Vladimir Rubes along with his assistant Christopher Sekura who both stepped down due to family commitments. The club also announced the signing of Christopher Foster and Andrew Waite as assistant coaches.
Player transfers
Interclub transfers Player Previous team New team CBR Brave Adelaide Adrenaline Sydney Bears Sydney Ice Dogs Adelaide Adrenaline CBR Brave Newcastle Northstars Melbourne Ice Melbourne Mustangs Melbourne Ice * Melbourne Ice Melbourne Mustangs Sydney Ice Dogs CBR Brave Melbourne Ice Melbourne Mustangs Sydney Ice Dogs Newcastle Northstars * Mid-season transfer.
Retirements Player Team New role CBR Brave –
New signings Player Previous team New team University of Prince Edward Island Adelaide Adrenaline Vimmerby HC Melbourne Ice No team CBR Brave No team CBR Brave Étoile Noire de Strasbourg Melbourne Mustangs Blueline Bombers Sydney Bears No team Adelaide Adrenaline Melbourne Glaciers Melbourne Mustangs No team Perth Thunder No team Sydney Bears Melbourne Sharks Melbourne Ice Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs Sydney Bears Meijer AAA Hockey 18U Melbourne Ice Windsor Wild Melbourne Ice EHC Seewen II Sydney Bears No team CBR Brave Adelaide Blackhawks Adelaide Adrenaline No team Melbourne Ice New Tecumseth Civics Melbourne Ice HC Slovan Usti nad Labem U16 Sydney Ice Dogs No team Sydney Bears University of New Brunswick Adelaide Adrenaline Tranås AIF Melbourne Ice Mississippi RiverKings Perth Thunder No team Melbourne Ice No team CBR Brave Adelaide Generals Adelaide Adrenaline Adelaide Falcons Adelaide Adrenaline No team Melbourne Ice Fayetteville FireAntz Newcastle Northstars No team Sydney Bears Melbourne Blackhawks Melbourne Mustangs Pionniers De Chamonix-Morzine CBR Brave No team Melbourne Ice No team Sydney Ice Dogs Innisfail Eagles Newcastle Northstars Adelaide Tigers Adelaide Adrenaline Reach Rebels Sydney Ice Dogs Wheeling Nailers Newcastle Northstars University of Lethbridge Sydney Ice Dogs TuKV Melbourne Mustangs HC Tábor Adelaide Adrenaline Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs Melbourne Mustangs No team CBR Brave No team Perth Thunder Bisons de Neuilly-sur-Marne Newcastle Northstars No team Melbourne Mustangs No team Melbourne Mustangs Adelaide Red Wings Adelaide Adrenaline University of Western Ontario Newcastle Northstars Sydney Wolf Pack Sydney Ice Dogs Northern Vikings Perth Thunder No team Sydney Ice Dogs Bouctouche JCs Adelaide Adrenaline No team CBR Brave No team Sydney Bears Royal Military College of Canada Adelaide Adrenaline Danbury Titans Sydney Bears Tranås AIF Melbourne Ice Jonquière Marquis Perth Thunder Dundee Stars Newcastle Northstars Atlanta Gladiators Sydney Ice Dogs Fayetteville FireAntz Sydney Bears Melbourne Braves Melbourne Mustangs No team Sydney Bears Aldergrove Kodiaks Perth Thunder Newcastle North Stars ECSL Sydney Bears Newcastle North Stars ECSL Newcastle Northstars Vancouver Rangers Sydney Ice Dogs Penrith Raptors Sydney Ice Dogs Northern Samurai Perth Thunder No team Sydney Ice Dogs No team Perth Thunder Ontario Hockey Academy Mdgt AA Sydney Bears Northern Vikings Perth Thunder Adelaide Falcons Adelaide Adrenaline
Players lost