The 2023 CBR Brave season was the Brave's 8th season in the Australian Ice Hockey League since being founded and entering the league in 2014. Canberra won a fourth consecutive premiership title and lifted the H Newman Reid Trophy, by finishing top of the regular season standings. The Brave also finished top of the newly formed Rurak Conference and held aloft the inaugural Rurak Conference Cup. Canberra finished second in the AIHL Finals, being beaten by the Melbourne Mustangs in the championship grand final in Melbourne to miss out on the Goodall Cup.
Season notes
Pre-season, the Brave organised exhibition games against the Brisbane Lightning in Brisbane and Canberra. Former Sydney Sirens head coach, Jeff Helbren, was signed to take on the role of assistant coach. Caribou Kingston became the first ever Brave naming rights sponsor, with the team to be known as the Caribou CBR Brave for 2023 and Peter Di Salvo was added to the coaching roster as a goaltender coach for Toivonen and Tétreault. During the season the Brave revealed special one-off jerseys for Caribou Kingston, Menslink and Hockey Fights Cancer. All special jerseys were auctioned with proceeds going towards the team, Menslink and Cure Brain Cancer Foundation. Off the ice, CBR Brave super-fan, Emma Easton, died in 2023. Before her death, the Brave faithful celebrated Emma's 35th birthday with a rendition of ‘happy birthday’ at a home game at the Brave Cave. Brave players and supporters then came together to produce a memorial video and give Emma a hockey guard of honour at her funeral.
Roster Team roster for the 2023 AIHL season.
Transfers
All transfers in and out of the team since the last AIHL season. Kale Costa was announced as a signing in pre-season, but in May 2023 it was revealed he would not be joining the team, instead choosing to stay in the Czech Republic to play for HC Stadion Litoměřice in the Czech 1.liga. In July 2024, the Brave signed goaltender Curtis Villani to an affiliate contract. Villani was added to the roster as an emergency backup but was never dressed or used and was subsequently removed from the roster without playing a game.
In
PlayerTransferred From Local / Import W Maine Mariners Import D The Coast Local G Adelaide Tigers Local D/F No team Local D Corsaires de Nantes Import F Jokerit (ACT) Local C Corsaires de Nantes Import F * Melbourne Ice Local F Waterloo Maroons Import D South Carolina Stingrays Import * Mid-season transfer
Out
PlayerTransferred To Local / Import D Salem State Vikings Local D Jacksonville Icemen Import F Newcastle Northstars Local F Steele County Blades Local G No team Local G No team Local D Perth Thunder Local D No team Local F Sheffield Steelers Import F No team Local D Newcastle Northstars Local D Perth Thunder Local F * Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan Jaguars Import F No team Import D Perth Thunder Local * Mid-season transfer
Staff
Current as of 2023 AIHL season.
CBR Brave StaffRole Staff Head Coach Stuart Philps Assistant Coach Jeff Helbren Team Manager Andrew Deans Equipment Manager Darryl Day Team Doctor Rob Reid Physiotherapist Jono Carey General Manager (hockey operations) Jordan Gavin Chief Operating Officer Steve Moeller Chief Executive Officer Stephen Campbell Bench Official Darren Sault Bench Official Kelly Sault
Standings
Regular season
Summary SeasonOverall HomeAway2023 26 20 4 1 1 170 77 +93 63 1st 13 10 2 1 0 88 37 +51 13 10 2 0 1 82 33 +49
Position by round
League table
Rurak Conference
Finals
Summary SeasonFinals weekend2022 2 1 1 4 2 Silver – Won 4-1 (Thunder) Lost 0-1 (Mustangs)
Bracket
Schedule & results
Exhibition games
2023 exhibition fixtures and results Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap 4 MAR 17:00 CBR Brave 5–2 Brisbane Lightning Iceworld Boondall Ref 5 MAR 15:30 CBR Brave 6–0 Brisbane Lightning Iceworld Boondall Ref 1 APR 17:00 Brisbane Lightning 5–6 CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre Ref
Regular season
2023 fixtures and results Date Time Away Score Home Location Recap 16 APR 15:30 CBR Brave 5–3 Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 22 APR 17:15 Sydney Ice Dogs 2–3 (OT) CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre 23 APR 17:00 CBR Brave 2–8 Sydney Bears Macquarie Ice Rink 29 APR 17:00 CBR Brave 7–1 Melbourne Ice O’Brien Icehouse 30 APR 14:00 CBR Brave 2–3 (SO) Melbourne Mustangs O’Brien Icehouse 06 MAY 17:15 Newcastle Northstars 3–4 CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre 13 MAY 15:30 CBR Brave 9–1 Central Coast Rhinos Erina Ice Arena 20 MAY 17:00 CBR Brave 4–1 Sydney Ice Dogs Macquarie Ice Rink 27 MAY 17:15 Sydney Bears 3–2 CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre 03 JUN 17:15 Brisbane Lightning 5–9 CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre 04 JUN 16:45 Brisbane Lightning 2–7 CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre 11 JUN 16:45 Melbourne Mustangs 2–8 CBR Brave Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 17 JUN 17:15 Newcastle Northstars 4–5 CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre 18 JUN 16:45 Melbourne Ice 7–9 CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre 24 JUN 16:30 CBR Brave 7–4 Perth Thunder Perth Ice Arena 01 JUL 17:00 CBR Brave 7–3 Brisbane Lightning IceWorld Boondall 02 JUL 16:30 CBR Brave 9–2 Brisbane Lightning IceWorld Boondall 08 JUL 17:15 Adelaide Adrenaline 3–8 CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre 09 JUL 16:45 Adelaide Adrenaline 1–8 CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre 15 JUL 17:15 Perth Thunder 4–3 CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre 23 JUL 16:45 Central Coast Rhinos 0–10 CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre 29 JUL 17:00 CBR Brave 6–2 Newcastle Northstars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium 05 AUG 16:30 CBR Brave 13–3 Adelaide Adrenaline IceArenA 06 AUG 12:30 CBR Brave 6–2 Adelaide Adrenaline IceArenA 12 AUG 17:15 Central Coast Rhinos 1–12 CBR Brave Phillip Ice Skating Centre 13 AUG 16:00 CBR Brave 5–7 Newcastle Northstars Hunter Ice Skating Stadium
Finals Goodall Cup semi-final
Goodall Cup final
Awards No team awards announced by the Brave for 2023. No Canberra players or staff were awarded any AIHL season awards for the first time in team history.
References