2023 AIHL season

Following a successful 2022 exhibition schedule, the AIHL announced the Brisbane Lightning and Central Coast Rhinos had both been successful in obtaining full AIHL licences and would be officially joining the league and regular season for 2023.[7][8] The two team expansion increased the league membership to ten teams for the first time, previously the highest membership number was nine teams in 2012.[9]

During pre-season, there had been discussions about the possibility for the Brisbane Rampage to join the league following the collapse of the Pacific Hockey League,[10] however the AIHL season schedule had already been organised and released publicly and season preparation had already advanced past the stage to accommodate a late addition. There was no public mention of exhibition games involving the Rampage and/or a pathway to obtaining a licence for the 2024 season.[11]

In the lead up to Season 2023, eight exhibition games were organised between different AIHL teams. The Mustangs and Ice organised a two game series for February and March 2023. The second of these games doubled as a charity event for The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne.[12] The Mustangs, Ice, O'Brien Icehouse and The Ditrict Docklands raised $30,109 for the hospital's Good Friday Appeal. The Brave and Lightning arranged a three game series to replace the missed series in August 2022 when the Brave pulled out due to prepartions for the AIHL Finals. Two games would be played in Brisbane and one in Canberra.[13] The Central Coast Rhinos lined up three pre-season games. One against the Sydney Bears at Erina Ice Arena[14] and two against the Newcastle Northstars, one at Erina and one in Newcastle.[15][16] In additional to the eight games, on 4 March 2023, the Melbourne Mustangs organised a delayed 10 year team anniversary reunion tournament invlolving current and former players, staff and supporters. The event saw 3 teams play in a round-robun tournament at O'Brien Icehouse.[17]

2023 team staff and coaching changes included: Sydney Ice Dogs appointing a new head coach, Jason Kvisle, and associate coach, Jimmy Dufour, after letting Czech coach, Ondrej Cervenka, leave the team.[18][19] Melbourne Ice had a number of ins, outs and role changes at the team. Canadian Kerry Goulet was appointed head coach.[20] Sandy Gardner moved from head coach to assistant coach and is joined by Michael Flaherty and the rejoining Brent Laver.[21] Keira Dunwoody joins the Ice from the Melbourne Ducks and rounds out the coaching department.[21] In other team position changes at the Ice, Marie-Bernadette La Rose left her role as marketing manager after four years with the team,[22] while Erin Tempest and Trevor Dickson were appointed to the roles of Director Secretariate and Director of Hockey Operations respectively.[23][24] Melbourne Mustangs confirmed last season's head coach, Canadian Chris Lawrence would be returning to the team in 2023, but on the playing roster, so the Mustangs replaced Lawrence with American Pat McMahon, who had previous experience with Victorian junior teams and the Melbourne Ducks in the PHL in 2022.[25] Brisbane Lightning's admission into the AIHL brought with it early pre-season changes at the team. Peter Holmes joined the Lightning as general manager and governor, replacing the outgoing Josh Labrie (GM) and Matthew Meyer (governor).[26] Ash Jackson was then brought into the team in December 2022 as the new Director of Marketing, Media and Publicity. Ash has previous marketing campaign experience with the 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and overseen projects with the AFL, FIFA and the ICC.[27]

All player transfers by the ten AIHL teams for season 2023.[28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]

Interclub transfers Nat Player Previous team New team Steven Adams Sydney Bears Central Coast Rhinos Zachary Boyle Melbourne Ice Adelaide Adrenaline Wehebe Darge CBR Brave Newcastle Northstars Greg Davis Melbourne Ice Perth Thunder Luka Dimopoulos Sydney Ice Dogs Central Coast Rhinos Nicholas Doornbos CBR Brave Sydney Ice Dogs Alexander Dvinyaninov Sydney Ice Dogs Brisbane Lightning Alexander Dvinyaninov* Brisbane Lightning Sydney Ice Dogs Ryan Foll Melbourne Ice Adelaide Adrenaline Glen Forbes-White Sydney Bears Brisbane Lightning Robert Haselhurst Sydney Bears Perth Thunder David-James Jeremy Newcastle Northstars Central Coast Rhinos Joshua Kleipas Sydney Ice Dogs Central Coast Rhinos Mika Laajunen Sydney Bears Sydney Ice Dogs Lynden Lodge CBR Brave Perth Thunder Bryan Mackenzie Melbourne Ice Melbourne Mustangs Robert Malloy Newcastle Northstars Central Coast Rhinos Matt Nikitin Melbourne Ice Melbourne Mustangs Matthew Price CBR Brave Newcastle Northstars Alastair Punler CBR Brave Perth Thunder Lukas Vaic Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Bears Aidan Wardlaw Sydney Bears Central Coast Rhinos Alexander Wardlaw Sydney Bears Central Coast Rhinos Callum Wardlaw Sydney Bears Central Coast Rhinos Connor Wardlaw Sydney Bears Central Coast Rhinos Jamie Woodman CBR Brave Perth Thunder * Mid-season transfer.

Retirements Nat Player Team New role

New signings Nat Player Previous team New team Josh Adkins Bisons de Neuilly-sur-Marne Newcastle Northstars Harley Anderson Brisbane Rampage Brisbane Lightning Bradley Apps Canterbury Red Devils Melbourne Mustangs Anthony Barnes Brisbane Rampage Brisbane Lightning Steve Best Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Mackenzie Bolger The Coast Sydney Ice Dogs Josh Bortignon Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Jamie Bourke Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Ice Tyler Boyle Adelaide Tigers Adelaide Adrenaline Dane Brumm No team Sydney Bears Jamie Campbell West Coast Flyers Perth Thunder Liam Campbell Blackhawks IHC Perth Thunder Jack Carpenter Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Ice Aiden Catakovic Brisbane Blitz Brisbane Lightning Daniel Chen Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Darren Corstens Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Braden Costa The Coast Sydney Ice Dogs Kale Costa HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi CBR Brave Tristan Côté-Cazenave Rivière-du-Loup 3L Perth Thunder Ace Cowans EV Lindau Islanders Sydney Bears Tom Cross The Coast Central Coast Rhinos Todd Cutter Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Mustangs Dillon Dewar Northern Chiefs Perth Thunder Justin Dixon Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Ice James Douchkov Sydney Bombers Sydney Ice Dogs Ivan Doukhovnikov No team Central Coast Rhinos Luke Doyle Adelaide Generals Perth Thunder Brandon Egli Courchevel-Méribel-Pralognan Sydney Ice Dogs Sean Ellison No team Sydney Ice Dogs Joakim Erdugan No team Central Coast Rhinos Lachlan Fahmy The Coast CBR Brave Thomas Flack Saint Michael's Purple Knights Melbourne Mustangs Darcy Flanagan Åseda IF Melbourne Ice Thomas Forrest Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Ice Stefan Fournier Allen Americans Sydney Ice Dogs Jordan Freeman Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Jeremy Friederich Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Christian Fuschini No team Brisbane Lightning Anthony Gagnon Rivière-du-Loup 3L Perth Thunder Logan Gallacher Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Ice Alexis Girard Knoxville Ice Bears Brisbane Lightning Andrew Hamilton No team Adelaide Adrenaline Ben Handberg Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Matthew Harvey No team CBR Brave Jake Hazel Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Joshua Healey West Coast Flyers Perth Thunder Cameron Hughes The Coast Central Coast Rhinos Liam Hughes Wichita Thunder Melbourne Mustangs Kyle Hunter No team Sydney Ice Dogs Samuel Ivanic Eskilstuna Linden Hockey Sydney Ice Dogs Conner Jean Evansville Thunderbolts Perth Thunder Zane Jones Innisfail Eagles Newcastle Northstars Yuga Kikuchi Doshisha University Melbourne Ice Adam Kimbley Penrith Raptors Sydney Bears Dean Klomp No team Melbourne Mustangs Patrick Klöpper Hannover Scorpions Melbourne Ice Dmitri Kuleshov Minnesota Loons Sydney Ice Dogs Ivan Kuleshov The Coast Sydney Ice Dogs Nathan Lacasse No team Perth Thunder Riley Langille Campbell River Storm Perth Thunder Chris Lawrence Fife Flyers Melbourne Mustangs Tyler Leeming Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Austin Lefkowicz No team Melbourne Ice Brody Lindal Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Ice Reece Lukowiak Fort Wayne Spacemen Perth Thunder David Nelson West Carleton Rivermen Brisbane Lightning Nicholas Novysedlak Brisbane Rampage Brisbane Lightning Noah Maley Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Cameron Marks Corsaires de Nantes CBR Brave Andrew Masters Français Volants Central Coast Rhinos Michael McMahon Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Mustangs Jordan McTaggart Brisbane Rampage Brisbane Lightning Ricki Miettinen Canberra Jokerit CBR Brave Casey Minson No team Melbourne Mustangs Matt Musumeci Sydney Bombers Sydney Ice Dogs Jason Polglase The Coast Central Coast Rhinos Patrik Popovics Brisbane Rampage Brisbane Lightning Neil Pretorius Wisconsin Lumberjacks Brisbane Lightning Vladislav Rachinsky No team Melbourne Mustangs Jack Ransome The Coast Sydney Ice Dogs Jake Riley Kurra Hockey Team Melbourne Ice Mikko Rippon Brisbane Blitz Brisbane Lightning Drew Robson Adelaide Generals Perth Thunder Shawn Rooke No team Sydney Bears Maxwell Roth Worcester State Lancers Brisbane Lightning Ryan Ruddle Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Mustangs Hayden Sayers The Coast Central Coast Rhinos Michael Schlamp No team Sydney Bears Lachlan Shumak Reach Rebels Sydney Ice Dogs Jared Siemens Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Andrew Smardon No team Newcastle Northstars Zachary Steele Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Thomas Steven Kungälvs IK Sydney Bears Christopher Stoikos No team CBR Brave Corey Stringer Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Ice Ville Tenosalmi No team Perth Thunder Albin Torstensson Meudon HC Central Coast Rhinos Matus Trnka Adelaide Avalanche Adelaide Adrenaline Byron Tschuma Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Ice Mac Tutton The Coast Central Coast Rhinos Hector Vrielynck Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Ice Darcy Walsh North Dundas Rockets Adelaide Adrenaline Lliam Webster Melbourne Ducks Melbourne Ice Thomas Wedesweiler Newcastle North Stars (ECSL) Newcastle Northstars Maliq West Newcastle North Stars (ECSL) Newcastle Northstars Kevin Yu Team Mantis Ice Hockey Adelaide Adrenaline

Players lost Nat Player Previous team New team Samuel Bartlett Melbourne Ice Melbourne Glaciers James Barton Sydney Bears No team Alan Becken Sydney Bears Sydney Bombers Andrew Belic Melbourne Mustangs No team Ignacy Benjamin Sydney Bears No team Sebastian Bergström Melbourne Ice No team Thomas Blackwell Sydney Ice Dogs No team Paul Bond Sydney Bears No team Michael Breedveld Melbourne Mustangs Melbourne Jets Declan Bronte CBR Brave Salem State Vikings Riley Bryn Sydney Bears No team Joshua Cassar Sydney Bears No team Ondrej Cervenka Sydney Ice Dogs No team Robert Clark Melbourne Ice No team Garret Cockerill CBR Brave Jacksonville Icemen Charlie Davis-Tope Melbourne Ice Melbourne Glaciers Kevin Dow Sydney Ice Dogs No team James Downie Newcastle Northstars Manchester Storm Andrew Erzen Melbourne Ice Demons IHC Luke Fiveash CBR Brave No team Hussein Ghoniam Sydney Bears No team Michal Glowka Sydney Bears No team Jacob Haley Melbourne Mustangs Braves IHC Wylie Hodder CBR Brave No team Jeff Hu Melbourne Ice Melbourne Glaciers Bobby Huang Melbourne Ice Melbourne Glaciers Liam Jones Sydney Ice Dogs Penrith Raptors Eugene Ju Sydney Ice Dogs Penrith Raptors Nicholas Kabiotis Sydney Ice Dogs Reach Rebels Brian Kim Sydney Bears No team Jason Kvisle Sydney Ice Dogs Reach Rebels Sai Lake Melbourne Ice Demons IHC Chris Leetham Melbourne Ice No team Daniel Machin Melbourne Ice No team Matthew Marasco CBR Brave No team Blake Martucci Melbourne Mustangs No team Alex May Melbourne Mustangs Melbourne Glaciers Jackson McCoy Melbourne Mustangs No team Timothy McGrath Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Heat Nathan Moncrieff Sydney Bears Penrith Raptors Dylan Morris Melbourne Mustangs Saints Monarchs IHC Nicholas Munro Melbourne Ice No team Hamish Murray CBR Brave No team Spencer Nave Melbourne Mustangs Melbourne Glaciers Tim Nikitin Melbourne Ice No team Ethan Oberman Sydney Bears No team Michael Poirier Sydney Bears Sorel-Tracy Éperviers Cooper Porter Melbourne Ice Melbourne Glaciers Dash Quartarolo Newcastle Northstars Salem State Vikings Jake Ratcliffe Sydney Bears Quad City Storm Brandon Reid Sydney Ice Dogs No team Josef Rezek Melbourne Ice No team Fredrik Rozenberg Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Sting Marcus Rozenberg Sydney Ice Dogs Sydney Sting Connor Sidari-Alley Melbourne Mustangs Melbourne Jets Aiden Sillato Sydney Ice Dogs No team Paul Smith Sydney Bears No team Samuel Sweatman Melbourne Ice No team Richard Tesarik Newcastle Northstars No team Christian Turner Sydney Ice Dogs No team Mario Valery-Trabucco CBR Brave No team Joshua Van Douwen Melbourne Ice No team Franki Vlasek Sydney Ice Dogs No team

The 2023 regular season consists of 130 games that are scheduled to run from 15 April 2023 to 13 August 2023. For the first time since 2012, the AIHL regular season sees teams split into two conferences. Teams will play a total of 26 regular season games, playing each team in their conference four times (two at home and two away) and playing teams outside their conference twice.[38]

Key:

Each week the AIHL, through sponsorship, names a player of the week.[39]
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	Jordan McTaggart	F	Ref
2	Michael Schlamp	F	Ref
3	Charlie Smart	G	Ref
4	Alexandre Tetreault	G	Ref