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2025 AIHL season
Sports season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 2025 AIHL season is the 24nd season of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). The 112 regular season games are scheduled to run from 5 April to 24 August 2024. Finals games are scheduled to run from 29 to 31 August 2025 .
 | This article may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may only interest a particular audience. (May 2025) |
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Teams
In 2025 the AIHL had 8 teams competing in the league.[1] The Sydney Bears and Sydney Ice Dogs withdrew from competing in the season.[2]
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League Business
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For Season 2025, the AIHL first released the fixture list in November 2024. All ten teams from 2024 would be returning for a 150-game regular season running from 5 April to 24 August 2025.[3] As part of a regular season revamp, the league introduced two all-team mid-season byes for Easter long weekend in late April and IIHF World Championships in early May. The conference system used between 2023 and 2024 was abolished and more Friday night games were scheduled, including first Friday night games for Adelaide Adrenaline and Perth Thunder. The Goodall Cup, H Newman Reid Trophy would continue to the be prizes AIHL teams would compete for in 2025. However, the Rurak and Hellyer conference trophies would be retired.[1]
The AIHL were forced into mandatory season plan changes in late December 2024.[4] Macquarie Ice Rink in Sydney was closed for required repairs and rink upgrades that would keep the facility closed for the majority of 2025.[5] Upgrades include new plant room infrastructure, new humidifiers across the arena, new boards, installation of plexiglass around the rink and new player benches and penalty boxes. The Sydney Bears and Sydney Ice Dogs were both affected by the closure and sought alternative option to continue to operate in 2025. Both teams failed to find suitable alternative options and formally withdrew from the 2025 AIHL season.[2]
With the Ice Dogs and Bears out, the AIHL released a new 8-team season schedule, reducing the number of games from 150 to 112. Both all-team byes remained but the additional Friday night games were scrapped. All teams would play a total 28 games, down from 30, split between 14 home and 14 away fixtures.[4]
Between December 2024 and January 2025, the league announced a number of personnel and governance changes including appointing Ron Gauci to the AIHL board of directors. Gauci joins Garry Dore, Peter Jon Hartshorne, Wayne Hellyer, John Hollingsworth, Joyce Price, Ivan Rapchuk, and Bob Turner on the board as the eighth member. Gauci is the current chairman of Vicsport and former CEO and managing director of the Melbourne Storm.[6] Jo-Ann Flood was appointed AIHL Sports Integrity Officer to replace the departed Lesley Crombie. As the Head of Sport Integrity, Jo-Ann is responsible for ensuring compliant regulation of all league activities, including games and operations as well as leading efforts to promote fair play, prevent misconduct, and build trust amongst teams.[7] Mark O'Brien was appointed new Head of Player Safety for the AIHL. Mark has vast experience officiating at all levels of ice hockey in Australia and joins the AIHL after being referee-in-chief for Ice Hockey Queensland for the past six years.[8] Ben Armstrong resigned as AIHL operations manager. Ben held the position for 2 years, having been appointed in 2023. Armstrong took up an opportunity as gameday operations manager with the Newcastle Northstars.[9]
In March 2025, the AIHL released a special anniversary logo for the 2025 season. The new logo recognised the 25th year since the league founding in 2000.[10] Media partnerships were signed between the AIHL and Oz Hockey Media (Formally Hockey Hype Australia) and 6News Australia in April 2025. It is the second year of partnership between the league and Oz Hockey Media and a new partnership with 6News.[11][12]
Exhibition games
Three pre-season exhibition games were organised by AIHL teams in 2025. The Melbourne derby doubled as a Good Friday Appeal charity match, raising money for the Royal Children's Hospital. The exhibition game raised one of the largest charitable donations by the Australian ice hockey community, totaling $32,502.[13] To help the Australian men's national team prepare for the IIHF World Championships division 2A tournament, an exhibition game was organised between the national team and an AIHL All-Stars team consisting of Mustangs and Ice players.[14]
Team changes
The Canberra Brave will change home venues for the first time in the team's history, switching Phillip Ice Skating Centre for the AIS Arena. The first three home games in 2025 will continue to be played at Phillip but the remaining 11 will be played in a temporary state-of-the-art rink constructed in the 2,700 seat (ice hockey seating configuration) AIS Arena.[15] The AIS will offer the first full bowl seating experience in the AIHL, bringing a North American or European style experience to Australian ice hockey for the first time.[16]
Adelaide Adrenaline released a new team logo.[17] The traditional 'A' logo is replaced with a yeti holding a hockey stick. This envokes the short lived former Adelaide Avalanche yeti logo from 2008 to 2009, before the Avalanche organisation collapsed and folded. Last season, in 2024, the Adrenaline played in a one-off throwback jersey with the old yeti logo. As part of the rebrand, the Adrenaline have also amended their team colours to blue and gold, removing red.[18] Adelaide also made fan experience improvements to the Adelaide Ice Arena by raising two sections around the rink to enable better viewing angles. A new standing zone was established behind the goals and a new VIP section was created in one of the rink corners.
Brisbane Lightning released new altered versions of their main and alternative logo for 2025. The main logo is simplified while the alternative 'BL' logo has been given additional stylised lightning elements.[19] Melbourne Mustangs released a new special anniversary logo and jersey to celebrate the team's 15th year of operations. It features a modified version of the team's regular logo and an updated layout of the orange-and-black colour scheme.[20]
Personnel changes
Ahead of the season, On 22 October 2024, Terry Kilwnik stepped down as head coach of the Brisbane Lightning.[21] On 9 December 2024, it was announced Swedish coach Christer Lundkvist would take the rains as head coach of the Lightning for the 2025 AIHL season.[22] With the head coaching position vacant at the Adelaide Adrenaline, the team announced a new head coach on 19 March 2025. Canadian Jade Galbraith was appointed for his first senior head coaching role of his career.[23]
Player transfers
Below are lists of players entering, exiting, transferring and retiring from the AIHL in 2025.[24]
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Regular season
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Fixtures and results
The 2025 regular season consists of 112 games that are scheduled to run from 5 April 2025 to 24 August 2025. Teams are ranked in a single standings table, with conferences removed in 2025. Each team plays a total of 28 regular season games, playing each other team four times times (two at home and two away).[3]
April
May
June
July
August
Key:
| Winner |
Standings
Overall
Updated to match(es) played on 27 July 2025. Source: AIHL Elite Prospects
Rules for classification:
Tie-break: 1) points; 2) points percentage; 3) head to head; 4) goal difference; 5) goals scored; 6) coin toss
Points: 3 points for regulation win; 2 points for OT or SO win; 1 point for OT or SO loss; 0 points for regulation loss
Rules for classification:
Tie-break: 1) points; 2) points percentage; 3) head to head; 4) goal difference; 5) goals scored; 6) coin toss
Points: 3 points for regulation win; 2 points for OT or SO win; 1 point for OT or SO loss; 0 points for regulation loss
Awards
Skaters Network player of the week
Each week the AIHL, through sponsorship, names a player of the week.[25]
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.
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Goodall Cup playoffs
For season 2025, winners of the AIHL Finals are crowned AIHL Champions and claim the historic Goodall Cup. Man of the match in the grand final is named AIHL Finals MVP.
References
External links
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