Melbourne Whalers

AJIHL The Melbourne Blackhawks were founded 18 September 2012 following the announcement by Ice Hockey Australia of the formation of the Australian Junior Ice Hockey League. The team is controlled by the Victorian Ice Hockey Association. The Melbourne Blackhawks played the first ever AJIHL game against the Sydney Lightning at the Medibank Icehouse on 21 October 2012. The Blackhawks defeated the Lightning by a score of 5-3. The first goal ever scored in the AJIHL was by Daniel Pataky of the Sydney Lightning. AJIHL expansion The follow-up season in the Australian Junior Ice Hockey League saw a lot of change via expansion and renaming of its existing teams. The Melbourne Blackhawks were renamed the Melbourne Whalers in September 2013. The changes were made in response to the National Hockey Leagues concern about the AJIHL using their team names and logos but also recognised the opportunity to create a new history for the teams through creating their own identity. In October 2013 the league expanded to six teams with two teams from Perth, the Sharks and the Pelicans, joining for the start of the 2013–14 season. ==Logo and uniform==

2012-2013 Melbourne Black Hawks In their first year, and the inaugural AJIHL season, the Melbourne Blackhawks wore a uniform that resembled the NHL namesake Chicago Blackhawks. The jersey design and uniform bore close resemblance to the Chicago Blackhawks design, with the AJIHL logo used for shoulder crests. On September 13, 2013, the new Melbourne Whalers logo design and branding was created by Ross Carpenter and his son, Jack Carpenter, who was largely involved in the creation of the uniform design. The suggestion to use Whalers as a new name for the Melbourne Blachawks was made by Wayne McBride as an honor to the modern day Melbourne Coat of Arms, which has black and blue spouting whale. The Australian Junior Ice Hockey League selected a new colour scheme which was a watery blue and green. ==Season-by-season results==

Current roster For the 2015–16 AJIHL season Captains The first team Captain for the Melbourne Blackhawks in the inaugural year for the AJIHL was Marcus Wong, his Alt Captains were Jack Carpenter and Austin McKenzie. • 2012-13 Marcus Wong (C), Jack Carpenter (A), Austin McKenzie (A) • 2013-14 Austin McKenzie (C), Christopher Wong (A), • 2015-16 Harrison Jaunozols (C) ==Head coaches==

The first Head Coach for the Melbourne Blackhawks in the inaugural year for the AJIHL was Doug Stevenson. • 2012-13 Doug Stevenson • 2013-14 Michael Flaherty • 2014-15 Michael Flaherty ==See also==