Adrenaline hoping for playoff return in 2024

Photo: Hugh Whittle

The Adelaide Adrenaline have released their squad for 2024 in a bid to return to the AIHL post-season for the first time since 2012.

The Adrenaline had a rough 2023 posting only 4 wins, in their first season back in the league after COVID and rink issues had kept them from playing since 2019. Adelaide concluded their preseason preparation with an Alumni game last weekend, with the likes of former club legends Josh Harding, Andrew Glass, Eric Lien among numerous others taking to the ice for one more shift.

The highest profile import signing for Adelaide this year is the addition of former Abbotsford Heat goaltender Rylan Toth. Toth is coming off of his second year in Saskatchewan’s Long Lake Hockey League, after 68 games between the pipes at the University of British Columbia. Toth has previously played in the WHL, capturing a title with the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2017. Toth even had a call-up as an EBUG for the Vancouver Canucks in 2021.

Matus Trnka and Jeremy Friedrich will also return in net for Adelaide. Returning for his 2^nd season, Trnka spent the northern hemisphere winter with the Ontario Jr Reign in the USPHL along with teammate Noah Maley, putting up a save percentage of .912% including two shutouts in 16 games. Trnka also backstopped the Australian U20 team in Serbia in their Division 2B World’s campaign earlier in the year.

The Adrenaline have also poached Josh Adkins from the Newcastle Northstars. The 29-year-old Adkins put up 48 points for Newcastle last season and has spent the past winter in the UK with the Leeds Knights in the NIHL.

Another Saskatchewan native in Kaden Elder will also don the Adrenaline jersey this year, currently with the Outlook Ice Hawks in the Saskatchewan Valley Hockey League. Elder had a season in Sweden with Kalmar in 2022, putting up 25 points in 36 games. Elder brings over 316 games of WHL experience including a Memorial Cup tilt with the Swift Current Broncos in 2018.

Ty Wright will also join the SA club this year. Dual Canadian-New Zealand citizen Wright will suit up for Adelaide after a previous stint in the WSHL with the Fresno Monsters.

On the local front, Adelaide will see the return of mainstays Zach Boyle, Steve Best, Joey Macdougall, Ryan Foll and Nathaniel Benson, the latter of whom recently represented Australia against New Zealand in the Trans-Tasman series at the O'Brien Icehouse.

It's also a notable return for Adrenaline legend Sean Greer, with 200 AIHL games' worth of experience, returning to the club for the first time since 2017 to add some veteran presence to it's local youth talent.

Morris and Daniel O’Handley will both return to the side after spending the northern hemisphere winter suiting up for the Cochrane Generals in the Heritage Junior Hockey League. Daniel and Andrew Chen will also return to re-enforce to the Adrenaline youth corps, along with Julian Friedrich and Daniel Koudelka. Koudelka represented Australia at the Under 18 IIHF Worlds last month in Spain and his making his AIHL debut this season.

The Adrenaline open their 2024 season at home to the Sydney Bears on Saturday April 13^th. Tickets here.