Brisbane Lightning made a recent announcement ahead of the 2024 Australian Ice Hockey League season with the appointment of Mike Sirant to the coaching staff.

Sirant – who is a Winnipeg native, will be Associate Coach for the Lightning throughout 2024 AIHL season after spending 30 years at the University of Manitoba as both a player and head coach of the men’s hockey team before retiring in 2023.

Bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Lightning, Sirant is a former Sports Director and Head Coach of the Denmark national team, while also coaching the Great Britian U20 men’s team, Milton Keynes Kings, and VEU Feldkirch in Austria.

Along with significant roles throughout North America and European hockey as head coach, Sirant has had guest coaching stints within NHL circles at both the St Louis Blues and Nashville Predators organisations at training camps.

It is the first major signing since Jemsec Investments purchased the Lightning and placed Ivan Rapchuk as General Manager for the Brisbane club.