Melbourne Ice Head Coach Brent Laver has been named the AIHL’s Coach of the Year for 2016.

Laver guided the Ice to the 2016 minor premiership with a record setting 66 points during the season, which eclipsed Melbourne’s own AIHL record of 65 points, set in 2011 and 2006.

Unfortunately for the Laver and the league leading Ice, the AIHL Finals series didn’t go as planned, bowing out in the semi-finals, after shock 4-3 overtime loss to the CBR Brave.

After the semi-final, Laver reflected on his player’s tenacity, drive and consistency that saw the team record 22 wins throughout the 28 game regular season.

“The beauty of the season, when we look back on it, as we did during the week leading up to final, was the fact that there were only five or six games we played below full strength.”

Bowing out in the semi-finals is not something the Melbourne Ice are used to, however Laver was gracious in defeat and praised his sides never say die attitude as one of their keys to success 2016.

“The resilience and the belief amongst the group has been the biggest growth area this year,” Laver said. “Some people might say we took a step backwards, not making our third final in a row, but that resilience and belief has been there from the first day we jumped on the ice this season.”

The future looks bright for the Melbourne Ice, who have a rich history of producing some of this country’s top hockey players, such as Tommy Powell, Lliam Webster and Joey Hughes.

“I think the kudos has to go to the depth of the group, especially the guys who’d train, give everything they’ve got and not get ice time,” Laver said. “But when the opportunity came, through injury or suspension, they’d grab it and do the job.”

And while it was a tough ending to the season, Laver couldn’t have asked for more from his troops in 2016.

“I think that’s what I’ll take with me is the resilience of the boys to turn up week in, week out, in any barn all over the country and battle hard, no matter who I had on the bench.”