When Justin Maylan left Canberra as a Goodall Cup Champion in 2024, it didn’t take long for thoughts of a return to creep in.

After more than a decade of professional hockey across Europe and North America, Maylan has played in plenty of places. But his first season with the Brave left a lasting impression.

“Ever since I left, I was having the itch.”

For Maylan, the pull back to Canberra wasn’t simply about hockey.

“The people in the organisation are so amazing. It’s not just the team and the guys, it’s everybody. It’s really rare to have a really great group of people like that. I’ve been itching to get back ever since.”

Two years after lifting the Goodall Cup with the Brave, Maylan is back in Canberra and once again part of a group preparing for finals hockey.

A Career Built Across the World

Maylan’s professional career has taken him through a number of countries and hockey cultures, with experiences in Denmark, Italy, Germany, Canada and America all helping shape the player and person he is today.

His first season in Denmark remains one of the most significant.

“My first year in Denmark was very difficult. It was my first year in Europe and the coach was very hard.”

Looking back, Maylan credits the experience with teaching him the value of persistence.

“It made me a better player and a better person because I stuck through it.”

His time in Italy brought a different experience, built around a strong group of people, while his first season in Canberra quickly joined the list of standout chapters in his career.

“My first year in Australia was really amazing.”

It is a career that has evolved considerably along the way.

Maylan has always considered himself a pass-first player, priding himself on his ability to create opportunities for those around him. But experience has also changed the way he approaches the game.

After suffering a number of serious concussions, Maylan made the conscious decision to become a smarter and more calculated player.

“I pride myself on my playmaking skills. I realised after my concussions that I have to play much softer and smarter.”

While there are still moments when the emotion of a game brings out the more physical side of his play, longevity has become increasingly important.

“There are times where I wish I still had that drive in me where I could just go harder. But would I rather play at a higher level and take two or three years off my career, or play a little smarter and keep playing?”

That change has allowed Maylan to continue contributing well beyond what appears on the scoresheet.

The Culture Remains

Returning to Canberra meant returning to plenty of familiar faces, but the Brave roster itself has changed significantly since Maylan’s championship season.

What hasn’t changed is the culture. For Maylan, the strength of the Brave comes from the core group that continues to set the standard around the club.

“I think the culture stayed the same, and that speaks volumes to the leadership. The core group is still there, and it’s such a solid core group. It’s not just one or two guys.”

That foundation made the transition back into Brave colours an easy one.

While Maylan already knew the organisation, he has watched the club create the same environment for players experiencing Canberra for the first time.

“These guys do such a great job of bringing guys in. You see it with the new imports. They’re best friends with everybody right away.”

And there was another familiar face Maylan was happy to see again: Canberra itself. It’s an opinion he knows isn’t universally shared.

“I missed Canberra. I really like the city. Whenever we go somewhere and say we’re from Canberra, people are like, ‘Oh, it’s boring or cold.’ Even my girlfriend was asking why it gets so much hate because she loves it.”

For Maylan, Canberra’s appeal comes back to the same thing that drew him back to the Brave.

“Maybe it’s the community-first feeling I get from Canberra.”

Finding His Voice

With more than a decade of professional hockey behind him, Maylan is now one of the most experienced players inside the Brave locker room.

Leadership, however, isn’t something he believes requires talking at every opportunity.

“It’s a fine line because I don’t want to use up too much of my voice. I’ve played with players who are always talking, and eventually you just tune them out.”

Instead, Maylan draws on the leaders he’s encountered throughout his own career.

“I’ve been very fortunate to play with so many great leaders. I try to take what they told me, what I learned from them or what impressed me about them, and then try to do that with these guys.”

It’s another example of how Maylan’s definition of success has shifted over time.

Early in his career, the focus was on climbing as high as possible.

“When I was younger, I was trying to climb to the highest league. It was all about me.”

Now, team success carries considerably more weight.

“As I’m getting older, it’s all about the team because it’s way more fun going to the rink every day when you’re winning.”

Hockey has also given Maylan the opportunity to continue working towards life beyond the game.

Currently studying alongside his playing career, he views each additional season as an opportunity to continue his education.

“I’m treating it as a scholarship. Every year that I play, I can keep doing my studies and graduate with some degrees.”

Familiar Territory

The Brave’s path into the 2026 finals has given Maylan some reminders of the championship run he experienced two years earlier.

In 2024, Canberra endured a difficult start before fighting its way into finals and eventually lifting the Goodall Cup.

This year’s road has been different, but there are similarities Maylan can’t ignore.

“It does feel similar because of the start that we’ve had.”

The biggest difference is where the group now finds itself heading into finals.

After working its way back up the standings, Canberra has put itself in a much stronger position.

The performances over recent weeks have also given Maylan confidence in what this group can achieve. He sees his own role in the finals push as just one part of the bigger picture.

“For myself, I’m just a small piece. Everybody contributes a small piece to the team, and if everybody brings what they do best, I think we’ll be successful.”

The calmness around the group is another familiar trait.

“When it’s go time, it’s go time. Guys take care of business, and the past two weeks have shown that.”

Don’t Take It for Granted

After hundreds of teammates, countless games and more than a decade spent playing professionally, Maylan’s perspective on hockey has inevitably changed.

If there’s one lesson that continues to stay with him, it’s to appreciate the opportunity while it’s there.

Maylan knows better than most how quickly the game can be taken away.

“I’ve had to retire before because of the concussions. It could be your last time.”

That experience has given him a greater appreciation for what professional hockey allows him to do.

“We get to play a kids’ game and be around great people doing something that we love. Don’t take it for granted, because it could be over. And once it’s over, it’s over.”

For now, Maylan’s career is far from finished.

There is another finals campaign ahead, another opportunity to contribute to the club he couldn’t stop thinking about after leaving in 2024, and another chance to lift the Goodall Cup for Canberra.

This time, Maylan is making sure he appreciates every part of it.