ðə kˈænbɚɹə nˈaɪts, ɐlˈɔŋ wɪððə sˈɪdni bˈɛɹz ænd ˈædəlˌeɪd ˈævəlˌænʃ, fˈaʊndᵻd ðɪ ˈeɪhl æz ɐ θɹˈiːtˈiːm kˌɑːmpətˈɪʃən fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ðə dɪsbˈændɪŋ ʌvðɪ ˈɛksəl ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd.
The Canberra Knights, along with the Sydney Bears and Adelaide Avalanche, founded the AIHL as a three-team competition following the disbanding of the ECSL in 2000.