The Capers played from 1968 until 1996 when the university decided to terminate the program due to budget constraints.
When the CCAA began holding a national tournament in 1975, Cape Breton was a participant every year until 1987.
That year, the ACAA decided to end its sponsorship of ice hockey, leaving the Capers without a conference.
Fortunately, the team was invited to join the Atlantic Universities Athletic Association (AUAA), the top-tier conference in the region.
The athletic department decided to reallocate the funding to support several other less-expensive programs, ending the hockey team.