Coming to New Zealand

Foreign players share their experiences playing in uncharted territory.

“I played in France last year and there’s a guy on the other team that used to play on the team that I played for,” Nippard said. “My stall mate was his stall mate. That’s how small the world is.”

AVONDALE, NZ — Imagine calling your parents back in Canada and telling them you’re moving to New Zealand.

“What? Surfing? What are you doing down there?” they say.

“No, I’m going to play in the league down there,” you answer.

“What? Are you serious?” they say.

Most foreign players in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League (NZIHL) have had a talk similar to this with their parents.

These ‘imports’, their official name in the league, come from traditional ice hockey countries like Canada, United States, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, and other European countries.

Each team can dress four imports per game, but other foreign-born players who are residents are not counted in the total. Imports receive round trip airfares from their home country to New Zealand, accommodations, transportation assistance, visa guidance, all team apparel, some equipment allowance, and job assistance.

While the island nation would be known more for its surfing, like West Auckland Admirals right wing Dave Nippard’s mom thought, New Zealand is full of surprises. There’s more to the country than volcanoes, hobbits, and rugby.

“My parents were like, What the hell are you doing?” Nippard said.

The Newfoundland-born player wrapped up a season in France with Morzine-Avoriaz, but wasn’t sure if his career would end there.

His playing options that time of year were the NZIHL and the Australian Ice Hockey League. The NZIHL won out because of mutual connections with the Admirals captain and fellow Canadian, Justin Daigle. The two communicated, which led to team manager Tim Ratcliffe inviting Nippard to the team.

“You’ll notice the world’s small, but the hockey world’s super small,” Nippard said. “Everyone knows everyone, or knows someone that knows someone.”

Daigle’s discovery of the league was different from Nippard’s.

He spent the past nine months traveling around the world with his girlfriend at the time and stayed in New Zealand for the final six months. Plans changed when an old love came back into his life: hockey.

“We cancelled the flights that were scheduled for April, and have been here ever since,” he said.

Hungarian defenceman Tamas Laday joined Nippard as two new imports for the 2019 season.

The couple’s since broken up, but Daigle is now engaged to a Kiwi woman.

“It’s crazy how that works,” he said. “I’m a full-blown Caniwi, as we say it.”

Daigle was a year removed from hockey by the time he reached New Zealand. The former University of Alaska-Fairbanks defenceman spent over ten years in hockey. Once he saw the familiar sport in an unfamiliar area, he called home for his equipment.

His mom was relieved to hear that he found answers after he went through a crossroads with the sport. Others had different concerns.

“Everyone was really surprised that it was even a thing and some people thought I was lying,” the Calgary native said. “I was like, ‘No, no, check out the website.’’

Of course, international shipping rates got in the way of him looking like one of the boys. His mom packed his gear “like a Russian doll” into a box.

It didn’t go unnoticed at his first training with the team.

“I walked in with this giant box and everyone’s like, ‘Who the hell is this guy?’ And then I opened it up and I got my gear in it, and they’re like, ‘You don’t have a hockey bag?’” he said.

After they cleared that out of the way, the group was an “instant fit” and provided Daigle a new family.

Other imports share the same thoughts as well.

“When you come into a new team, sometimes you kind of feel alienated,” Nippard said. “But as soon as you walk into here, the guys welcome you with open arms.”

The case for leaving Canada’s deep hockey culture for New Zealand’s growing culture makes more sense when you realize how culturally similar New Zealand is to Canada.

“Kiwis, like Canadians are very passive people, pretty accommodating and friendly,” Daigle said.

Take for instance, something like smiling at a stranger on the street.

“When I was in Europe, if you wave or smile or said hi to somebody like a stranger, they were like, ‘What is this guy on?’” Nippard said.

Not the case in New Zealand.

The friendly atmosphere provides a “home feel” to Canadian players.

Auckland’s winters? Less like home.

Temperatures drop drastically as you head into the South Island where events like outdoor hockey tournaments are hosted on Lake Tekapo.

“The transition period was really easy,” Nippard said. “Everywhere you go it’s beautiful.”

If those back at home still ask, Why New Zealand? The country sells itself.

“The landscape’s beautiful, the water is just a stone throw away, the beaches are amazing,” Nippard said.