Ice Blacks NZIHL Puck Yeah News

PUCK YEAH 24 with special guest Ian Wannamaker

Botany Swarm assistant coach and former Ice Black Ian Wannamaker joins the podcast to discuss youth development and his playing career, from Canadian junior hockey to representing his adoptive country New Zealand.

0:00 – We’re back! Why were we away for so long?
2:00 – Bringing in Ian Wannamaker
4:00 – Playing junior hockey in Canada
7:00 – Ian’s only fight in the NZIHL
8:30 – Gaining NZ citizenship and being selected by the Ice Blacks
9:40 – Traveling to Iceland for an Ice Blacks tournament
12:45 – Showing our love for Tim Hortons
14:00 – Other favourite countries Ian has traveled to playing for the Ice Blacks
15:00 – The growth of New Zealand’s hockey game
19:30 – Being a hockey play-by-play commentator and the New Zealand v Mexico rivalry
22:10 – Building up the rivalry between NZ and Australia to attract more casual fans
24:40 – Ian’s time playing for the Botany Swarm and winning three NZIHL championships
26:10 – The Botany Swarm’s current struggles and how they can turn it around
28:40 – What an assistant coach does within a hockey team
30:45 – Can the NZIHL grow further and perhaps add a Wellington team?
33:40 – Does having import players help or hurt the development of NZ players?
38:49 – Being part of the NZIHL 100 club and favourite memories
41:45 – What can the NZIHF do to help grow hockey further in New Zealand?
47:10 – Favourite hockey movies
50:44 – Video game consoles from our childhood
52:40 – The NHL’s next-gen coming through and how NZ can learn from their marketing
56:45 – Ian being a life-long Toronto Maple Leafs fan
59:19 – Daydreaming about NHL players flashing their cash and investing in NZIHL teams
1:00:40 – The realities of being a NZIHL import and attracting new players
1:03:59 – Is the NZIHL a dangerous league to play in?
1:08:22 – Let’s wrap it up!

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