Dunedin Thunder goaltender Rick Parry was a key player in the squad from 2008 to 2011 when the Ice Blacks made headway on the international scene.
But Parry (24), a commerce and marketing student at the University of Otago, could not afford to go on this year's trip to Iceland for the division two group A world championships in April.
The Ice Blacks lost all their games in Reykjavik and were relegated to the B division when they lost their last game to Serbia 17-0.
"It's a huge honour to represent your country and it is something I always strive to do," Parry said.
He enjoyed the travel and has played in seven different countries.
"Since I was a little kid, I always wanted to play professionally," he said.
"I have a huge passion for the sport and everything about it. I want to go as far as I can."
He has set himself high targets and also believes the national league will grow and provide professional opportunities for future generations.
Ice hockey in New Zealand is an amateur game at the moment.
"When the young kids get to my stage, I would like it to be a professional league for them," he said.
Parry's interest in the sport started when he was growing up in Whangarei and travelled to Auckland twice a week to play ice hockey.
The technical side of his game improved when he spent a year under the tutelage of coach Jamie McGuire in Canada.
He has tried to model his game on that of Swedish goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who plays for the New York Rangers.
He has spent hours studying video tapes of his game.
The National Ice Hockey League started in 2005 and the Dunedin Thunder has knocked on the door for the last two years, finishing fourth.
"We have the potential to do better than that," Parry said.
"Everyone is quite anxious now because we have been practising for two months and the season is about to start. We just want to get into it.
"We have got rid of a few players who had egos last year and put themselves ahead of the team."
Dunedin Thunder has been given the honour of being the first holder of the new Toa Kauhanga Riri Tio trophy, which will be defended in the second game of a doubleheader weekend.
The new trophy will be contested in a similar format to the Ranfurly Shield, with the holder defending the trophy in its Sunday game during the regular season.
The Dunedin Thunder will open its national league campaign this weekend with a doubleheader against the West Auckland Admirals at the Dunedin Ice Stadium.
The puck drops tonight at 6.10pm and tomorrow at 4.10pm.
Dunedin Thunder
2012 season
Key players
Regan Wilson (defender), Rick Parry (goaltender), Paris Heyd (forward)Draw
Home games: v Admirals (June 9-10), v Red Devils (June 16-17), v Stampede (July 28-29), v Swarm (August 18-19)
Away games: v Swarm (June 23-24), v Stampede (June 29-30), v Admirals (July 7-8), v Red Devils (August 11-12)
