Gavoille (23) applied to the five New Zealand franchises for a league spot.
''No team wanted me,'' he said.
''They all had their quota of overseas players.''
He had come to New Zealand as a tourist and intended to travel in Asia and the Pacific for a year.
''When I left France I just wanted to travel and have fun. I'm happy to be in a team in New Zealand because it makes it easier to meet people.''
When he arrived in Dunedin three weeks ago, he contacted the Dunedin Thunder but did not expect to be signed.
But he was lucky and arrived in the city at the right time. A signed Canadian import had gone home just a week earlier.
''I was in the right place at the right time,'' Gavoille said.
''Thunder is a friendly team and they all welcomed me.''
He comes from Chamonix, a ski resort of 9800 people in the French Alps, and has been playing ice hockey from the age of 3.
Gavoille plays on the left wing and has been a regular in the Chamonix team that plays in the French junior league.
He heard about Dunedin Thunder from his clubmate, Damian Torfou, who played for the Thunder last year.
Back home, he works in his parents' jewellery shop.
''I just wanted a change of life to find out who I am by meeting people,'' he said.
Gavoille has noticed some significant differences between French and New Zealand ice hockey in the two weeks he has played in the league.
''We play two games each weekend here compared to only one game in France,'' Gavoille said.
''The game is more physical here.
''There is more contact, and you get a few hits.''
Few spectators attend games in the French junior league but from 800 to 1000 attend senior games.
The Dunedin Thunder plays the Canterbury Red Devils in a double-header at the Dunedin Ice Stadium this weekend.
The teams are joint leaders with 16 points after eight games in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League. They are followed by the Southern Stampede (15), the Botany Swarm (13) and the West Auckland Admirals (0).
The Southern Stampede plays a double-header against the Botany Swarm in Queenstown.
NZ league
Crunch games
Dunedin Thunder v Red Devils, Dunedin Ice Stadium, Saturday 5.10pm and Sunday 4.10pm
Southern Stampede v Botany Swarm, Queenstown Ice Rink, Friday 7pm and Saturday 7pm
