Dunedin Thunder and Ice Blacks coach Janos Kaszala wants the national league to change its rules around imports.
Teams are allowed to dress four imports per game as well as two assimilated players who intend to play for New Zealand or live here long-term.
Kaszala thinks four imports is a ''great number'', but wants the rule allowing two assimilated players to be dropped.
''Those guys are still taking two spots away from Kiwis and they are never going to play for New Zealand,'' Kaszala said.
''One of the purposes of the NZIHL is to develop the New Zealand players. So if you're taking opportunities away from them, you're not going to develop them. It's quite simple.
''At the end of the day, ice hockey in New Zealand is amateur. You definitely need the imports - don't get me wrong - but six is just too many.''
The NZIHL was founded in 2005 and allowed only four imports for the first six years. It allowed seven in 2012, before settling on six the past few years.
Kaszala said the top 10 goal-scorers in the league between 2005-2011 usually included ''at least five or six'' Kiwis.
Since 2012, there were some years where no New Zealanders featured in the top 10, he said.
With just the finals between the Southern Stampede and Canterbury Red Devils to play this season, there are two New Zealanders - Paris Heyd (Thunder) and Chris Eaden (Red Devils) - in the top 10 .
''I think the league needs to sit down and refocus on the purpose of why we have the league. Do we want to move to a professional league or not? Because if we want to go professional, this is the way to go,'' Kaszala said.
''Bring in more imports, better imports. But at the moment, the league is amateur and the purpose is to develop Kiwi players.''
Kaszala, who will coach the South Island against the North Island in the annual Skate of Origin match in Queenstown on August 29, has had a few days to reflect on the Thunder's below-par season.
After reaching the finals the past two years, the Dunedin-based team won just five of its 16 games to finish fourth this season.
The Thunder was ravaged by injuries, including the loss of star forward Connor Harrison in the first few minutes of the season, but it was the defence that let the team down, Kaszala said.
The team conceded a league-high 108 goals in its 15 games, while managing just 66 of its own, the second-fewest behind the West Auckland Admirals (65).
Seventeen of the 108 goals conceded came in one game against the Red Devils at the weekend - a league record - before the Thunder turned around and won the rematch 5-3 the following day.
The Thunder goal was peppered with 44 shots in each match, leaving Kaszala no choice but to blame the goaltending.
With import goalie Jakub Pyrochta limited to playing just 66% of the season under league rules, the New Zealand goalies got a hammering in the first match.
Kaszala said the team would need to improve its stocks in the goalie position and across the board defensively to be more competitive next year.
The NZIHL was unable to be reached for comment yesterday, but it usually reviews its rules at the end of each season.
