‘This Is Hockey’ series highlights growth of game in Latin America, Caribbean

Teams participating in the LATAM Cup are viewing episodes of a 7-part documentary.

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – Owen Haiek watched perhaps the most important goal of his hockey career on a giant silver screen Wednesday and smiled.

“It was amazing,” Haiek said.

Haiek was talking about his game-winning goal in double-overtime that secured Argentina a 3-2 victory over Greece Heritage HC, clinifying the 2023 Amerigol LATAM Cup Men’s Division I championship.

He also discussed viewing the golden goal as part of “This Is Hockey”, a seven-part documentary series by NHL Productions. The series, which will be broadcast later this season, aims to showcase the efforts made to promote the sport in Latin American and Caribbean regions.

On the first day of the 2024 LATAM Cup Tournament, players from Argentina’s men’s and women’s teams attended a screening at the Paragon Theater. The episode they watched focused on the evolution of the sport in their soccer-obsessed home country.

“The editing, the work, it’s incredible,” said Haiek, a forward and captain of the Division I men’s team. “We hope that viewers will understand our passion for hockey in Argentina, our experiences as players, and our efforts to develop the sport. They can see all the effort we invest in it.”

During the LATAM Cup tournament, which takes place at the Florida Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs and the Baptist Health IcePlex – the training facility of the 2024 Stanley Cup champions – the teams from Brazil and Colombia will watch episodes about their respective countries. The tournament continues until Sunday.

The tournament is sponsored by the NHL, the NHL Players Association through the International Growth Fund, and the Panthers.

The series concept, financed by the IGF, was the brainchild of Collin Kornfeind, a senior producer/editor at NHL Productions, and Donny Khan, the NHL’s Senior Director of Hockey Development & Strategic Collaboration.

Juan Carlos Otero founded the LATAM Cup in 2018. Since then, they have either attended or covered the event several times, and have been impressed by the passion and pride exhibited by players from what are referred to as non-traditional hockey markets.

Kornfeind and Khan journeyed to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Mexico to make a film. They gave players and organizers the chance to articulate their passion for the sport.

Khan stated, “The tournament serves as a testament to the global reach of hockey. It provides a genuine opportunity to demonstrate the NHL’s keen interest in broadening our fanbase. We are open to all who have a passion for the game, regardless of their location. We conceived the idea of enhancing this connection by visiting countries that are home to teams competing in the LATAM Cup.”

All countries and territories aim to be participants in international hockey and dream of one day competing in the International Ice Hockey Federation world championships and the Winter Olympics.

However, each one confronts distinct obstacles in achieving those dreams, which can vary from climate issues to the absence of rinks to the expense of transporting equipment to their native lands.

However, the ever-expanding LATAM Cup, which this year includes 52 men’s, women’s, and youth teams and over 1,100 players from 17 countries and territories, including those highlighted in the documentary series, proves that the dream and the desire have not been dampened.

Argentina, considered as one of the luckier nations, is home to an outdoor rink in Ushuaia. This resort town, located at the southernmost point of South America, is often referred to as “El Fin del Mundo”, translating to “End of the World”.

Buenos Aires, the capital city, is nearly 1,500 miles away and has ice available for only about three months during the year. Currently, an indoor rink is under construction in Buenos Aires.

Owen’s father, Dicky Haiek, who is also a coach and the founder of the Argentine Association of Ice and In-Line Hockey, expressed that the upcoming rink and the “This Is Hockey” documentary series will enhance the visibility of the sport in Argentina.

“He stated, “We are collaborating with the IIHF to involve school children in rink activities, including in Ushuaia. I believe that with the support of IIHF, our government and this documentary series, we can establish a strong foundation. As we know, a wider base in the pyramid leads to good players at the top.”