‘This Is Hockey’ documentary previewed at LATAM Cup

This series of seven parts emphasizes the growth of sport in Latin America and the Caribbean.

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’s reference was to his decisive double-overtime goal that secured Argentina a 3-2 victory over Greece Heritage HC, consequently winning the 2023 Amerigol LATAM Cup men’s Division I championship.

He also mentioned observing the golden goal in the context of “This Is Hockey,” a seven-part documentary series by NHL Productions. This series, which will be broadcast later this season, aims to spotlight initiatives to expand 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 was about the growth of soccer in their home country, a nation known for its passion for the sport.

“The editing, the work, it’s incredible,” expressed Haiek, a forward and captain of the Division I men’s team. “We hope viewers understand our passion for hockey in Argentina, our experiences as players and our efforts to nurture it. They get to see all the hard work we invest in it.”

During the LATAM Cup tournament, which is taking place at the Florida Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs and the Baptist Health IcePlex (the practice facility of the 2024 Stanley Cup champions), teams from Brazil and Colombia will view episodes about their respective countries. The tournament runs until Sunday.

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

The concept for the series, which is financed by the IGF, was initiated by Collin Kornfeind, the senior producer/editor for NHL Productions, and Donny Khan, the NHL Senior Director of Hockey Development & Strategic Collaboration.

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

Kornfeind and Khan visited Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Mexico to shoot footage. They allowed players and organizers to express their passion for the sport.

Khan expressed, “The tournament serves as a platform to illustrate that hockey is played worldwide. I believe it’s a genuine method for us to establish a real link, demonstrating the NHL’s keen interest in extending our fanbase. We warmly welcome all game enthusiasts, irrespective of their location. We conceived this idea of strengthening that link by visiting countries from which some teams participating in the LATAM Cup hail.”

Every country and territory dreams of becoming participants in international hockey and aims to compete one day in the International Ice Hockey Federation world championships and perhaps even the Winter Olympics.

However, each one faces distinct obstacles in achieving those dreams, which could range from climate issues, a shortage of rinks, to the expenses of transporting equipment to their homelands.

The dream and desire have not been diminished, as shown by the continuously expanding LATAM Cup. The current year’s tournament features 52 teams from men’s, women’s, and youth categories, with over 1,100 players representing 17 different countries and territories, including those highlighted in the documentary series.

Argentina is among the luckier countries. It boasts an outdoor rink in Ushuaia, a resort town located at the southernmost point of South America, also known as “El Fin del Mundo” or “End of the World.”

Buenos Aires, the capital city, is almost 1,500 miles away and only has ice available for approximately three months of the year. However, an indoor rink is currently 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, stated that the upcoming rink and the documentary series “This Is Hockey” will boost the popularity of the sport in his country.

“He said, ‘We’re partnering with the IIHF to initiate a program that introduces school kids to rink hockey, and this includes Ushuaia as well. I believe that with the support of the IIHF, our government, and this documentary series, we can establish a strong foundation. And as we know, a big base leads to great players at the top.'”