50Phoenix Thunder 2025 Season Preview
A warm Friday night in the middle of March isn’t how the Phoenix Thunder would normally start their NZIHL season, but the pre-season games vs the Auckland Mako marked the beginning of their 2025 NZIHL campaign. It’s been a few years since the Phoenix Thunder have made it into the playoffs, 2018 to be exact, but this year there is a quiet confidence in the camp that this year they can break that drought. The games vs the Mako were the official start to the season, but for many involved with the team preparations began a lot earlier, and that could prove to be the base for a much improved performance on the ice over the next 16 games, and hopefully for the team and the fans, beyond the regular season.
Photo thanks to Kea Photos – https://www.keaphotos.com/
The build up to the 2025 NZIHL season has seen the team add off-season training, fitness testing and trial games to get themselves prepared, physically and mentally for the upcoming season. Cole Beckstead, the Canadian import in his second year with the Thunder, played a part in implementing off-season training. With the help of coach Guillaume Leclancher they set out to help improve skills for not just the Phoenix Thunder, but all players from the region interested in taking the next step. “I started with certain players during the last season, but realised many others had a desire to learn and work at a higher level during the off-season, it’s been amazing to see the growth in a short time period,” Cole said. “Master the basics, build from there. Growth comes from repetition, the more you do it the better you get at it.” Asked if he felt like this was a better prepared squad than last year he said, “I’ve seen so much development from my teammates, particularly the youth. I believe they are truly starting to grasp what it takes to be a high-end hockey player on and off the ice.”
As the season approached rumblings of some exciting news regarding the squad announcement began to work their way around the hockey community in Dunedin. And it was with excitement that the not-so-secret, secret was finally announced. Bolstering the squad would be old linemates Joe Orr and Jacob Hurring, with Max Hurring joining his brother in returning to the team, his defense giving Coach Leclancher added depth to work with. And defense is a key component for the Phoenix Thunder, so much that they will be bringing in even more defensive reinforcements in the form of two new import players. It was with sadness that Ryan Wonfor announced his departure, instead Luke Stegmann and Mark Shroyer join the team this year, coming to the league from playing in France for the last few years. Talented players that should provide important solidity at the back, as well as some potential offense from the point. Asked about the squad this year Coach Leclancer had this to say, “This group looks quite different this season. We’ve lost some outstanding players, but we are excited for their new chapters and thank them for their contributions. We are fortunate to have some key players returning in Joe, Jacob and Max, who bring incredible value on and off the ice. Their leadership and experience are invaluable to the team. Our imports are players we believe will make a significant impact. We are confident in our recruitment and excited for you all to meet them as they settle in.” Captain of the Phoenix Thunder once again is the indefatigable veteran Mat Enright who had this to say about this year’s roster, “It’s great to see some of the old Thunder faces back in the lineup, players who carry real mana and bring invaluable experience. Their leadership, combined with the energy of the younger guys creates an exciting balance.”
Photo thanks to Kea Photos – https://www.keaphotos.com/
The fans got the chance to see all the hard work and preparation finally put to test in the games against the Mako last weekend, minus a few players that would join the team later, including both imports. Through both games they showed a lot of good offensive play and spent most of both games at the right end of the ice. It didn’t translate to goals in the first period of game one, going down 0-2, but they rallied back to finish the game 5-4 victors. They didn’t lose a period after that first one, outscoring the Mako each period from then on, game two finishing 9-4 for the home team. The coach would’ve been happy with how the team responded after going down, and the way they played was very encouraging with plenty of offense on display, tallying a total of 112 shots over two games. “I’m pleased to say that the players have responded well to the changes we’ve implemented. We are pushing for a more aggressive and dynamic style of play, and the team has consistently risen to the challenge,” Coach Leclancher commented after the weekend. With scoring coming from up and down the line up, it is encouraging signs for the team going forward. “The Mako games were a great chance to iron out some kinks in the road and proved to be a solid weekend of preparation ahead of our season opener against the Admirals,” said Captain Enright, “off-season training has set a strong foundation, and the coaching staff’s attention to detail and tailored training sessions are making a real impact on our gameplay. Now it’s about fine tuning and making sure we are ready to go.”
Only time will tell if they have done enough to improve their standings in the NZIHL, the competition is tough and there are very good teams to overcome. But what is already certain is the hard work they’ve put in, and their commitment to improving not only for the fans but for themselves and their teammates. They start their season proper with home games against the West Auckland Admirals this weekend on Friday 28th at 7pm, and Saturday 29th at 6pm.