NATHAN Walker has overcome incredible odds to become the first player from Australia to compete in the NHL.

The St. Louis Blues forward had no means to watch the NHL on TV growing up, and he was forced to leave Australia for the Czech Republic when he was 13 to pursue his hockey dreams.

Now the 29-year-old is a Stanley Cup champion and the jersey from his NHL debut is on display in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Walker is hopeful that many more of his compatriots will follow his trailblazing path following this weekend’s Global Series in Melbourne.

In the NHL’s first visit to the Southern Hemisphere, the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings will face off in two preseason games at the city’s Rod Laver Arena on September 23 and 24.

It is widely anticipated that the exhibition games and surrounding events – such as the visit of the Stanley Cup trophy – will get more young Australians into the sport.

At present, there are just 6,150 registered hockey players and 20 indoor ice rinks in Australia, according to the International Ice Hockey Federation.

Australia has a semi-pro league, the Australian Ice Hockey League, in which teams practice twice a week in the evenings and play games on the weekends.

Players are not paid and need to work day jobs alongside their hockey careers.

The vast majority of rinks are in need of major upgrades, with many lacking even plexiglass barriers around them.

Meanwhile, Australia accounted for 7.7million visits to NHL digital platforms in 2022, which is seventh among countries outside of Canada and the United States.

There are certainly building blocks to grow from.

And many league insiders are confident that the NHL’s first visit to Australia will provide a meaningful springboard for further awareness and participation in a country where rugby, cricket and Aussie Rules football are the dominant sports.

“Hopefully we can grab some more supporters for the game of hockey after all this,” Walker told The U.S. Sun. 

“It would be great to see after this the registered numbers go up. 

“That is pretty much the goal – go to non-traditional markets and showcase the hockey players the NHL has to offer and hopefully that country or region can build more and more registered players.

“There has been a lot of media coverage coming out of [the Global Series].

“A lot of people are excited to finally see some NHL hockey back in Australia so it’s going to be really exciting for everyone that goes.”

Walker, who was born in Wales and moved to Sydney when he was two, made it to the NHL after impressing in Europe as a teenager and being selected by the Washington Capitals in the 2014 Entry Draft.

He played for a number of years in the minor leagues before being called up to the Capitals’ NHL roster for the 2017-18 season.

Walker’s entry to the NHL was an immediate success, with the Capitals winning the Stanley Cup that season.

Since 2019, he has played for the St. Louis Blues, where he has thrived.

In total, he has 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 111 NHL regular-season games and one assist in five Stanley Cup Playoff fixtures.

He is sad not to be taking part in the Global Series but many of his friends and family will be attending the highly-anticipated event.

“It obviously would have been nice to take part in the games but it’s just the way it is,” Walker says. 

“I’m now in St. Louis, doing my own camp and I’m excited about that and looking forward to getting the season going.”

Walker is eager for this weekend’s events not to be a one-off and that the NHL will return to Australia in the future on a regular basis.

“It would be great for it to be a regular thing, every few years head down there for a couple of games, take a couple of different teams and keep showcasing what NHL players are like,” he said.

“Australia just needs a lot more put into ice hockey than it has.

“Whether it be rinks, games, teams, more players, I think just a bit of everything for us to become a hockey nation if you will.”

Walker has not given any thought yet to his plans after he finishes his career but he is open to playing a role in developing the sport in his home country.

“I’ve not got a book written down with goals after my career but I’d definitely like to be involved one way or another,” he says.

“And pass on the knowledge I’ve learned in my years being away and spending time with different coaches.

“I’d definitely like to be involved somehow.”