KEY POINTS
- Pakistan men’s ice hockey team stunned the world by winning the Division III title in Florida
- The team was composed entirely of Pakistani-origin players from North America
- From teenage rookies to seasoned students, the team’s journey combined family bonds, cultural pride, and the dream of representing Pakistan on ice
ISLAMABAD: What began as a bold idea just weeks before puck drop turned into a golden chapter in Pakistan’s sporting history. The country’s men’s ice hockey team, hastily assembled and entirely made up of Pakistani-origin players from North America, stunned the world by winning the Division III title at the Amerigol Latam Cup 2025 in Coral Springs, Florida.
With barely enough time to meet each other, let alone train together, Team Pakistan’s creation was nothing short of a miracle, born out of diaspora passion, WhatsApp chats, and a shared dream of representing their ancestral homeland on the global ice.
The Man Behind the Mission: Donny Khan
At the heart of this fairy-tale story is Donny Khan, a Pakistani-American and senior executive in the National Hockey League (NHL).
With the tournament fast approaching and a vision of unity in his heart, Donny set out to form a national team, not with training camps or federation funding, but with phone calls, DMs, and spreadsheets.
“We didn’t have a rink or a national program,” Donny said. “But we had belief, a deep connection to our roots, and enough Pakistani talent in North America to make this dream real.”
He reached out to fellow NHL alum Umar Khan, and together, they assembled a diverse squad of 18 players, some of whom had never even met before arriving in Florida.
Among them: college players, teenagers, recreational skaters, and even a goalie who is still in high school.
Baig Brothers: From Montreal to Glory
At 25, Shaan Baig was the eldest on the team — a veteran by comparison, currently studying at Cambridge University and playing college hockey in the UK.
His younger brother, 14-year-old Ilyas, was the team’s youngest player and one of the youngest in the entire tournament.
“I’ve always been the only Pakistani on any team I played for,” said Shaan. “To finally skate alongside people who look like me, share my story — and to do it with my brother? Unreal.”
Their highlight? Lifting the championship trophy together after defeating Peru 6-1 in the final.
“That was the best moment of my life,” said Ilyas, wide-eyed and still processing the whirlwind week.
Team Khan: A Family Affair
In what could easily be mistaken for a family reunion, seven players on the roster shared the surname ‘Khan’, each from different cities, but bonded by history.
Donny Khan’s 14-year-old son Colton stood in net as the team’s only goalie, showing poise beyond his years.
Umar and Siddiq Khan, brothers and forwards, brought both firepower and familiarity to the frontline.
Zaakir Khan, a defenseman at George Mason University, found his way onto the team via a surprise Instagram DM from teammate Rohail Khan, asking, “Are you of Pakistani descent?”
“Next thing I knew, I was on a call with Donny, and it was happening,” Zaakir said. “Representing the land of my grandfather, who came from Lahore in the 1940s, it’s bigger than hockey.”
Also on the team were Tariq Khan, a former NA3HL forward from Alberta, and Rohail Khan, the spark plug who helped connect dots behind the scenes.
From Rookie to Rising Star: Saem Iftikhar
Then there’s Saem Iftikhar, a 20-year-old student at City College of New York, who had only played three competitive games before the tournament.
“Now I’ve played five,” he joked. “One of them was a final. Wearing that jersey with Pakistan’s name on it, that meant everything.”
The Fast-Tracked Dream
The journey wasn’t smooth. After a rocky 8–3 opening loss to Chile and a narrow 6–5 defeat to Mexico, Team Pakistan bounced back to beat Brazil 5–2.
The squad found rhythm fast, remarkable, considering most had only skated together for the first time just days earlier.
What they lacked in preparation, they made up for in spirit.
“These boys played like they were born for this,” said Donny. “They gave Pakistan its first ice hockey title with pride, grit, and heart.”
More Than Medals: A Movement Begins
The team’s efforts weren’t just about winning a trophy. With growing support from the Pakistan Winter Sports Federation, the players and organizers are now pushing to establish long-term ice hockey programs in northern Pakistan, where snowy climates like Gilgit-Baltistan and Skardu offer natural venues.
“We want this to be the start of something real,” Donny said. “Not just for the diaspora, but for the kids back home.”
Women Make Their Mark
The history-making didn’t stop with the men. Pakistan’s women’s team, also formed for the first time and made up of diaspora players, won a bronze medal in Division II — marking a landmark debut for women in Pakistani ice hockey.
Team Pakistan’s journey in Florida proved one thing beyond doubt: ice hockey may not be part of the country’s tradition, but it is now part of its future.
