[2] The first ever game of the NZIHL in the inaugural 2005 season, was played on 3 June 2005 at Paradice Botany Downs, Auckland.

Southern Stampede finished top of the regular season standings, claiming the league premiership.

The Stampede relocated to Queenstown leaving the Thunder to build its supporter base in Dunedin.

[2] These four teams covered three of four affiliated regions that make up the New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation, this being Auckland, Canterbury and Southern.

Auckland Mako joined the league after being established in the same year as a youth development team following IIHF competition cancellations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[6] Future expansion of the NZIHL is limited due to small number of ice rink facilities across the country.

Despite having a regional association with the Federation, Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, does not have any ice sports facilities.

In 2011, it was reported that the local Wellington City Council was considering options for building a permanent ice rink facility, while they agreed to a privately paid for temporary rink to be constructed on Wellington's waterfront at Queens Wharf to attract Rugby World Cup fans and holidaying school children for the Wintergarden event.

[15] It was intended that this new team would join the league in 2023, allowing sufficient lead time for the Rush to establish itself properly and get ready for competition.

However, the Rush never got the opportunity to take part in the PHL, when in early 2023, the league announced it was ceasing operations.

[16] Also in 2022, the Australian and New Zealand federations jointly announced a new concept of an All-Star match between the winners of the AIHL and NZIHL.

[17] However, the all-star game concept was shelved and instead a new international series between Australia and New Zealand was announced in its place.

Because of this, Mako’s games do not count towards the NZIHL standings and player statistics are recorder separately from the rest of the league.

[20] The NZIHL has adopted the international standard three 20-minute stop-time regulation period length for all regular season and finals games.

All regular season and finals overtime periods are five minutes long with golden goal rules (first to score wins).

Where possible with ice rink facilities, and upon prior decision by the NZIHL General Manager, the three grand final games will implement a 3 on 3 single 20 minute overtime period followed by a shootout.

Import players and Australian citizens must have a cleared international transfer card (ITC) in order to be eligible to play an NZIHL game.

[2] The Toa Kauhanga Riri Tio challenge trophy (TKRT) was introduced in the 2012 season.

The Māori trophy name translates to "champions of the ice battlefield" and was designed and built by Wellington craftsman Mark Newnham.

The current holders of the Riri Tio must defend the trophy on home ice in the second game of each round.

[2] The Glass Family Shield was awarded annually to the winner of the Skate Of Origin series between its inception in 2009 and conclusion in 2016.

[24] The shield was named after the South Island Glass family who were leaders and builder of the sport of ice hockey within New Zealand over the course of three generations.

Ben Glass is a founding member of the NZIHF and patron of the Southern Ice Hockey League (SIHL).

In addition, Annabelle Lewis also represented the New Zealand women's national team, the Ice Fernz.

The TTCL was designed to be an annual event played over a single weekend with the host alternating between New Zealand and Australia.

[11] In 2013, the second edition of the tournament was intended to be played in New Zealand but costs prevented the AIHL sending any teams and the Champions League was cancelled.

[12] In 2016, there was discussions to revive the TTCL with the champions of the NZIHL and AIHL playing in a 3 game series in New Zealand, but the NZIHF and IHA decided an international series between the Ice Blacks and Mighty Roos would be better, with a view to return to the Trans-Tasman Champions League and Trans-Tasman Trophy sometime in the future.