The 34-year-old former Hungarian representative said he was approached at a secondary schools tournament in Dunedin last year, and asked if he would be interested in coaching the Thunder and running its development programmes.
"I had been coaching in Canterbury for the past four to five years and really wanted a change.
"A fresh start is good because you can leave stuff behind you, but also look forward to a new challenge."
He said one of his main goals was to bring Dunedin's young players through the grades and into the Thunder.
"There are five players in the under-16 and at least 10 in the younger grades that have the potential to one day play for the Thunder."
Kaszala said he wanted to bring a "better team culture, a professional attitude and commitment to a new system" to the Thunder.
Ice Hockey New Zealand recently brought in a structure where players can play and train all year round, as opposed to past years when players had a six-month lay-off. Kaszala was pleased with the change.
"To improve you need to practise all year round, and with that happening the skills of the players will only get better."
The national league does not start till May but the Thunder has its first pre-season game on Tuesday.
Kaszala was impressed with Dunedin's Ice Stadium, saying it was a "world-class facility" and "undoubtedly the best rink in the country".
Kaszala comes from a good sporting pedigree. His father played for the Hungarian national team and his sister was the first Hungarian to go to the Winter Olympics as a speed skater, in France in 1994.
Kaszala, a left winger/centre, played as a professional in Hungary for 12 years at the Ferencvaros and Dunaferr Dunaujvaros clubs, and represented his country in 54 games.
He said he had enjoyed many career highlights, but his most exceptional memory was from the under-18 division one world championships where he was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
Kaszala moved to Dunedin with his wife, son and daughter after shifting to Canterbury in 2006.
His house was relatively unscathed from the earthquakes and he counted himself very lucky that his family's house insurance was confirmed just one day before the first quake struck in September.
He coached and played for the Canterbury Red Devils in the national league, coached all the youth players in the region and coached the under-13 and under-16 representative sides.
He was named the New Zealand Ice Hockey League's MVP in 2006-07, and in his his final game for Red Devils in the 20008-09 season he scored the winning goal in their national championship win.
He hung up his skates after that due to a knee injury and his desire to coach, but such is his love for the sport he has been lured back to compete for the Dunedin Penguins in the Masters Games.
His house is being rented to tenants in Christchurch and he has no plans to leave Dunedin.
"It's so laid back here. The people are so nice and I love to surf. I feel this is the place where I want to be for a long time."
Four Southern players have been named in the Ice Blacks team for the world division two group A championships in Iceland in April. They are Bert Haines, Aston Brooks, Regan Wilson and Connor Harrison.
