Top 3 hockey movies to watch as we wait for the NHL
We’re in the dog days of summer and still just several weeks away from Washington Capitals hockey. But thankfully there’s hockey movies we can watch to pass the time. Presenting the top 3.
You can likely find these movies on demand, on Netflix, Hulu or any of your favorite streaming services. Or even Disney Plus.
#3 Slap Shot
Nope it’s not the origin of our favorite mascot but it’s a funny movie. My first R rated movie was Blazing Saddles but when I have kids and if they’re into hockey I’ll let this one be their first rated R movie.
Slap Shot is a movie that was made in 1977 and it was a box office success and even became a cult film. It is based in the fictional town of Charlestown, Pennsylvania where the local steel mill is about to close and lay off 10,000 workers.
It also impacts the town’s minor league hockey team, the Charlestown Chiefs, that were struggling with a losing season and a crowd that was very hostile, like Toronto Maple Leafs fans type of hostile.
Despite this, the crowd warmed up to them thanks to an on ice brawl with the opposing team’s goaltender. This movie has lots of on ice blunders and bloopers too I won’t spoil it.
#2 The Mighty Ducks
The Mighty Ducks, made by Disney, is a hockey trilogy that was started in the 1990’s. It also featured an animated television series and a live action sequel television series. And yes it’s based off the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Well, sort of. But not really.
The first movie starts with Gordon Bombay getting pulled over for drunk driving. He was sentenced to 500 hour of community service where he decided to coach youth hockey.
He ended up coaching the District 5 peewee hockey team perennial losers who finish at the bottom of the league standings every season. They get shut out every game and lose by at least five goals.
The players all learned that their coach was once a player for the Hawks and the team in the same league but left hockey because he failed to make a penalty shot at the end of a peewee championship game.
Bombay taught his players the fundamentals of the sport and the team became the Ducks. They began to start winning games and even managed to make the playoffs.
I won’t spoil anything else but I will say there’s a sequel called D2: The Mighty Ducks as well as D3: The Mighty Ducks.
#1 Miracle
Miracle is the number one hockey movie to watch. It’s about the 1980 USA Hockey team in the Winter Olympics where they upset the mighty and heavily favored Soviet Union on the way to a Gold Medal.
It was dubbed the “Miracle on Ice” and of course based off a true story. The movie itself was directed by Gavin O’Connor and written by Eric Guggenhelm and Mike Rich. It was released on Feb. 20, 2004 grossing #64.5 million on a $28 million budget while receiving positive reviews.
The U.S. hockey team was led by head coach Herb Brooks who was portrayed by Kurt Russell in the movie. Russell got critical acclaim from movie reviewers for his performance in his role.
Herb Brooks was the head ice hockey coach at the University of Minnesota. The movie starts where he interviews with the United States Olympic Committee for the national team coach’s job. He even had a game plan on how to beat the Soviet Union.
They were skeptical but gave him the job anyway. He selected a roster of 26 and eventually had to cut it down to 20. Tempers flared at the practice and he even made his players skate laps after practice.
I won’t spoil anything else but I will say Miracle is a very inspiring movie and easily the best hockey movie.