1. Slap Shot
Starring: Paul Newman, Strother Martin, Michael Ontkean, the Hanson Brothers
Paul Newman and his Butch Cassidy director, George Roy Hill, made a very original comedy in this 1977 story of an over-the-hill player/coach (Newman) for a lousy hockey team who gets results when he teaches his players to get dirty. One of the most hilariously profane movies ever to come out of Hollywood, this is the kind of film that makes its own rules as it goes along. Newman is very good, and while Hill goes for the gusto in terms of capturing the violence of this world, his instinct for comedy has never been sharper. Rated R - violence, language, nudity.
2. The Mighty Ducks
Starring: Emilio Estevez, Joshua Jackson
Disney had an unexpected hit with this predictable comedy about a smug lawyer (Emilio Estevez) busted for drunk driving and ordered to coach a sad-sack team of hockey-playing kids as community service. I saw this in the theatre as a kid and loved it, still love it to this day. This movie's success resulted in an NHL team, now known as the Anaheim Ducks (formerly Mighty Ducks of Anaheim).
3. Youngblood
Starring: Rob Lowe, Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves
Rob Lowe stars as Dean Youngblood, an American rookie who's been given a shot on a Canadian Junior League hockey team. Sure, he can skate, but can he take a punch? This coming-of-age story is about learning the beauty of vicious hockey fights. Most non-hockey fans will hate this movie but it's great because of the actors. Hockey was not that popular back in 1986 as it is today so they took a huge risk with this movie and it payed off.
4. Miracle
Starring: Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson
A Disney movie about the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" team - the US olympic men's hockey team that beat the favored Russians. Kurt Russell plays famed coach Herb Brooks. It's a great hockey movie because it's a true story. Only problem I had was with the skates the actors wore - that style wasn't available until the mid-90's, not 1980...it would've been more realistic had they used old-school skates, although uncomfortable for the actors.
4. The Rocket
Starring: Roy Dupuis, Sean Avery, Vincent Lecavalier
The Rocket is a French-Canadian film about Maurice "Rocket" Richard, the first player to score 50 goals in 50 games, who played for the Montreal Canadians. It shows how French-Canadian players were treated back then (not very well). Good historical movie, but it is in French with English subtitles...I do not suggest watching the dubbed version of this film.
5. The Cutting Edge
Starring: D.B. Sweeney, Moira Kelly
A very funny romantic comedy about a hockey player (Sweeney) who cannot play anymore due to a serious injury. He is recruited to be a figure skater and must learn how to adapt to new skates and a crazy partner. Please avoid the 2 sequels.
Worst Hockey Movies
1. Slap Shot 2 - Breaking the Ice
Starring: Stephen Baldwin, Gary Busey, the Hanson Brothers
Not only the worst hockey movie ever, but quite possibly one of the overall worst movies ever made. This should have never been released, let alone taken the title of the original. This movie is not funny at all. If you're a fan of Slap Shot and the Hanson Brothers, don't even bother with this.
2. D3 - the Mighty Ducks
Starring: Emilio Estevez, Joshua Jackson
Terrible story. The Mighty Ducks players somehow all attend the same private school to play hockey. They weren't all good in the first 2 movies. Instead of playing other teams, they have a big game against......the varsity team from the same school!!! If these kids are so good, why aren't they on the varsity team to begin with?
3. D2 - the Mighty Ducks
Starring: Emilio Estevez, Joshua Jackson, Keenan Thompson
I loved the original and I was so excited for this movie. It wasn't a horrible film but there were several things that ruined it for me. First, the "knuckle puck" - SNL cast member Keenan Thompson went from street hockey star right to the ice with no problem. Second, the uniform change at the end of the big game. You get 15-20 minutes between periods, you don't have time to change your entire uniform including pads, especially goalies -- new jerseys would have been good enough. Finally, when they called the time-out at the last minute and had "knuckle-puck" boy come out as goalie and score the winning goal?? What the hell? Goalies can't skate out that far and a time-out is 30 seconds, it would take 40 minutes to change goalie pads.
4. Sudden Death
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Powers Boothe
An action movie (1995) where Van Damme plays the hero who must save the Pittsburg Penguins fans from terrorists. He somehow ends up playing goalie (it's game 7 of the finals too). They got Bill Clement, Luc Robatille and Markus Naslund to make appearances.
5. National Lampoon's Pucked
Starring: Jon Bon Jovi
If Jon Bon Jovi is the lead actor, how could it possibly be good, especially if it's a hockey movie? He plays a con artist who attempts to start a women's hockey league using only attractive women. It's another piece of garbage spewed out by the National Lampoon francise (they release these terrible direct-to-video movies every week it seems).
6. MVP - Most Valuable Primate
Starring: A Monkey
I am embarrased to admit I actually watched this. It's about a monkey that plays hockey...they went on to make a bunch of sequels with the monkey playing other sports (Air Bud anyone?). This was made for young kids that know nothing about hockey, or else they would hate it.
7. Slap Shot 3 - The Junior League
Starring: The Hanson Brothers
This one I haven't even seen...but I've heard it is worse than Slap Shot 2. The Hanson Bros are now coaching a team of kids.
Starring: Stephen Baldwin, Gary Busey, the Hanson Brothers
Not only the worst hockey movie ever, but quite possibly one of the overall worst movies ever made. This should have never been released, let alone taken the title of the original. This movie is not funny at all. If you're a fan of Slap Shot and the Hanson Brothers, don't even bother with this.
2. D3 - the Mighty Ducks
Starring: Emilio Estevez, Joshua Jackson
Terrible story. The Mighty Ducks players somehow all attend the same private school to play hockey. They weren't all good in the first 2 movies. Instead of playing other teams, they have a big game against......the varsity team from the same school!!! If these kids are so good, why aren't they on the varsity team to begin with?
3. D2 - the Mighty Ducks
Starring: Emilio Estevez, Joshua Jackson, Keenan Thompson
I loved the original and I was so excited for this movie. It wasn't a horrible film but there were several things that ruined it for me. First, the "knuckle puck" - SNL cast member Keenan Thompson went from street hockey star right to the ice with no problem. Second, the uniform change at the end of the big game. You get 15-20 minutes between periods, you don't have time to change your entire uniform including pads, especially goalies -- new jerseys would have been good enough. Finally, when they called the time-out at the last minute and had "knuckle-puck" boy come out as goalie and score the winning goal?? What the hell? Goalies can't skate out that far and a time-out is 30 seconds, it would take 40 minutes to change goalie pads.
4. Sudden Death
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Powers Boothe
An action movie (1995) where Van Damme plays the hero who must save the Pittsburg Penguins fans from terrorists. He somehow ends up playing goalie (it's game 7 of the finals too). They got Bill Clement, Luc Robatille and Markus Naslund to make appearances.
5. National Lampoon's Pucked
Starring: Jon Bon Jovi
If Jon Bon Jovi is the lead actor, how could it possibly be good, especially if it's a hockey movie? He plays a con artist who attempts to start a women's hockey league using only attractive women. It's another piece of garbage spewed out by the National Lampoon francise (they release these terrible direct-to-video movies every week it seems).
6. MVP - Most Valuable Primate
Starring: A Monkey
I am embarrased to admit I actually watched this. It's about a monkey that plays hockey...they went on to make a bunch of sequels with the monkey playing other sports (Air Bud anyone?). This was made for young kids that know nothing about hockey, or else they would hate it.
7. Slap Shot 3 - The Junior League
Starring: The Hanson Brothers
This one I haven't even seen...but I've heard it is worse than Slap Shot 2. The Hanson Bros are now coaching a team of kids.
Other Hockey Movies
I'll admit, I haven't seen every hockey movie. Here's the rest...
Mystery, Alaska
Starring: Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria
Hockey Night
Starring: Rick Moranis
I remember seeing this many years ago but don't recall if it was good or not. It's about a girl that joins a boy's hockey team.
The Boys
Starring: Marc Messier, Rémy Girard
There are a lot of great movies that make reference to hockey, such as:
Clerks - Dante and Randall have to work so they decide to play hockey on the roof of the store.
Happy Gilmore - Adam Sandler is a hockey player turned golfer. He often wears a Boston Bruins jersey and his putter looks like a hockey stick.
The Lookout - Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jeff Daniels star in this movie about a star high-school hockey player who's life is changed by a horrible car accident.
Mallrats - Brodie's girlfriend breaks up with him because he won't stop playing hockey on his Sega Genesis. "Look at the score, for Christ's sake. It's only the second period and I'm up 12 to 2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, 'the Whale,' they only beat Vancouver once, maybe twice in a lifetime."
Chasing Amy - Another Kevin Smith film, another few hockey references. Holden and Alyssa attend a minor league hockey game, Alyssa wears a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey and Banky and Holden are playing hockey on the Sega Genesis.
Wayne's World - Wayne and Garth play street hockey wearing Chicago Blackhawks jerseys.
Strange Brew - What matters most in life, eh? Hockey, donuts and beer.
Waking Up Wally - An inspiring and powerful story based on the book Walter Gretzky: On Family, Hockey and Healing.
Just Friends - Ryan Reynolds tries to prove how cool he is by beating up on some young kids playing pond hockey.
Swingers - They play NHL 94 for Sega and Vince Vaughn talks about how great Jeremy Roenick is. One guy is wearing a Gretzky Kings jersey too.
The Love Guru - Mike Myers new movie where he has to help the Maple Leafs star player turn his life around so he can focus on hockey. The hockey scenes were filmed during a Detroit Red Wings/Maple Leafs pre-season game in 2007.
Mystery, Alaska
Starring: Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria
Hockey Night
Starring: Rick Moranis
I remember seeing this many years ago but don't recall if it was good or not. It's about a girl that joins a boy's hockey team.
The Boys
Starring: Marc Messier, Rémy Girard
There are a lot of great movies that make reference to hockey, such as:
Clerks - Dante and Randall have to work so they decide to play hockey on the roof of the store.
Happy Gilmore - Adam Sandler is a hockey player turned golfer. He often wears a Boston Bruins jersey and his putter looks like a hockey stick.
The Lookout - Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jeff Daniels star in this movie about a star high-school hockey player who's life is changed by a horrible car accident.
Mallrats - Brodie's girlfriend breaks up with him because he won't stop playing hockey on his Sega Genesis. "Look at the score, for Christ's sake. It's only the second period and I'm up 12 to 2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, 'the Whale,' they only beat Vancouver once, maybe twice in a lifetime."
Chasing Amy - Another Kevin Smith film, another few hockey references. Holden and Alyssa attend a minor league hockey game, Alyssa wears a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey and Banky and Holden are playing hockey on the Sega Genesis.
Wayne's World - Wayne and Garth play street hockey wearing Chicago Blackhawks jerseys.
Strange Brew - What matters most in life, eh? Hockey, donuts and beer.
Waking Up Wally - An inspiring and powerful story based on the book Walter Gretzky: On Family, Hockey and Healing.
Just Friends - Ryan Reynolds tries to prove how cool he is by beating up on some young kids playing pond hockey.
Swingers - They play NHL 94 for Sega and Vince Vaughn talks about how great Jeremy Roenick is. One guy is wearing a Gretzky Kings jersey too.
The Love Guru - Mike Myers new movie where he has to help the Maple Leafs star player turn his life around so he can focus on hockey. The hockey scenes were filmed during a Detroit Red Wings/Maple Leafs pre-season game in 2007.
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