Best Hockey Movies

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.