The greatest sport on ice, and one of the big four of professional American sports, hockey has become more and more popular over the years. Whether it’s because the NHL players are competing in the Olympics or a little gay hockey show called Heated Rivalry, there’s truly no time like the present to capitalize on the game.
Before Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) began to smut up your small screens, hockey had a profound history on the big screen. From a beloved ’70s classic with some of hockey cinema’s most iconic characters to a kids’ franchise that got us all quacking, hockey has proven itself to be a brilliant game to pull from for incredible stories. With Olympic fever back again, we’re here to celebrate some of the best films on ice.
12
‘Odd Man Rush’ (2020)
A great place to begin is with a movie inspired by true events. Based on Bill Keenan‘s 2016 memoir, the film follows Harvard hockey player and lifelong New York Rangers fan Bobby Sanders (Jack Mulhern), whose NHL dreams are derailed by injury. Trying to make his passion come to fruition, Bobby pursues a professional career in a minor European league, all while grappling with the reality of his future and finding love in the process. A fish-out-of-water coming-of-age tale, Odd Man Rush focuses on Bobby’s self-discovery as he reassesses his dreams.
Directed by Doug Dearth, the film brings humor into the reality of the sport while allowing audiences to understand the stakes surrounding a lower-tier league. There is life beyond the NHL, and the passion is equally fervent. Odd Man Rush brings the reality of life after sports and how it may not be as glamorous as expected. A surprisingly sweet and tender film, Odd Man Rush scores thanks to Mulhern’s winning performance. He’s a subtle charmer, whether alongside his teammates on the ice or wooing the beautiful girl of his dreams, played by Elektra Kilbey. Coincidentally, there is a follow-up film, Bull Run, where Mulhern is replaced by Tom Blyth, who plays Bobby in a post-hockey life as a junior banker on Wall Street.
11
‘Go Figure’ (2005)
On the surface, Go Figure is a Disney Original Movie that blends both the sport of hockey and figure skating. But the majority of the film revolves around hockey, so we’ll call it a hockey film first! A hockey film about a figure skater, if you will. The iconic film follows Katelin “Kat” Kingsford (Jordan Hinson), a 14-year-old figure skater who dreams of Olympic glory. But there’s a catch: To train with top Russian coach Natasha Goberman (Cristine Rose), she must accept a scholarship at a private school and join its hockey team. There, she learns teamwork and balances both sports. Bringing the value of friendship, fitting in, and defeating bullies to the forefront, Go Figure truly is a tale of found family and defying the odds.
The DCOM classic blends the usual tropes one might find in these teen-centric movies. There’s the struggle to fit in, the difficulties in overcoming hardship, and the power of positivity. Go Figure also breaks open the stereotypes that hockey is a male-only sport. In fact, women in America have been dominating the game for years! While the believability is that Kat struggles with ice skating in the pads, in the end, she uses her experience as a figure skater to help her team succeed. Go Figure is a delightful film that may be one of the most underrated DCOMs.
10
‘Breakaway’ (2011)
What Bend It Like Beckham did for soccer, Breakaway did for hockey. Not every sport is dominated by one ethnicity, and this 2011 film is proof. Directed by Robert Lieberman, the last film before his death in 2023, Breakaway is a sports comedy about Rajveer Singh (Vinay Virmani), a young Indo-Canadian man who drops out of college to pursue a career in professional hockey. To make his dream come true, he must defy his father’s (Anupam Kher) traditional demands to join the family business. Rajveer forms an all-Sikh hockey team, the Speedy Singhs, while overcoming discrimination and cultural pressures with the help of a very unlikely coach, Dan Winters (Rob Lowe). Bringing a new perspective on how culture and religion may affect the game, Breakaway was meant to be a film of pride.
On the surface, Breakaway is a hockey movie, but beneath the surface, it’s an important exploration of the intersection of immigrant identity, cultural expectations, and the pressures to fit in. What may seem like an incidental moment in the film, when the Speedy Singhs are forced to wear helmets but are prevented from using the typical ones, Rajveer’s drive to provide the team with helmets that accommodate their turbans is a breakthrough moment. Breakaway features a plethora of special appearances that might shock you, including Lilly Singh, Drake, and Ludacris. It might be on the hokey side, but it’s an important film nevertheless.
9
‘The Rocket’ (2005)
There are many legends in hockey, but surprisingly few have received the biopic treatment. That changed in 2005 with the French-Canadian film The Rocket. Telling the story of one of the greatest players, Maurice “The Rocket” Richard (Roy Dupuis), the film chronicles the Montreal Canadiens’ star through his rise from a working-class machinist to an early NHL icon. Focusing on his struggles with injuries, discrimination against French speakers, and the “Richard Riot” sparked from his 1955 suspension, The Rocket tells the story of a man who changed a sport.
An intriguing character study on a hockey great, The Rocket doesn’t attempt to portray Richard as perfect. Instead, through a gritty approach, The Rocket‘s authenticity of his life and the game gave hockey fans insight into how he became the man who got the iconic nickname. A gentle person pushed to the breaking point, Dupuis uses subtlety to bring Richard to life. Though the film ends before the five-season run of Stanley Cups, the depiction of The Rocket does make Richard a legend among men. To maintain the integrity of the sport, Richard features a cast of NHL pros, including Mike Ricci, Sean Avery, Vincent Lecavalier, and Stéphane Quintal, to take on his teammates and rivals. An understated film, The Rocket is perfect for hockey fans, regardless of their favorite franchise.
8
‘Sudden Death’ (1995)
In the ’90s, if you needed an action star, you called Jean-Claude Van Damme. And let’s just say, no concept was too bizarre for the hero. Such was the case for 1995’s Sudden Death. Directed by Van Damme’s longtime collaborator Peter Hyams, the action thriller follows Van Damme as Darren McCord, a firefighter-turned-arena security officer at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena. Hoping to impress his children, Emily and Tyler (Whittini Wright and Ross Malinger), Darren scores tickets to the Stanley Cup finals, unaware that the entire arena has been overtaken by a group of terrorists. Former CIA agent Joshua Foss (Powers Boothe) holds Vice President Daniel Bender (Raymond J. Barry) hostage in a press box, with plans to blow up the entire arena if the ransom is not paid. But when McCord learns of the plot, he jumps into action to save the day. A high-octane thriller, it’s Van Damme doing what he does best: kicking ass and taking names.
The epitome of a ’90s action film, Sudden Death is equally gripping and ridiculous. When Foss asks for a ransom of over $1 billion, you can’t help but chuckle and realize how preposterous the scheme is. Of course, McCord will save the day! A race-against-time thriller set against the backdrop of hockey, Sudden Death is a product of its time. Though it is often overlooked compared to his other films, such as Timecop, Van Damme helped spark interest in future hockey-centric films. A remake was made in 2020, Welcome to Sudden Death, where hockey was swapped out for basketball, though the Michael Jai White-led thriller was sadly a bomb.
7
‘Indian Horse’ (2017)
Perhaps the most poignant entry on the list, Indian Horse, adapted from the novel of the same name by Ojibwe author Richard Wagamese, is special. The film tells the story of Saul Indian Horse (Ajuawak Kapashesit), an Ojibway boy who is torn from his family and sent to a brutal Canadian residential school, St. Jerome’s. After escaping the trauma of abuse, his exceptional skill and talent for ice hockey emerge as Saul, trained secretly by Father Leboutilier (Michiel Huisman), rises through the ranks of professional hockey via an all-Indigenous team, as he battles intense racism along the way. A gripping tale of hope while discussing the child abuse and displacement that plagued Canada, Indian Horse is a celebration of salvation through sport.
An unrelenting story, depicting the reality of abuse, racism, and trauma, allows Indian Horse to strike an emotional chord. A special film with a specific perspective, Indian Horse is a tremendous story unlike any hockey movie out there. With Clint Eastwood attached as an executive producer, it’s a tough yet important watch.
6
‘Goon’ (2011)
In the same vein as a classic film to come, Goon is a hockey comedy that highlights a very specific side of the sport: fighting. Doug “The Thug” Glatt (Seann William Scott) is a kind-hearted but dim-witted bouncer who suddenly becomes an unlikely minor-league hockey enforcer. Where he lacks skating skills, he makes up for it in fighting ones. Hired to protect skilled players of the Halifax Highlanders, Doug eventually rises in the ranks while facing off against a rival goon in Ross “The Boss” Rhea (Liev Schreiber), the legendary enforcer of the St. John’s Shamrocks. Alongside a cast that includes Alison Pill, Jay Baruchel, Eugene Levy, and Kim Coates, Goon is wonderfully ridiculous, yet filled with honor.
With hockey at the forefront, Goon is a story about finding one’s place in the world. Based on Doug Smith‘s book, Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey into Minor League Hockey, you may find the film to be hyperviolent, but the surprisingly sweet sentiment and charm take center ice. Though it was a box office disappointment, Goon gained a cult following — so much so that a sequel, Goon: Last of the Enforcers, was born, continuing the tale. With all the elements of a sports masterpiece, Goon may highlight the darker side of the game, but it’s done so in hilarious form.
5
‘The Mighty Ducks’ (1992)
From the flying V to the inspiration for a professional NHL franchise, The Mighty Ducks is easily the most important hockey film to ever be made, though perhaps that’s hyperbolized by a millennial who grew up playing hockey. Let’s start with where it all began. In The Mighty Ducks, after reckless young lawyer Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez) is arrested for drunk driving, he’s tasked with coaching a kids’ hockey team as part of his community service. Having experience on the ice, Gordon is not eager to return to hockey after his past with his own coach, Jack Reilly (Lane Smith). Gordon eventually grows a strong appreciation for the team, including Charlie Conway (Joshua Jackson), as he leads them to glory against his one-time mentor. Transforming the District 5 team into the iconic Ducks, the beloved underdog movie became a pop culture phenomenon that helped bring hockey to the mainstream.
A wonderfully ambitious and daring family film, The Mighty Ducks shaped a generation. Not only did it open eyes to the fact that hockey isn’t for one race or gender, but The Mighty Ducks is also a celebration of teamwork and hard work. We all wished we had a team of friends like the ducks. The Mighty Ducks has a brilliant legacy that followed the original film, spawning a trilogy, an animated series, and a Disney+ series, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, that welcomed Estevez back into the fold. Without this franchise, we may not know what a knuckle puck is, nor know the correct identity of Iceland and Greenland. The Mighty Ducks may have been a product of the ’90s, but it’s a sincerely timeless classic.
4
‘Youngblood’ (1986)
After The Outsiders and before Dirty Dancing, Patrick Swayze was part of a classic ’80s hockey drama, Youngblood. Directed by Peter Markle, the film follows young hockey player Dean Youngblood (Rob Lowe) as he tries to make a name for himself in the Canadian Junior Hockey circuit, hoping to impress NHL scouts in the process. When he is bullied by goon Carl Racki (George Finn), a dirty player who injured his teammate Derek (Swayze), his aspirations falter. Returning to his childhood home deflated, Dean gets toughened up by his father, Blane Youngblood (Eric Nesterenko), to earn redemption against his rival. At its core, Youngblood is a bona fide ’80s film that has easily been lost in the shuffle of other decade classics.
Finding more success after its box office release, Youngblood is a wonderful coming-of-age story. Through ambition and the ability to overcome pressure, Dean is a product of his time: a young man fighting for his dream in any way he can. Lowe, the ultimate pretty boy in a violent game, continues his rise in Hollywood thanks to this film. Though Youngblood isn’t quite Footloose in the training montage, the classic tropes are fun to observe today. A remake, starring Blair Underwood and Ashton James, debuted at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. It’s not quite the same, but the modern perspective with a Black cast proves how the sport has evolved over the past four decades.
3
‘Mystery, Alaska’ (1999)
When it comes to films that we wish were based on real life, look no further than Mystery, Alaska. Directed by Jay Roach, the film is set in the fictional small town of Mystery, whose population of only 633 is obsessed with their local Saturday pond hockey game. When a publicity stunt books their amateur town team for an exhibition match against the New York Rangers, the entire town must come together and overcome the past to prepare for the biggest game of their lives. A beautiful film about community and a look at a simple way of life, Mystery, Alaska is a darling film that will warm your heart.
There’s an innate charm attached to Mystery, Alaska. As a town isolated from everyone else, they are proud of who they are and where they come from. Despite some personal conflicts, there is a sense of unity and togetherness to unite them all. You may not see an excessive amount of hockey in a hockey film simply because it’s a character-driven movie, and that’s thanks to the cast that includes Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria, and Burt Reynolds. For hockey fans, you can expect cameos from former players and analysts, including Phil Esposito, Steve Levy, and Barry Melrose. And, just for good measure, Mike Myers pops in as well in a wig you can never unsee.