There haven't been as many hockey movies made as the other major sports, but hockey has its share of quality films. Not every movie could make the top five so here are a few that missed the cut: The Rocket, Net Worth, D2: The Mighty Ducks, and D3: The Mighty Ducks.
#5-Youngblood (1986)
The number five hockey movie of all-time is Youngblood starring Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze. Lowe plays the super talented Dean Youngblood. Youngblood gets a tryout with the Hamilton Mustangs in Canada. When he arrives he is cocky and has to learn some hard lessons. Derek Sutton (Swayze) helps mentor Youngblood about how hockey is really played. When Dean Youngblood starts to get romantically involved with the coaches daughter things get interesting. Some diehard hockey fans may not love this movie because some of the goals and fight are not very realistic, but hey, this is Hollywood.
#4-Mystery, Alaska (1999)
Mystery, Alaska stars Russell Crowe as a small town hockey player in Alaska. John Biebe (Crowe) and his teammates are chosen to host a televised game against the mighty New York Rangers. The town of Mystery is excited about the event and really comes together. This movie is somewhere between a comedy and a drama. There are some funny moments throughout the film and the cast featuring Crowe, Hank Azaria, and Burt Reynolds is great. You will find yourself rooting for the boys from Mystery in the big game against the Rangers.
#3-The Mighty Ducks (1992)
The Mighty Ducks is a hockey movie you can watch with the whole family (rated PG). Gordon Bombay is an extremely successful lawyer that never loses a case. Bombay was a super talented hockey player when he was younger, but he is still haunted by the memory of losing the championship game. When Bombay gets charged for drunk driving his community service is to coach a local pee wee hockey team. The team is horrible and Bombay has no interest in them beyond fulfilling his required service. Eventually, Bombay is inspired to coach the team the right way and leads them to the championship game against his former coach. If you're looking for realistic hockey scenes this is not your movie. If you're looking for a fun movie with a great story you should check out, The Mighty Ducks.
#2-Slap Shot (1977)
Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) is the player-coach of a minor league hockey team in, Slap Shot. The small town team is full of misfits and is not very successful. Dunlop is trying to turn the Charlestown Chiefs into a winner any way he knows how. The team's manager brings in the Hanson brothers, three players known more for fighting and rough play than actual hockey. The movie is hilarious and Paul Newman is outstanding as usual. The Hanson Brothers played by Jeff Carlson, Steve Carlson, and David Hanson, are electric anytime they are on the screen. This movie is a classic worth watching.
#1-Miracle (2004)
This was an easy choice for the number one hockey movie. Miracle is the true story of the 1980 United States Olympic hockey team. The story of the teams amazing victory over Russia in the Olympics is a miracle itself. Coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russel) leads a group of college hockey players up against the more talented Russian team. The movie does a great job of capturing the feelings of the United States as they take on their cold war enemy. The 1980 United States hockey team gave us one of the greatest sports moments of all-time, and this movie is a wonderful portrayal of the events. With a PG rating, I recommend you watch this movie with your whole family.
