Everyone has their favorite movie. Whether you’re into superhero movies and cried during Avengers: Endgame last year or like to curl up on the couch and watch Lifetime Christmas movies every December, there’s bound to be something for everyone—especially for sports fans. Since the current pandemic has put a stopper on how we all used to appreciate sports, ice hockey fans can look up these classic movies to enjoy their favorite sport another way.

 

Slap Shot ( 1977 )

Slap Shot is the classic ice hockey movie that countless fans have enjoyed over the years. From its cinematic hockey shots, iconic characters, and Paul Newman’s player-coach Reggie Dunlop, this movie is as good as it gets. Not only that, but Slap Shot forgoes the sheen that often coats sports movies and gives more realism to its audience.

 

Goon ( 2011 )

Goon forgoes the typical sports movie plot of “winning the big game” and focuses on Seann William Scott’s character, Doug Glatt, and his commitment to the team. He’s willing to sacrifice his body for the good of the team and is a three-dimensional character that viewers won’t soon forget. Goon is foul-mouthed and gruesome in its fight scenes, but the movie itself has heart.

 

The Rocket ( 2005 )

The Rocket is a biopic that follows Maurice Richard of the Montreal Canadiens: a man who was considered “the Babe Ruth of hockey.” Like Ruth, he was the star that his league needed in the 1940s and 1950s, but the film doesn’t surround hockey completely. It also chronicles his start as a quiet hockey player who wanted to provide for his family, showing Richard develop into “an outspoken veteran sick of being discriminated against as a French-Canadian.” With beautifully filmed hockey scenes and a great attention to detail, you won’t regret putting this movie on.

 

The Mighty Ducks ( 1992 )

The Mighty Ducks is a feel-good movie that inspired not only sequels, but also the name of an NHL hockey team. Though a kid’s movie, it opens up with one character getting a DUI, so it’s not too sweet of a movie. The plot is realistic, simple, and something to watch to keep your chin up.