Sports

5 Best Hockey Movies of All-Time

By Eric W. Bolin Athlon Sports

Updated June 16, 2026 10:19 AM

Sometimes, sports fans in the United States dismiss the sport of ice hockey. They can't wrap their head around the rules. Plus, the nature of the game made it inaccessible for large swaths of the nation's geography until the last 30 years or so.

But the sport does hold a place in American hearts. The 1980 Olympic team remains one of the best - if not the best story - of modern sports in the country's history. And the 2026 Winter Olympic hockey final between the U.S. and Canada drew in the nation, too.

Still, the sport is somewhat lacking when it comes to a presence on the big screen. Simply put, there aren't a ton of great hockey movies.

There are some, though, and, frankly, we'd put the top two on this list on a top 25 sports movies of all-time, too.

5. Bon Cop, Bad Cop (2006)

Canadian readers should know "Bon Cop, Bad Cop" well. It was one of the highest grossing Canadian-made-and-released movies in the country's history. For those from elsewhere, consider this your introduction to this movie that isn't about hockey, but includes the sport throughout.

Long story short: a body is found on the border of Quebec and Ontario and a detective from each province work together to solve that homicide and series of others.

The hockey gist? Well, that would get into spoilers, but let's say the joke (it's an action-comedy a la "Lethal Weapon") is about how seriously Canadians take their national game. Takes some patience to watch given its bilingual dialogue, but it's worth it for a good time.

4. Goon (2011)

Another Canadian-released movie, "Goon" underwhelmed at the box office when it came out. But the Jay Baruchel-directed flick became a surprise hit - in that very 2010s way - when it hit streaming.

The movie features a strong cast for such a small-ish movie that tells the story of a gentle bar bouncer who becomes an enforcer for his local minor-league hockey team. It's crude and rude, so know what you're getting into, but it's a winner.

3. Mystery, Alaska (1999)

If you've seen "Mystery, Alaska," it's funny to consider it a Disney picture. It's replete with f-bombs -- featuring a profanity-laden screaming monologue from Michael McKean -- and countless references to sex, plus it was directed by Jay Roach, who made it in-between mega-hits "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" and "Meet the Parents."

Sure, there are too many characters and too many plot lines and both Russell Crowe and Hank Azaria are miscast. But there's a kernel of a great movie here and it's plenty funny, so long as you're into the aforementioned peccadilloes.

2. Slap Shot (1977)

Notice something about all four picks so far? They're all pretty harsh. Maybe that's because hockey had (has?) a reputation for being rough-around-the-collar. It's a working-class sport in its soul, even if it costs tens of thousands, if not hundreds, to reach elite travel status for the youths nowadays.

Back when "Slap Shot" came out in 1977, cable was hardly a thing. Americans south of the Mason-Dixon line weren't terribly interested in the sport. The most handsome every-man that ever was, Paul Newman, helped bring the game to the rest of the country with this violent comedy. As hockey fans, we're better for it.

1. Miracle (2004)

"Miracle" at the top of the list can't be a surprise. Frankly, we're not ones for the feel-good nostalgia that most sports movies provide. And while this 2004 release, on its surface, is just one of those kinds, director Gavin O'Connor and a stellar lead performance from Kurt Russell make it a classic.

Things are helped, too, by the casting of Team USA. The on-ice scenes have a fervency to them thanks in large part by the hiring of real former and current collegiate and professional hockey players. The screenplay allows their acting to come off as realistic instead of amateur-ish and "Miracle" is all the better for it.

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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 10:09 AM.