Top Shelf Cinema: 10 Best Hockey Movies to Watch for the Winter Olympics
The best hockey movies trade on grit, speed, and the kind of locker-room camaraderie that only exists when you’re willing to take a puck to the face for your teammates. Whether capturing the underdog spirit of a ragtag youth team or the bone-crunching reality of the minor leagues, the ice provides the perfect stage. It’s hosted some of cinema’s most heart-pumping—and hilarious—moments.
In this guide, I’ve handpicked the best hockey flicks and laid out where to stream them. From miracles on ice to the most famous Hanson brothers in history (with all due respect to “MMMBop”), these films capture the soul of the sport.
Once you have your watchlist in order, slide over to our How To Watch Olympic Hockey guide. That’s where I break down the best TV providers for watching the latest generation of stars take on Milan Cortina 2026.
“Goon” (2011) | Tubi, VOD
Doug Glatt (Seann William Scott) isn’t good at much, but he can take a punch, and he can give one even better. “Goon” follows a polite, kind-hearted bouncer who finds his calling as an enforcer for a minor league team.
The film is a love letter to the role of the protector in hockey. It balances surprisingly graphic on-ice violence with a genuine emotional core, anchored by a career-best performance from Scott and a menacing Liev Schreiber as the veteran enforcer Doug must eventually face.
“Indian Horse” (2017) | VOD
Adapted from the novel by Richard Wagamese, “Indian Horse” is a poignant and powerful drama that follows Saul Indian Horse, a young Ojibway boy who survives the residential school system to become a hockey sensation.
While many hockey movies focus on the glory of the win, “Indian Horse” examines the sport as a means of survival and escape while confronting the systemic racism within the game’s history. It’s one of the highest-rated hockey films on Rotten Tomatoes for its emotional depth.
“The Mighty Ducks” (1992) | Disney+, VOD
Before they were an actual NHL franchise, the Ducks were a group of misfit kids coached by a cynical lawyer named Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez). This Disney classic defined a generation of hockey fans, introducing us to the Flying V and the Knuckleball.
It’s the ultimate zero-to-hero story. While it’s certainly aimed at a younger audience, it still pops based on the nostalgia factor for ’90s kids and remains a perfect entry point for new fans. There are, of course, two sequels, but neither manages to capture the magic of the original.
“Miracle” (2004) | Disney+, VOD
In 1980, the U.S. Olympic hockey team was a group of college kids tasked with facing down the greatest hockey machine ever assembled: the Soviet Union. “Miracle” follows coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) as he uses unconventional methods to turn rival players into a cohesive unit capable of the impossible.
While we all know how the Miracle on Ice ends, the film succeeds by making the journey feel tense and authentic. Russell’s performance is iconic, capturing the relentless drive required to orchestrate the greatest upset in sports history.
“Mystery, Alaska” (1999) | VOD
The town of Mystery lives for its weekly Saturday game on the local pond. When a publicity stunt lands them a televised exhibition match against the New York Rangers, the entire community must prepare for the biggest moment in their history.
Starring Russell Crowe and Burt Reynolds, the film captures the pond hockey roots of the sport that the NHL tries to replicate each year with the Winter Classic. It’s also a sentimental look at how a small town’s identity can be entirely wrapped up in four inches of frozen water.
“Red Army” (2014) | The Roku Channel, VOD
While most of this list features fictional stories, “Red Army” is a documentary that plays like a thriller. It tells the story of the Soviet Union’s legendary Green Unit from the perspective of its captain, Viacheslav Fetisov.
The film explores the grueling training, the political pressure, and the eventual defection of Russian stars to the NHL. It provides essential context for the Miracle on Ice and shows the sport through a fascinating Cold War lens.
“The Russian Five” (2018) | Prime Video, Tubi, VOD
While “Red Army” looks at the Soviet side, “The Russian Five” tells the story of how the Detroit Red Wings scouted and recruited Sergei Fedorov, Viacheslav Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Vyacheslav Kozlov, and Vladimir Konstantinov. It’s a must-watch for any fan who wants to see how the Russian style of puck possession changed the NHL forever.
This isn’t a hockey movie, but I couldn’t resist adding it to this guide. A spin-off of the cult hit “Letterkenny,” “Shoresy” follows the titular character (Jared Keeso) as he moves to Sudbury to join a struggling Triple-A hockey team. Shoresy’s goal is simple: He’s “never losing again.”
While it’s a TV series rather than a movie, “Shoresy” has set the standard for how the sport is portrayed on screen. It captures the hyper-specific dialect of rink rats and the genuine passion of players who play just for the love of the game. It’s vulgar, fast-paced, and surprisingly heartfelt.
“Slap Shot” (1977) | AMC+, Prime Video, VOD
If “Miracle” is the soul of hockey, “Slap Shot” is its unfiltered, swear-happy heart. Paul Newman stars as Reggie Dunlop, the player-coach of the struggling Charlestown Chiefs. To save the team from folding, Reggie encourages a violent goon style of play, led by the legendary, Coke-bottle-glasses-wearing Hanson brothers.
“Slap Shot” is widely considered the most realistic portrayal of minor-league life, even if the violence is dialed up to eleven. It’s foul-mouthed, chaotic, and remains the funniest hockey movie ever made.
“Youngblood” (1986) | DVD, Blu-ray
Dean Youngblood (Rob Lowe) is a skilled, flashy prospect who joins the Hamilton Mustangs to prove he has what it takes to make the NHL. But he soon learns that skill isn’t enough. He must learn how to fight for his space on the ice.
Featuring a young Patrick Swayze as the team’s veteran captain and Keanu Reeves as the goalie, “Youngblood” is pure ’80s sports drama. It’s got the training montages and the classic bully rival that make for a satisfying, if predictable, watch.
More hockey movies and documentaries to watch
Beyond my top picks, several other films have successfully captured the grit and culture of hockey. Here are five extra recommendations worth checking out.
- “The Rocket” (2005): A stirring biopic about Montreal Canadiens legend Maurice Richard.
- “Sudden Death” (1995): Jean-Claude Van Damme fights terrorists during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. What else could you ask for?
- “Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story” (2010): A two-part biopic of the polarizing Canadian icon.
- “Goon: Last of the Enforcers” (2017): The bloody, fun sequel to the original.
- “Ice Guardians” (2016): An in-depth documentary about the history of the enforcer role.
