Top 50 Best Hockey Movies Of All Time [2025 Updated]

This American-Russian documentary film has been written, directed, and produced by Gabe Polsky. It traces the journey of hockey captain Slava Fetisov and four other players who agree to form an unconquerable unit known as the 'Russian Five.' 

However, everything does not come to them as easily as they would have expected. Sooner than later, the coach's vicious regimen leads Fetisov and the others to defect from the Soviet Union itself.

Needless to say, Red Army is one fine attempt to showcase the changing scenario within the national ice hockey team of the Soviet Union through the eyes of its skipper. Better still, it allows us to piece together the journey of its cast members.

In the process of telling its story, the project also goes on to showcase deep male team bonding and how they respond to complex relationships. That being said, it is also quite well-researched, which makes it very watchable. 

Bollywood director Shimit Amin's Chak De! India is a critically-acclaimed hit that was bankrolled by one of India's biggest production houses, Yash Raj Films (YRF).

Starring Shah Rukh Khan in the lead, the film traces the journey of a former hockey star, Kabir Khan, who is labeled to be a cheat after he fails to win his country a crucial game.

However, he gets his chance at redemption after he begins coaching the Indian women's national hockey team. While Kabir's work demonstrates his undaunted loyalty towards his nation, it also ends up elevating the stature of India's national sport in the eyes of the public.

Needless to say, this Indian mainstream project is one of the best-rated hockey titles in the world. If you are truly a hockey lover, do not miss out on this one.

Helmed by Gavin O'Connor, Miracle tracks the journey of a player-turned-coach named Herb Brooks, who fights all the odds to ensure that the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team topples the supposedly indestructible Russian unit.

Starring Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, and Noah Emmerich in prominent roles, this film manages to keep you on the edge of your seats; even though the viewers pretty much know how the story is going to end.

Credit has to be given to the makers for making sure that Miracle leaves an impact despite being a tad predictable in its approach. Indeed, Disney's retelling of the United States Hockey Squad's Gold Medal performance at Lake Placid is nothing short of entertaining.

That being said, not a lot of time has been spent in providing depth to the characters here. This could be because the entire focus was on perhaps showcasing the journey of the unit.

The project opened to favorable reviews at the box office and Russell was appreciated for his commendable character projection in the same.

This sports comedy venture has been directed by George Roy Hill and stars actors Paul Newman and Michael Ontkean in significant roles.

The screenplay traces the journey of a minor league ice hockey team that practices violent game-play strategies in order to gain prominence in a factory town that is steadily declining.

Slap Shot has something in store for every diehard hockey fan out there. It does not resort to the glossy charm that is found in most mainstream sports-themed features.

Instead, it offers a very realistic portrayal of what goes inside the locker room. The movie opened to mixed reviews and was a moderate success at the box office.

This Michael Dowse directorial venture stars Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Marc-André Grondin, Kim Coates, Eugene Levy, and Liev Schreiber in significant roles.

The story follows a kind-hearted bouncer named Doug Glatt, who is drafted into a dysfunctional minor league hockey team.

However, aside from learning how to skate, he also has to fight a tough opponent in order to taste victory.

This hockey-themed motion picture is more than just about winning games and tournaments. However, it was a box office bomb upon its theatrical release.

That said, Goon did find some success after having premiered on Netflix.

Most avid fans of the sport are not usually interested in the history of their favourite game for some reason. But, if you happen to belong to the minority that does, The Father of Hockey is for you.

This documentary aims to trace the journey of hockey pioneer Captain James Sutherland, who tried his best to establish Kinston, Ontario as the home of hockey.

Needless to say, this eventually resulted in a conflict over the actual origins of the sport. There were also relentless debates about where to open a hockey hall of fame.

Over time, two halls of fame were opened (one in Toronto and one in Ontario), taking everything into consideration. So, yes, this feature stakes its claims at exploring the actual origins of the game.

This sports documentary feature is based on the life of one of the NHL's greatest enforcers. Written and directed by Geordie Day, it presents several archival footage and intimate testimonials to depict the life and profession of the famous NHL tough guy Bob Probert.

Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story showcases the very many fights of the aforementioned NHL star. It is raw, real, and brutally honest in its depiction of the aforementioned events.

While the documentary may make some people admire Probert's guts, it can also end up creating a section that may perhaps be left with no sympathy for the man.

One of the better documentary films to have been released on the sport of ice hockey, Making Coco: The Grant Fuhr Story has been directed by Don Metz.

It attempts to bring to light the many achievements of the first black superstar in hockey, Grant Fuhr.

The champion player not only won 403 NHL games but was also inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.

Making Coco: The Grant Fuhr Story does a fine job of telling the on and off-field story of one of the pioneers of hockey.

Written and directed by Jason Gileno, The Chiefs is a sports documentary feature that attempts to tell the true story of five brawling hockey players.

These players, who stay in the back of a hockey arena, can be seen battling to attain a heroic status in the most brutal league in the world.

However, their way with violence begins to take a heavy toll on their lives. Ultimately, they are forced to face their worst enemies - themselves.

Jason Gileno's documentation of the lives of five aggressive hockey players is something to look forward to for the fans of the sport.

The beauty of The Last Gladiators lies in the fact that it could have been based on any other sport other than hockey.

However, the documentary feature is, indeed, based on hockey and does a fine job of conveying that some fights truly never halt.

Filmmaker Alex Gibney takes the route less taken in his ambitious attempt to demonstrate the history of the ice hockey "goon." A goon is usually a player who apparently serves just one purpose - to protect the star players.

This bittersweet project provides deep insight to the fans of hockey who wish to know its history better.

Youngblood has been helmed for the screen by Peter Markle and stars Rob Lowe, Cynthia Gibb, Ed Lauter, and Patrick Swayze in crucial roles.

The film tracks the journey of a 17-year-old farm boy who is given the opportunity of an ice hockey tryout.

Along with his brother, he travels to Canada and gets himself selected. However, his only shortcoming is that he has slow fists.

The rest of the screenplay follows whether or not the aspiring individual learns to operate his fists and play ice hockey the Canuck way.

In the process, we see him falling for the coach's cute daughter. Lowe's transformation is something to watch out for in this clichéd motion picture.

And, like most sports flicks, Youngblood also comprises a training montage involving a speed bag and shirtless push-ups.

Indian Horse is one hockey-themed sports drama film that managed to receive favorable feedback at most film festivals where it was screened.

Directed by Stephen Campanelli, the story follows a determined Saul, who is taken away from his clan and cultural heritage to a school where he goes on to exhibit some remarkable sporting skills.

However, sadly for him, his real opponents are not from on the field, but off of it. As Saul continues to progress, he has to combat the tragic issues of racism and alcoholism.

The film was appreciated for being audacious enough to showcase some disturbing sequences regarding the much-admired sport. It also goes on to demonstrate how Saul, despite being trapped in serious situations, hopes to come out of them stronger.

Indian Horse is the official film adaptation of author Richard Wagamese's novel of the same name.

One of the most popular hockey feature films to make it to our story, Mystery, Alaska promises entertainment galore.

The story follows the arduous journey of Alaska's amateur hockey team, Mystery. After the Mystery squad is challenged by the New York Rangers for a match, the residents of the town overlook their trivial misunderstandings and come together to support their team in the crucial game that is going to be televised nationally.

While this Jay Roach-helmed project implicitly talks about how sports can make people both forgive and forget things, it can and should be seen by those who love to catch the phenomenal Russell Crowe on celluloid.

Directed by Jay Baruchel in his directorial debut, this sports comedy film is a sequel to 2011's Goon.

It stars actors such as Seann William Scott, Baruchel, Liev Schreiber, Alison Pill, Elisha Cuthbert, Wyatt Russell, Marc-André Grondin, and Kim Coates in significant roles.

The motion picture follows the journey of a hockey player who is plagued by career-threatening injuries. Needless to say, he is compelled to face the possibility of early retirement.

Worse still, his reputation as the league's top enforcer is challenged when a tough new player makes his way into the picture.

Even though Goon: Last of the Enforcers opened to mixed reviews, Seann William Scott was appreciated for his character projection.

This dark comedy-thriller buddy cop feature from Canada might just be the most unusual hockey-themed project that one may find on our list.

Even though the plot of this motion picture does not entirely revolve around the sport, there is a subplot that demonstrates parodies of the National Hockey League squads, their owners, and players, respectively.

However, on paper, the story follows two cops from Ontario and Quebec, who struggle to put aside their differences while teaming up to apprehend a notorious serial killer.

Bon Cop, Bad Cop went on to become one of the top-grossing Canadian motion pictures domestically.

This Russian biographical sports drama film has been helmed for the screen by Nikolai Lebedev. It is a depiction of the life and career of the Russian hockey player Valeri Kharlamov.

The screenplay tracks his rise to stardom and, ultimately, his fall and untimely demise. A lot of effort has been put in to cover the first match of the Summit Series USSR — Canada 1972.

That being said, a lot of people who are familiar with Russia might be able to interpret its messages in political and historical contexts. However, it derives its strength from the fact that it aims to introduce the audience to a highly entertaining and competitive sport.

While Legend No. 17 was presented with six Golden Eagle awards, including one for the best movie, its makers went on to receive the State Prize of the Russian Federation for the year 2013. 

Director Louis Saia brings back the boys to tell the entertaining saga of a hockey team in the second installment of the Les Boys franchise.

The film traces the journey of the members of an amateur Canadian hockey team, who tend to get indulged in romantic endeavors while touring France for an international tournament.

While the film managed to mint money at the box office in Quebec, the laughs provided were not as authentic as in the first outing of the series.

However, Les Boys II can still be watched at least once courtesy of the sporadic laughs that it manages to provide.

Directors David Fleer, Erik Moe, and Peter Rudy come together for No Sleep 'til Madison, which follows the journey of 30-year-old Owen Fenby who has nothing but love in his heart for his girlfriend.

But, there is something that he probably loves more: High School Hockey. However, he soon finds out that his closest pals have decided to abandon his annual trip to the Wisconsin State High School Hockey Tournament.

Needless to say, the sorry state of affairs compels him to face the harshest truths about his obsession with the game. Actor Jim Gaffigan proves his timing as an actor in this project.

Directed by Doug Dearth, this sports drama film is based on Bill Keenan's 2016 memoir, Odd Man Rush.

The film traces the remarkably sweet journey of Harvard hockey's Bobby Sanders, who makes his way through to Sweden's minor leagues.

However, his affair with a girl at the local market turns out to be a revelation of sorts. Therefore, Bobby is pushed to face the reality of his boyhood NHL dreams.

Odd Man Rush might not be highly rated on IMDb, but its screenplay was acknowledged for being a fair mix of sports, drama, comedy, and romance.

This Stephen Herek directorial venture stars Emilio Estevez, Joss Ackland, Lane Smith, and Jussie Smollett in pivotal roles. The plot follows the journey of Gordon, who continues to reflect on the day when he lost his team a critical match.

It is something that continues to eat him up from within. However, unlike most individuals in the real world, he is given a second chance to redeem himself and restore his lost glory.

The catch here is that this time around, he is appointed as the coach of a shaky and unreliable hockey squad.

The Rocket is an award-winning Canadian biopic that attempts to trace the journey of Quebec's most famous hockey player Maurice "The Rocket" Richard.

It focuses on the struggles of a French Canadian individual in the National Hockey League, which was known to be dominated by Anglophones.

The hockey sequences in this motion picture are beautifully filmed. Also, the director has been able to successfully duplicate the look and feel of the game from the 1940s and 1950s.

Roy Dupuis manages to portray the lead character amazingly and is able to capture the fire and intensity that drove the man's career. Indeed, "The Rocket" was an inspiration to many in his home country, and this project did well to showcase it to the fans of the sport. 

Having said that, the film sees a lot many appearances by National Hockey League players. It opened to positive reviews and was nominated for many awards.

This comedy-drama sports film has been directed by Éric Tessier and stars Antoine Olivier Pilon, Alice Morel-Michaud, Guy Nadon, and Julie Le Breton in crucial roles.

It traces the journey of Janeau, who is urged to shift to a new city after the death of his mother.

After having shifted there, Janeau joins a hockey team. However, his teammates are envious of his undeniable talent. But, he tries to befriend the competent goalkeeper as they gear up for the league's top tournament.

Aside from being a decent hockey-themed feature film, it is also a decent family entertainer.

Directed by Louis Saia, Les Boys III is the third installment in the Les Boys franchise of motion pictures.

The film tracks the journey of a hockey player who returns from France to find out that a lot many things have changed within the squad after the arrival of a rich but shady businessman.

He soon unearths that greed has replaced friendship and loyalty. While Patrick Huard and Marc Messier deliver excellent performances in this feature film, the rest of the actors in the supporting cast are fair as well.

This Shaad Ali directorial venture is another notable Bollywood project to make it to our story. Starring actors Diljit Dosanjh, Taapsee Pannu, and Angad Bedi in pivotal roles, it is based on the life of popular Indian hockey player Sandeep Singh.

The film tracks the arduous journey of Sandeep who is left paralyzed after a gunshot accidentally and, unfortunately, hits him.

While many speculate that his career is gone for good, he surprises one and all when he decides to make a rock-solid comeback.

Sooner than later, the champion seeks to lead the Indian unit to victory. Lead stars Diljit and Taapsee deliver noteworthy performances in this biographical sports drama.

Director Reema Kagti's Gold is a period sports drama film that attempts to trace the journey of India's first national hockey team to the 1948 Summer Olympics.

The story follows the manager of the Indian hockey team, Tapan Das, who faces a ton of difficulties as he helps his team in preparing for the upcoming Olympics.

The teammates and the manager have only one dream in their optimistic eyes - to win a glowing gold medal for their country.

Gold stars Bollywood star Akshay Kumar in the lead and is infused with a ton of songs and drama to adhere to the fans of Bollywood movies.

The motion picture was a moderate success at the domestic box office.

This sports romantic-comedy film has been helmed by Paul Michael Glaser. It stars D. B. Sweeney, Moira Kelly, Roy Dotrice, and Terry O'Quinn in crucial roles.

The motion picture traces the journey of a self-centered ex-hockey player and a master figure skater. Things get exciting as they become unlikely partners in their ambitious quest for the Olympic gold.

The Cutting Edge's focus on a rich and spoiled figure skater is something to truly watch out for. Even though the romance may come across as contrived, the movie can still be watched by devoted fans of the sport.

The adventures of Stan and his boys continue in the fourth installment of the Les Boys series of feature films.

Director George Mihalka's film attempts to track how Stan brings back his team four years later with the aim to face and defeat the team of the legends of the National League.

Contrary to the previous motion pictures in the franchise, this one does not entirely rely on its hockey sequences to make an impact.

The focus here is more on the actions of the individual characters. Also, there is a decent amount of slapstick comedy injected into the storytelling.

Not many of our readers would be aware of the fact that this sports comedy-drama film is the fifth installment in the Les Boys franchise.

Striving to take the viewers back to the winter of 1967, the film follows a group of friends who are facing different issues in their respective lives.

They decide to come together during the Christmas holidays to form a strong hockey team. Their only aim seems to be to win a prestigious competition.

Written and directed by Richard Goudreau, When We Were Boys will not disappoint the viewers who truly enjoy watching films of the Les Boys series.

This sports-themed action-thriller film can turn out to be a fair way to pass your time if you are looking forward to watching either a hockey-based flick or one starring actor Jean-Claude Van Damme.

The film traces the journey of an ex-firefighter named McCord who is not only duty-bound to save his family but also the vice president of the United States of America from a potential terrorist plot.

Even though this movie promises a ton of other things, hockey remains central to its plot. While the story on paper might come across as dumb, one can certainly give it a try for the purpose of guilty pleasure, if nothing else.

This indie sports drama film has been helmed for the screen by Dwayne Beaver. Spearheaded by Curtis Bechdholt, it endeavors to tell the story of a Canadian family that lives, breathes, and sleeps hockey.

The screenplay follows how Stefan decides to let go of hockey right when he was about to make the jump from minor league hockey to the dreamy majors.

However, since he considers giving up the game, his family proves to be far more intimidating than any opponent that he might have faced while on-field.

Needless to say, he then experiences the ups and downs that are an integral part of a sportsperson's life.

As ardent fans of cinema, we have often observed that no matter the franchise, the sequels usually fail to live up to the hype and expectations of their predecessors.

The case is, unfortunately, no different for the second installment of The Mighty Ducks film series.

While it does give the 90s-born kids a quote, "You lost it for yourself", to remember, it offers a rather preposterous storyline.

Helmed by Sam Weisman, the film tracks how Gordon is compelled to quit the professional hockey league and, instead, guide a junior hockey team.

However, the task proves to be ridiculously tough for he has to train his young unit to the best of his abilities to face an indomitable opponent.

The third and final installment in The Mighty Ducks trilogy has been helmed for the screen by Robert Lieberman.

It stars actors Emilio Estevez, Jeffrey Nordling, Heidi Kling, and Joss Ackland in significant roles. The Walt Disney-backed mainstream project attempts to track how the Ducks team manages to obtain scholarships to the prestigious Eden Hall Academy.

Soon after, the squad is seen readying itself to compete against the school's pompous varsity team. Sure enough, they have the support of their coach Gordon Bombay.

D3: The Mighty Ducks did not open to fair reviews at the ticket counters and was called lazier than its predecessors.

This Canada-based sports-comedy feature film has been directed by Robert Lieberman and produced by Indian actor Akshay Kumar and Paul Gross.

While Vinay Virmani can be seen making his maiden screen appearance in this project, he is supported by performers such as Camilla Belle, Rob Lowe, Russell Peters, and Anupam Kher in pivotal roles.

In addition, Akshay Kumar and rappers Drake and Ludacris can be seen in cameo roles in this one. The motion picture tracks the journey of hockey enthusiast Rajvinder, who is intimidated by his family and ridiculed by other hockey players.

However, he decides to take a stand for himself by building his own hockey team and going on to challenge those who mock him.

The title opened to unfavorable reviews at the ticket counters.

Directors George McCowan and Kay Hawtrey's Face-Off is a romantic sports film that stars actors Trudy Young, Art Hindle, Frank Moore, Austin Willis, Vivian Reis, and John Vernon in critical roles.

The storyline of the film casts a light on a Toronto Maple Leaf hockey star (played by Art Hindle), who falls head over heels in love with a pop star (played by Trudy Young).

However, the ice hockey star's romance with the musician in this film was not received well by the critics; even though several National Hockey League players were seen making a guest appearance in the movie.

It is not surprising then that Face-Off was only an average performer at the Canadian box office.

Written and directed by Jukka-Pekka Siili, this documentary strives to track the personal and professional life of the Finnish ice hockey star Teemu Selänne.

Even though Teemu had played in the NHL for over 20 years and was considered to be one of the country's best ice hockey players, not many knew about his life outside the rink.

Therefore, this documentary aims to let the viewers get acquainted with the true Selänne. Sel8nne definitely needs to be watched by ardent fans of ice hockey.

This Quebec-made sports comedy feature film has been directed by Louis Saia. Its success led to the production of three more sequels.

Today, the Les Boys film franchise is known to be one of the most popular Canadian series of all time.

Touted to be grim in its execution, this project has a fair bit of domestic drama spearheading its screenplay.

The story follows a family that is compelled to confront chaos after two siblings are reunited with their psychopathic brother who has only recently been out on parole.

Ever since the release of this motion picture in 1997, it has been established that French viewers have cherished it far more than the English audience.

Director Éric Tessier's Junior Majeur is another Canadian hockey-themed sports drama project that stars Antoine Olivier Pilon, Rémi Goulet, Alice Morel-Michaud, Normand Daneau, Claude Legault, Patrice Robitaille, Madeleine Péloquin, and Edith Cochrane in prominent roles.

The film tracks the journey of an 18-year-old hockey prodigy who has to face a lot many impediments during the course of his journey; each of which threatens to endanger both his career and relationships.

Prior to its official theatrical outing, Junior Majeur premiered at the Abitibi-Témiscamingue International Film Festival. It went on to win the Public Prize at the 20th Quebec Cinema Awards.

Directors Jean LaFleur and Peter Svatek's The Mystery of the Million Dollar Hockey Puck aspire to be more than just your regular hockey-based feature.

The film traces the journey of a young and brave orphan who eavesdrops on a plot to smuggle diamonds out of Canada.

The kid decides to get involved because the diamonds are to be smuggled while being packed in the paraphernalia of his favorite hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens.

As the thieves realize that the kid knows about their plan, they decide to go after him before their scheme is destroyed for good.

While the plot may come across as enjoyable, the execution, sadly, does not meet the expectations here.

Helmed for the screen by Peter Pearson, Paperback Hero stars actors Keir Dullea and Elizabeth Ashley in significant roles.

The story follows a minor-league hockey player (played by Keir Dullea) in a small town in Canada who is forced to turn to a life of crime after his backers decide to drop his team.

Paperback Hero may not be talked about anymore but it is a prominent try in the sense that it won the Canadian Film Awards in 1973 for Film Editing, Overall Sound, and Cinematography, respectively.

The motion picture was also selected for the Canadian Open Vault program of the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006.

Not many of us are aware of the fact that Hollywood star John Wayne even played the character of an ice hockey player of celluloid. Well, hello, he most certainly did!

Filmmaker Arthur Lubin's Idol of the Crowds is one of the only non-Western motion pictures that you could find the great Wayne headlining.

The story follows a professional hockey player who starts to receive life-threatening messages after he declines to throw a critical championship game.

Even though this is not a very popular title today, it has sufficient excitement to keep its target audience going.

Director Norma Bailey's The Sheldon Kennedy Story is a lesser-known hockey-based television movie that deals with a lot many things other than the sport.

A young countryside lad named Sheldon Kennedy feels that his father unnecessarily punishes him whenever he performs poorly. However, soon after getting recruited for professional ice hockey at the age of 14, he seems to have found his way out.

But, finding a way out of something toxic does not necessarily mean that you are delving into something better.

Therefore, a lot many things come into the picture as the screenplay proceeds to track Sheldon's arduous journey.

This Canadian biographical sports drama television flick has been helmed by Jerry Ciccoritti. It is based on the 1991 book Net Worth: Exploding the Myths of Pro Hockey by journalists David Cruise and Alison Griffiths.

Starring Aidan Devine, Kevin Conway, R. H. Thomson, and Al Waxman in significant roles, the story follows the actions of a popular hockey player, who, after the unfortunate demise of a former teammate, decides to fight for the rights of the players against the unprincipled team owners.

The performances in this feature are good enough for a title that made its debut on television. That being said, Net Worth should be seen by fans of each and every sport in order to understand both the on and off-field complexity of the games.

This Paul Shapiro directorial venture is a coming-of-age sports drama film that stars Megan Follows, Yannick Bisson, and Rick Moranis in pivotal roles.

The plot follows a 14-year-old girl (portrayed by Megan Follows) who tries out as a goalie for a local boys team in Canada.

However, despite her hard work and efforts, she is forced to face the prejudice of being the only girl surrounded by a bunch of boys.

While Hockey Night is restricted to basic moves of the game, it does have its fair share of melodrama to boot.

And, even though the film comprises no major surprise, it is still worth watching at least once. That said, Megan stands out as a performer among the cast members.