With ESPN's "The Last Dance" whetting the appetite of folks desperate for any sort of sports content, theScore editors have joined forces to look back at some of the most captivating narratives that deserve similar treatment to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dynasty.
Today, we're looking at five hockey documentaries we'd love to see:
'Bad Blood'
No NHL teams enjoyed more success in the late 1990s than the Colorado Avalanche and the Detroit Red Wings. From '96 to '98, the two Western Conference powerhouses combined for three Stanley Cup victories and a pair of Presidents' Trophies. Both clubs were loaded with future Hall of Famers, and each franchise produced moments that have been etched in hockey lore.
Above all else, they absolutely hated each other, and a behind-the-scenes look at that animosity would be appointment viewing for all hockey fans. Following the lead of "The Last Dance," multiple episodes could be used to tell the whole story of how the teams were built, the playoff battles, the championships, the hit on Kris Draper, and of course, the brawls.
The rivalry has been discussed, written about, and YouTubed at length, but it's never gotten the deep dive it deserves. Just think of the icons who could help tell the story: Steve Yzerman, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Sergei Fedorov, Patrick Roy, Claude Lemieux, Scotty Bowman. The list goes on.
'Thrash and Burn'
Nearly two decades after the Atlanta Flames relocated to Calgary in 1980, the league looked to revive hockey in Georgia's capital by granting the city another franchise. On June 25, 1997, the Atlanta Thrashers were born.
This documentary would chronicle the club's transient history from the moment the city landed a team up until its relocation following the 2010-11 campaign. The film would take viewers through the 1999 NHL Draft and the club's subsequent 14-win inaugural season, highlight the legacy and eventual exit of franchise talent Ilya Kovalchuk, reflect on the club's competitive peak in the mid-2000s, and uncover exactly what went wrong to cause the franchise to fizzle out.
With insight from the club's most prominent figures, including 1999 first-overall pick Patrik Stefan, star forwards Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa, and Ray Ferraro, as well as general manager and head coach Don Waddell, the film would reveal stories and events that have never before been shared. The Thrashers may not have been around for long, but they'll forever be remembered by a generation of hockey fans.
'Keeping John Scott Out'
There was a supposedly feature film in the works three years ago about John Scott's journey from enforcer to fan punch line to league-office pariah to folk hero. Even if it ultimately gets made, a Hollywood version surely wouldn't give the most accurate account of what really transpired.
A documentary featuring candor from Colin Campbell and those who held key positions with the Arizona Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens at the time - as well as Scott himself, of course - would be intriguing.
It's well-known that the NHL didn't want Scott - a career grinder - to play in the All-Star Game after being voted in by fans as a joke in 2016. But how much pressure did the league exert on him to try to convince him to drop out? The Coyotes traded the then-AHLer to the Canadiens, effectively banishing him to Newfoundland in a curious move shortly before the All-Star festivities. What role did Arizona's brass play in all this? These questions have been left unanswered for years, and it would be great to see them explained now that some time has passed.
'My Last Game in Montreal'
Patrick Roy's tenure with the Canadiens came to an infamous, abrupt end. In December 1995, Roy took the ice for the last time in a Habs sweater. After allowing nine goals at home and having the crowd sarcastically jeer him for stopping easy pucks, Roy stormed off the ice when he was eventually pulled and told Canadiens president Ronald Corey, "It's my last game in Montreal." He was traded to the Avalanche four days later.
A full-blown, behind-the-scenes look at the entire ordeal would be fascinating, with insight from various people involved. The documentary could also explore the tensions between Roy and his new coach, Mario Tremblay, throughout the season, as seen through the media and his teammates. Then-Canadiens GM Rejean Houle - who was just over a month into his tenure in the role - was heavily criticized for dealing Roy and receiving such a small return.
Hearing the different viewpoints would help paint a clearer picture of that fateful day. The aftermath has some juice to it as well, as Roy ultimately helped the Avalanche win a pair of championships, while the Canadiens haven't managed to claim one since his departure.
'Sid and Ovi'
The chapters in the rivalry of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are still being written, but the story would make for a compelling documentary once both careers are finished. While they've been the two faces of the NHL's post-lockout era, they couldn't be more different - both on and off the ice.
On one hand, we have Crosby: a reserved personality, a hockey nerd, and one of the best two-way centers of all time. On the other, we have Ovechkin: outgoing, emotional, exciting, and the best goal pure goal-scorer ever. The film would, of course, dive into the history between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. They've been the two best teams in the Eastern Conference in the post-lockout era, meeting in the playoffs four times since Crosby and Ovechkin came into the league.
Each time they've met in the postseason, the victor went on to win the Stanley Cup, with Crosby or Ovechkin winning the Conn Smythe Trophy three times. The Penguins got the upper hand in their first meeting in 2009 - which included a game that featured dueling hat tricks between the two future Hall of Famers - as well as 2016 and 2017 before the Capitals finally slew the dragon in 2018. Hockey fans can only hope there's more to come.
