Hockey’s Cultural Resonance in Film and Music

Hockey’s cultural resonance goes beyond what happens on the ice. You can see that just by the impact and references in popular film and music alone. Sure, we may still be waiting for hockey’s Rocky movie, but there’s plenty there for us fans.

Whether it’s small and subtle nods to the great ones of the sport or full-blown Hollywood blockbusters, you can find hockey everywhere on our cultural landscape. Here are some of our favorites.

Hockey in Movies and Television

Most people don’t even know the rules of hockey, but if you grew up in the 90s, then you probably know the Flying V. And the Knuckle Puck. And the Smash Brothers.

The Mighty Ducks was such a big hit that it even spawned an actual NHL team. Yes, the Anaheim Ducks came second, not the other way around. How’s that for cultural resonance?

There are plenty of others. Les Boys, is a light-hearted comedic escape that follows an amateur outfit. Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story sees a 45-year-old returning to former glory alongside his sons. And we can’t forget Slap Shot, the 1977 classic starring Paul Newman, a story that goes deeper than hockey and explores the economic breakdown in the many factory towns of the United States.

Hockey is also mentioned on a ‘small-time’ level. For example, in South Park, they parody Mighty Ducks. In the Simpsons, the Philadelphia Flyers are part of the Jury of the Damned, and in Scrubs, there seems to be a slight obsession with the Detroit Red Wings.  

 These are just a few of the many fiction-led hockey movies and TV shows (we’ve already covered hockey movies based on true stories), but there are many more. And while we’re still angry about the Mighty Ducks: Game Changers cancellation, at least we can find solace in the fact that it was, well, pretty terrible.

Hockey in Music

Even though we’re huge hockey fans at A Hockey World, we were surprised at how much the game is embedded in popular music. You can even find hockey in rap music, for example. Michael Jordan and Magic aren’t the only stars you can rhyme with, after all.

In J. Cole’s Can’t Get Enough, Alex Ovechkin features to highlight the artist’s prowess in the bedroom. We’re not sure we agree with the blessed mane part of the song, however. Our favorite rap lyric, however, references the Great One. In Ghetto by Fabolous, Gretzky’s jersey number takes center stage.

Gretzky comes up more than just once, naturally. He’s the most famous hockey player of all time and transcends the sport. He also features in Lil B’s Takeover, Asher Roth’s Maybe I Don’t Wanna, and Wiz Khalifa’s Feels Good, just to name a few.

Of course, it goes beyond rap and hip-hop. There’s also Big League by Red Rider and Tom Cochrane, Gretzky Rocks by Pursuit of Happiness, and Me Like Hockey by Arrogant Worms, but that’s just an ultra-small sample playlist.

 We’ll leave you with an absolute classic: the aptly named The Hockey Song by Stompin’ Tom Connors. It’s an oldie, but a goodie. The song is legendary, often played at big games, and has even featured on Conan 0’Brien.