Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) and Leon Draisaitl (29) celebrate a goal against the Arizona Coyotes during overtime NHL action in Edmonton on Wednesday March 22, 2023. (Jason Franson/CP)
The NHL's forthcoming Amazon Prime docuseries doesn't even have a title yet, but we can already imagine how it ends: With one of its featured stars hoisting the Stanley Cup.
That is because the project — which premieres in the fall and promises "unprecedented access to life in the National Hockey League," according to Thursday's announcement — prominently features Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, his playoff beat teammate Leon Draisaitl, plus Florida Panthers leading scorer Matthew Tkachuk among its cast.
Produced by the acclaimed Box To Box Films (Drive to Survive, Break Point, Full Swing) and NHL Films, the untitled series also features in-depth interviews and behind-the-scenes access to New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba, Boston Bruins teammates David Pastrnak and Jeremy Swayman; Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes; Vegas Golden Knights centre Jack Eichel; Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander; Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg; and Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who is still enduring a lengthy rehab from injury.
“This is so meaningful for our league. Box To Box has revolutionized modern storytelling for Formula 1, golf and tennis,” NHL chief content officer and senior executive vice president Steve Mayer said in a release. “With the full support of the league, players, coaches and owners, we welcome the opportunity to showcase our stars and the greatest season and postseason in sports — the Stanley Cup Playoffs — to a global audience.”
Amazon Prime has subscribers across 240 countries and territories, so the potential of growing the game's profile through mic'd-up moments and raw glimpses into its characters and emotions is enticing.
Drive to Survive did wonders for F1's interest, turning casual Netflix viewers into full-blown car-racing fans. (And we hope the show receives a lighter edit than 2021's All or Nothing: Maple Leafs, the NHL's initial Amazon collaboration, which had a few spicy scenes but was a little too vanilla for our liking.)
Video crews have been following these stars throughout the season and will remain embedded with the Oilers and Panthers during the Cup Final, which begins Saturday.
“We want to stay true to the world of ice hockey with the series," said Paul Martin, co-founder of Box To Box Films and executive producer.
"The sport is as beautiful, skillful and graceful, as it is brutal, pressurized and powerful; and we aim to balance the energetic and fast-paced action leading up to the Stanley Cup Final, with the quiet and raw drama taking place off the ice.”
Since Amazon Prime acquired the rights (from Rogers) to broadcast Prime Monday Night Hockey in 2024-25, the popular streamer has a vested interest in growing the sport's audience.
Prime Video followed up All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs this season with a pair of excellent hockey documentary premieres, Chosen One: Alexandre Daigle and Saving Sakic, it released in conjunction with the NHL.
The new untitled docuseries, however, is a more ambitious, current, and star-studded project set to whet appetites before the puck drops in October.
