With hockey in North America officially coming to an end on Monday, I often get asked what I do in the summer on both the blog and radio show. The answer is easy: I still cover hockey. Yes, there are fewer stories from hockey to cover thanks the sport slowing down for a couple of months, but there are interviews and historic stories to explore. One of the best ways to get into those stories is by reading books about hockey, and that's what the rest of my summer will entail as I sit on the patio with a cold beverage and flip pages.
With as busy as life gets sometimes, I haven't been able to crack the spines on the stack of books I want to tackle that are sitting on my bookshelves. These are stories from across the hockey world as well as I have Hayley Wickenheiser's story to read, Mike Eruzione's tale to take in, and a few others that piqued my interest when I saw the book. My goal is to start this weekend with it being a long weekend as I put a significant dent into that stack of books begging to be read.
I do have one book that I've been dying to read since I received it, and I want to thank Peter, a reader of HBIC, for sending me this book. I have very little reference points for the Kansas City Scouts because they had come and gone from that market long before I was born, but Steve Currier's book, When the NHL Invaded Japan, has me very curious about this jump across the ocean where the Scouts and Washington Capitals played for the Coca-Cola Bottlers' Cup in 1975-76. To be very honest, I had never even heard about Coca-Cola Bottlers' Cup or any tournament where NHL teams competed for it, so this topic is one I want to explore in greater detail. Thank you, Peter for this great book, and expect a review shortly on it as Teebz's Book Club goes into summer reading mode for the next few months!
Some of the other stuff I'll be doing this summer is watching more movies, so there will be some additional movie reviews here on HBIC. I'm excited for a few that I haven't seen plus a few coming up this summer. I do have to watch If with Ryan Reynolds, and Inside Out 2 will get seen because the first one was so good. Reynolds will get a second review this summer with Deadpool & Wolverine debuting this summer, and I'm sure I'll discover a few more than get added. I don't follow TV series very closely, but Season four of The Boys is currently running and I'm loving every second of it, and I just discovered WondLa through AppleTV which has been excellent. When the sun goes down, I know I'll have a few things to watch and review.
Finally, there may be a few late nights on the weekend where I stay up and watch the AIHL and NZIHL as their season winds down and gets into the postseason. I'm still hoping the Melbourne Mustangs can turn their season around with some consistent play, but the race for first-overall in the AIHL between the Sydney Bears and the Melbourne Ice may come down to the final game of the season for the Bears on August 10 when they host the Ice. As it stands, the Bears play the Ice this weekend with first-place on the line as both teams are tied in the standings, but the Bears could be as many as six points up by the time the weekend's over.
I haven't watched as many New Zealand Ice Hockey League games, but the Botany Swarm and Skycity Stampede appear to be the front-runners for the top spot in the NZIHL regular season. Two teams - the Canterbury Red Devils and Phoenix Thunder - have yet to record a win in seven games, but the Red Devils have lost in overtime to sit one point ahead of the Thunder. The team in third-place of the five teams is the West Auckland Admirals, and they've only beaten the Red Devils this season so far. Just for the record, the NZIHL is more like watching North American junior hockey than professional hockey, but it's fun summer hockey nonetheless.
It's still going to be a busy summer as I'm scoring professional baseball, playing slo-pitch, reading about hockey, getting caught up on movies and TV shows, and watching some hockey from the Land Down Under, but I guess I'm saying that this blog won't be exclusively devoted to hockey this summer. Yes, the hockey stories will continue, but there will be more variety in what you find on HBIC.
In my search for great hockey stories that came from the world of the AAGPBL, I stumbled across a story that really sets itself apart from most other stories. While there have been great performances documented both on the diamond and on the ice, I don't know if two women gave performances as well as Terry Donahue and Pat Henschel did in the Netflix documentary A Secret Love, a movie directed by Chris Bolan and produced in 2020. Terry and Pat's story is one that has moments of sadness, one of celebration, and one of an incredible life shared by two women who just happened to play baseball and hockey. The fact that we get 2023 HBIC Summer Project article that crosses over with a Teebz's Movie Club entry is a bonus for me, but I feel that A Secret Love is a film that should be seen to understand what these two women went through in their journey through life and sports while hiding their relationship.
It should be noted that only Terry Donahue played in the AAGPBL, but both women were were born in Saskatchewan. Terry was the older of the two ladies as she was born on August 22, 1925 in Melaval, Saskatchewan, a tiny town approximately two hours southwest of Regina. Pat Henschel was born on September 27, 1928 in Cabri, Saskatchewan, a town approximately 40 minutes northwest of Swift Current. Terry and Pat grew up approximately 2 hours from one another, but they'd find one another at a hockey rink in Moose Jaw in 1947. That was the start of a life navigated together, and it's one that Terry and Pat can tell you themselves!
There aren't a lot of places where one can watch the documentary, but A Secret Love is still available on Netflix if you have a subscription. Of course, some don't, but that shouldn't limit you from seeing this incredible film. You may want to try clicking here, for example, or maybe here if you want to watch it. I'm not saying you should, but you should have options if the mood strikes you. You should have an ad blocker and your antivirus should be up to date when it comes to non-authorized sites. Don't say you weren't warned.
Donahue grew up on a farm with her brother who was an exceptional ball player. Because Terry was the only available player at any given time, her brother practiced with Terry which turned her into an exceptional player in her own right. That would lead her to playing softball for the Moose Jaw Royals, a senior women's team, by the age of 17 before she earned a permanent spot on the team in 1943 where they downed the Saskatoon Pats in the Saskatchewan senior women's softball championship for her first championship on the diamond!
The script flipped in 1944 as the Pats defeated the Royals, but Donahue showed her skills by pitching a two-hitter in a Game Three win while playing catcher for the other games of the series. Donahue continued to impress with the bat and in the field in 1945 before a scout noticed her abilities and invited her to tryouts in 1946 for the AAGPBL at Wrigley Field in Chicago!
As Terry states in the documentary, she had a solid camp and it looked like she may be picked for one of the teams in the allocation. Name after name was called and Terry's name wasn't mentioned, but it was finally announced that she would be heading to Peoria, Illinois to join the Redwings in the AAGPBL! At 20 years of age, Terry Donahue was a professional baseball player!
That 1946 season didn't go so well for the Redwings as they finished dead-last in the eight-team circuit, posting a record of 33-79. Wearing #13, Terry caught for most of the season, but she played all over the infield as a utility player and was a fan favourite for her hustle. She hit .153 in 1946 as she posted 42 hits in 274 at-bats which included one triple, but she stole 28 bases, she walked 32 times, and she struck out just 38 time while driving in 14 runs. Overall, it wasn't a statistically impressive season, but the fans in Peoria liked the woman doing the catching for their team and it prompted Donahue to return the following season as the Redwings wanted their catcher back in the lineup. Would 1947 see the Redwings and Donahue break out of their funk?
The 1947 season did see the Redwings improve their standing as they battled their way to a 55-57 record for a fifth-place finish in the AAGPBL. Terry played in half as many games as she did in 1946, suiting up for just 47 games. She recorded 19 hits in 115 at-bats for a .165 average that included one double, but her totals dropped dramatically as she stole just three bases, walked just 11 times, and struck out ten times while driving in just four runs. Clearly, it wasn't the best of summers on the diamond statistically for Donahue, but, as stated above, the winter would offer a new view on her future!
Donahue would return to Moose Jaw in the winter as she had always done, and she hit the ice as part of the local Wildcats team. The quick-moving forward caught the eye of another player in Wildcats defender Pat Henschel, and it wouldn't be long before the two women were inseparable. While their bond was always described as being "just friends" or as "cousins", Terry and Pat were madly in love as shown in the film A Secret Love. After their first winter together, Donahue would head back to Peoria for the 1948 baseball season!
The AAGPBL expanded to ten teams in 1948 as the league split into two divisions. Peoria was placed in the Western Division along with Racine, Rockford, Kenosha, and Springfield, and they'd improve their overall record once again this year, finishing with a 70-55 record for third-place in the division. Terry was more of a utility player in the 1948 season as she appeared in 71 games while wearing #18 for the Redwings and playing some of her time in the outfield. She'd record 17 hits in 174 at-bats for a .098 batting average that included a double and a triple, but she'd walk 32 times, steal seven bases, and strike out 31 times while driving in a career-high 18 runs that year! Peoria would square off against Racine in the opening round of the playoffs as eight teams made the postseason, but they'd fall to the Belles in that opening round to end their season. Donahue would head back to Moose Jaw to rejoin Henschel, who had spent the summer in Saskatchewan, and the Wildcats as she played another season of hockey!
Terry would return to the AAGPBL in 1949 with Peoria once again, and she was back in her familiar #13 uniform for this campaign. At one point, Pat and her boyfriend would come and see Terry play over a two-week span as the Redwings toured the US midwest. On the field, things took a serious step backwards for the Redwings as all ten teams played in one division, and Peoria finished at the bottom of the standings with a 36-73 record. Terry played most of her 72 games behind the plate, and she recorded 14 hits in 159 at-bats that included a double to give her a .088 batting average. She was far more patient at the plate this season as she recorded 48 walks compared to 28 strikeouts, and she added six stolen bases along with 14 RBIs. Peoria would miss the playoffs once again, but things were changing on other fronts as well as Terry and Pat became far more aware of what their relationship could cost them if the wrong people found out about them.
Terry and Pat returned home to Moose Jaw where they proceeded to look for jobs, but they were far more careful about revealing anything about their relationship. Terry and Pat played hockey with the Wildcats once again, and they earned themselves some extra recognition thanks to helping the Wildcats advance to the Western Canada senior girls hockey championship in February 1950. Having their images in the newspaper made them household names!
The two would see their Wildcats face off against a Winnipeg squad called "The Pegs" in a best-of-three series that would have the winner travel east to Port Arthur to play the Thunder Bay champions before advancing out east to play for the Dominion championship. The Donahue-Henschel duo would run into Evelyn Wawryshyn and her Winnipeg-based teammates who were a formidable team, but the previews of the series gave credit to Donahue for being as good as Wawryshyn who was seen as one of the top players in Canada! Would we see these two clubs clash in an all-out battle for the right to head east to Thunder Bay?
Well, not really. Game One went to Winnipeg by a 10-2 score in Moose Jaw as the Wildcats were outskated and outscored on their home ice. Game Two was played in Winnipeg on April 7, 1950, and Winnipeg took a 1-0 lead through 20 minutes. After 40 minutes, the Winnipeg squad held a 3-1 lead, and the final score would favour the Manitoban team as the Winnipeg All-Stars downed the Moose Jaw Wildcats by a 5-2 to win the series! It should be noted that the Winnipeg Free Press reporter who covered the game, shown above, gave credit to both Pat Henschel and Terry Donahue for their efforts in the contest, so it seemed pretty clear that both ladies made impacts in that Western Canada hockey championship!
With hockey season coming to an end, Terry got a new offer to play baseball in Chicago from the AAGPBL rival known as the National Girls Baseball League! Terry signed a deal to play with the Admiral Music Maids in Des Plaines, Illinois - a suburb of Chicago - as the NGBL played their entire season at stadiums in and around the Chicago area. This allowed Terry and Pat to live in St. Charles, Illinois together where Pat worked at a long-distance operator while Terry played baseball. There are no statistical records that I can find for the 1950 season she played there, but it would mark her last as a professional ball player as she assumed the job of bookkeeper for the interior design business she and Pat ran when the season was over. Both Terry and Pat retired from the interior design business in 1990!
On The Ice
As stated, both Terry and Pat played for the Moose Jaw Wildcats, but they didn't see the same accolades as some of the other women who played in the AAGPBL saw when they were on the ice. Nevertheless, they held their own quite well while on skates, and Terry even seemed to rack up some high praise from opposing sports scribes for her efforts on the ice. Both women represented the Wildcats well, I'd say, and they deserve some kudos for playing as well as they did while keeping their relationship a secret during that entire time from teammates and coaches!
The Movie Review
A Secret Love looks at the relationship situation that both Terry and Pat faced as lesbians in the 1940s and 1950s. There's still considerable pushback from friends and family over the years that they detail, but the love they have for one another endures as we meet Diana Bolan, Terry's niece, who helps them navigate some of the bigger decisions regarding where to live and what to do as they get older and health issues start to affect both Terry and Pat.
Pat's reluctance to move back to Canada and sell their house in St. Charles draws some ire from Diana, but friction seen is eventually smoothed over as calmer heads prevail. We get to see a glimpse into both Terry's and Pat's childhoods as they grew up in Saskatchewan, and we hear a small part about Terry and Pat playing sports. What this movie centers on through all the family drama, the history of the women, and the sports tales is the love that Terry and Pat have for one another and how their 65 years together was lived under the assumption they were cousins or roommates.
I won't give away the ending because A Secret Love should be seen, but it's crazy to see how two women risked everything to be together because intolerance was the preferred thinking of that time. It's very clear that Terry and Pat make a good couple, and they seem to complement each other's strengths and weaknesses. What shines through, particularly in the final third of the movie's runtime, is that love cannot be denied and that true love is ever-lasting.
Teebz's Rating: ★★★★✫
The Accolades
Pat didn't play in the AAGPBL, so she didn't garner any accolades for that sport. She did, however, receive the first AAGPBL-PA Associate of the Year award, so that counts for something here!
Terry, though, hit .127 in 287 games as part of the AAGPBL, and she was voted as the outstanding player in the Saskatchewan in 1945. The Moose Jaw Royals won one Saskatchewan senior women's softball championship in 1943 with Terry Donahue as a full-time player, and she was a popular player for the Peoria Redwings. In 1998, Donahue was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame.
Of course, there is one more accolade that I didn't mention yet as the two women were sports stars as proved in the writing above. As you know, Pat Henschel was a solid defender for the Moose Jaw Wildcats hockey team that Terry Donahue played on, and Terry had her baseball career as well. In saying that, they might be the first sports couple to be featured as bobbleheads as the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled limited-edition bobbleheads of Terry Donahue and Pat Henschel on Thursday, December 9, 2021! How cool is that? I kinda want the two bobbleheads that connect at their bases. I'd add those to my bobblehead collecton for sure!
Terry Donahue passed away in Edmonton on March 14, 2019 due to complications from Parkinson's Disease. As seen in A Secret Love, the tremors were already noticeable as the documentary was being filmed, but Terry battled the disease until the end.
I can't find anything updated on Pat Henschel, but it seems she's still living in Edmonton in an assisted living facility. My hopes are that she's doing well without any significant health problems, but I also know she deserves her privacy after she's been through in her time. It's my hope that she's living peacefully without complications in the Alberta capital at this time.
While Terry Donahue spent four seasons in the AAGPBL and one more with the NGBL, it seems pretty clear that she was a solid fielder who was also one of the more courageous women of the era in protecting her relationship with Pat Henschel. The two women didn't find a ton of success on the ice, but they were fearless competitors during the winter when they suited up for the Wildcats and were nearly the best team in Western Canada at one point!
Terry Donahue is now the fifth AAGPBL player in this series and the first to have a movie made about her and Pat Henschel's unique love story, but that's why I'm doing this series. The number of incredible women who were incredible players in the AAGPBL while having ties to hockey is astounding, and they deserve to have the spotlight shone on them not only for their baseball skills, but their hockey accolades as well. Donahue's skills on both the diamond and ice qualifies her for a mention on HBIC this Sunday!
Rest in peace, Terry, and live forever, Pat. Your incredible story of love transcends any sports venue, but Terry's work on the diamond and Pat's support for Terry make them legends, even if those honours came long after they had retired.
I'm tired. I spent all day umpiring a softball tournament, and I'm worn out from the sun, the heat, the games, and the general buzz in the air. Being that I'm spent, I came home and collapsed onto the couch where I decided to turn my brain off by tuning into the Matt Johnson fictional story Blackberry as Teebz's Movie Club took over my Saturday evening. Knowing some of the players in Research In Motion's real-life tale of exploding onto the scene with a smartphone that broke all the rules to its eventual collapse into ruins, I had a good idea how the story would be told. I was not, however, expecting it to contain the incredible performances witnessed on my screen. Needless to say, this is one of those films where expectations were not only met, but absolutely blown away by the acting efforts turned in by the cast in the telling of one of the world's former tech giants who introduced the world to email on your phone!
Jay Baruchel stars as the MENSA-like genius Mike Lazaridis who seemingly can build a smartphone out of an Etch-A-Sketch. His performance as the co-CEO of Research In Motion is fantastic as he portrays the somewhat-introverted Lazaridis extremely well in the beginning before allowing his character to grow into the brilliant-but-ignorant engineer who changes cell phone data usage as the world knows it. Baruchel's performance is can't be overlooked as the spark that gets this story going, but there is another who drives Blackberry to new heights.
That would be Glenn Howerton's portrayal of Jim Balsillie, RIM's other co-CEO, whose lack of business ethics will be on display in Blackberry. Howerton not only commands the screen with Balsillie's unwavering drive to make money, but it's his version of Balsillie's egotistical and narcissistic ways that really will evoke negative emotions from the viewers towards the character. Needless to say, Howerton deserves full marks for showing his acting ability in this role, and I do hope he garners a few award nominations.
Director Matt Johnson plays Doug Fregin, Lazaridis' best friend who tries to keep the shy, unassuming genius away from trouble, but ultimately goes along for the ride when the money starts rolling in. The character of Doug is best described as a tension breaker in Blackberry, but his moral compass is set correctly in most cases where Mike needs a true friend. Johnson does a great job in being the eccentric goofball with a heart of gold.
Of course, I also had a very specific want in watching Blackberry as Jim Balsillie was, at one time, close to purchasing the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins with the intent on moving them to Hamilton, Ontario. Mark Critch plays NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in the film, and there are a couple of occasions where there's interaction between Howerton as Balsillie and Critch as Bettman. One of those scenes involves an epic meltdown by Balsillie in front of the NHL Board of Governors that BarDown so eloquently posted to TikTok (warning: language is definitely R-rated!)!
I won't give away the ending to the NHL portion of Blackberry, but you likely know that Jim Balsillie was never an owner of any NHL franchise despite trying three times to become one. What I will say, though, is that this movie was fun, it was entertaining, it kept me interested in terms of the storytelling, and the performances were outstanding from all the central actors.
Blackberry may not be your first choice when looking to hunker down with some popcorn, but I seriously ask that you reconsider that decision. Much like Adam McKay's telling of The Big Short, there's enough factual basis in the movie to give it legs to stand on as an intertesting story, and the work done by the actors to bring the characters to life make it entertaining enough that you won't notice the running time of 1:59. I found there were no spots where it dragged its feet, and that's a sign that the direction of the storytelling by Matt Johnson was entertaining and explanatory without being too deep of an examination.
I enjoyed Blackberry in it entirety, and the vampire line delivered by Glenn Howerton might be one of my favorite movie lines in recent history. While it's not a perfect movie that the Academy will praise for its depth and meaning, Blackberry will certainly be one of those movies I'll be telling people to see because I was so pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Check it out if you have the chance. I'd love to hear what you think!
Teebz's Rating: ★★★★✫ that definitely should be 4.5 stars.
I took some time for myself tonight and watched a movie. I normally end up writing these blogs while a movie is on, but I actually watched a movie tonight without the laptop open. That movie was the latest Woody Harrelson project called Champions where Harrelson's character coaches a team of intellectually-disabled basketball players following a series of screw-ups. I have to admit that I enjoyed this movie as it's funny, has some heartfelt moments, and is entertaining. However, rather than this being a basketball movie review on a hockey blog, I want to talk about where Champions was filmed because its locations were quite familiar.
Over the last couple of years, Hollywood has served up some great movies like Champions, Nobody starring Bob Odenkirk, and Violent Night starring David Harbour that feature a number of scenes shot in Winnipeg. While Violent Night takes place mostly at one house in the city, both Champions and Nobody have a vast number of scenes shot in and around Winnipeg with buildings and locations very visible to the trained eye if one knows those landmarks. Goon, starring Seann William Scott, was another film that had a myriad of shots from around Winnipeg that even ventured into areas that one may not to expect see film crews!
From the Canada Life Center (Goon) to the Duckworth Center (Champions) at the University of Winnipeg, from the Palamino Club (Nobody) to the Hotel Fort Garry (Violent Night), from the Manitoba Hydro building (The Italian Job) to the University of Manitoba dance studio (Shall We Dance?), Winnipeg might just offer Hollywood everything it wants when it needs a specific look for a scene. The mixture of older architecture and modern aesthetics found downtown and in the Exchange District gives Winnipeg different looks from block to block in some cases.
I'm not here to shill for the film industry. I know Manitoba's film industry works really hard in trying to attract major motion pictures to this city, and we've been very lucky in having some of those films choose Manitoba for its locations. Seeing some of the locations used in the movies listed above while recognizing what they are in everyday life makes me smile as I know that Winnipeg's somewhat scruffy look occasionally cleans up nicely.
While Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver seemingly offer things that Winnipeg can't, the costs of filming there sometimes forces movie studios and directors to look elsewhere for locations. Coastlines in Vancouver can be replicated along Lake Winnipeg. The architecture of old Montreal can be found in Winnipeg's Exchange District. The modern, sleek lines of Toronto's downtown can be represented by the new buildings going up in Winnipeg. Whether it be a school campus, a dance studio, a snowy street, or a hockey rink, Winnipeg has shown it can replicate, duplicate, and become Anywhere-On-The-Planet with a little decorating of the location.
As it stands, there are a number of Hallmark and Lifetime movies scheduled to be filming in and around the Manitoba capital in the near future. One of the bigger film titles being filmed here is Psycho Killer, based on a screenplay written by Andrew Kevin Walker who wrote the screenplay for the Morgan Freeman thriller Se7en. It sounds like Georgina Campbell and Logan Miller are set to star in the movie, so it seems like it will be another busy summer of filming in our great city.
Just for the record, Champions was worth watching and I do recommend it as it gets ★★★★☆ (four out of five stars). While Woody Harrelson and Kaitlin Olson are very good in the film, one can't help but admire the innocence and comedy from actors like Kevin Iannucci, Madison Tevlin, and Casey Metcalfe. Harrelson and Olson do a good job in keeping the story moving, but it's the players who bring the real heart to the movie as Iannucci's Johnny shows all sorts of range in his acting while Tevlin's comedic timing is fantastic for laughs. Champions will make you smile with its story, but the cast really brings it to life with their warmth.
If you do sit down to watch Champions, keep an eye peeled for all the Winnipeg landmarks. You'll see them throughout the movie as Winnipeg plays a large part in the final act of the movie itself. Who knew that "Muddy Water" looked so good?
Teebz's Movie Club makes a return on this Tuesday night as I wasn't feeling very motivated to get my butt outside to shovel the dusting the snow we received today. While I know better than to sit inside and let the snow accumulate, I decided to dig through the pile of movies and TV shows I have at my disposal thanks to my streaming options, and I stumbled across Hockeyland for which I had heard many positive reviews. Hockeyland, directed by Tommy Haines and produced by Northland Films, follows the stories of two historic high school hockey programs heading in opposite directions as we follow Eveleth and Hermantown in this Friday Night Lights-like documentary. We often hear about how hockey is life in Canada, but there's no doubt that hockey is life for these senior high school students in Minnesota who are dreaming of playing under bigger and brighter lights one day.
Having been to Minnesota a few times for hockey-related adventures and having seen teams come north across the border, I already had a deep appreciation for how important hockey is to families, programs, and players in Land of 10,000 Lakes. I'm not sure any of us know exactly how deep the passion runs, though, without being in the shoes of the players where we all can walk a mile or, in this case, skate a mile. Hockeyland brings that passion these kids and these towns have for the game to life and injects us directly into their perennial battle for hockey supremacy.
Hockeyland was filmed during the 2019-20 hockey season, but it doesn't exclusively look at life on the ice for the players the filmmakers follow. Aydyn and Indio Dowd play for Hermantown, and we learn that their mother, Lori, is battling cancer and multiple sclerosis while trying to be her sons' biggest fan. At one point, Indio talks about his back problems and how he should have had surgery to correct the problems, but he didn't want to miss the hockey season so he's forced to stretch his back often to prevent it from being acutely painful.
There's an interesting review of Blake Biondi choosing to stay in Hermantown to play high school hockey rather than moving on to play junior hockey at the USHL level. He was the eventual Mr. Hockey winner in the state of Minnesota, but it's clear that the ties to the town and the high school hockey program mean something to Biondi. While he certainly is one of the stars on the powerful Hawks team, his humbleness and team-first mentality are seen time and again in this documentary.
Pat Andrews, Hermantown's head coach, also plays a large role in the movie in terms of providing context to how deep the high school hockey roots run with a look back at his high school hockey playing days. Andrews' motivational speeches in the locker room for Hermantown are seen throughout the film, and it's clear he holds the program in extremely high regard which only serves to reinforce those roots. Andrews might be the coach in the film, but he's also a tie to the past hockey battles between Hermantown and Eveleth.
We also meet, in different capacities, Will Troutwine, Elliot Van Orsdel, and Eveleth coach Jeff Torrel whose stories have their own unique hockey paths. There are long, lingering shots of the two towns mixed with the intensity of locker room speeches, players driving to and from games and practices, players on the ice and on the bench, and the reactions of the crowds in response to the action on the ice. Haines does a good job in illustrating the challenges both teams face in chasing the dream of becoming Minnesota State Champions while keeping the human side of the story as the main focus.
There are some moments of pure emotion that may tug at the heart strings a little. Watching the tears flow after Eveleth's season comes to an end was particularly moving after we got to know a few of their players, but the sting that Hermantown's players show following their final game can't be ignored either. Hockeyland shows the highs and lows of being a player, but the heart-wrenching moments in listening to Lori's battles with cancer treatments and everything she's going through keeps things in perspective.
If you're thinking about sitting down with your kids to watch this, I should warn you there is some choice language in Hockeyland over its hour-and-48-minute runtime. This language shouldn't be unexpected as teenagers and adults alike show their frustrations through verbal outburts at times, but it may not be entirely suitable for younger children based on the words used. There's nothing overly offensive from my vantage point, though, so I'll leave this one up to the parents in giving it a PG-13 rating based upon my own assessment of the film.
Overall, I enjoyed Hockeyland for its in-depth look at hockey in Minnesota, the emotional and personal ties the people featured in the film have to the game, and overall arc of two teams moving in opposite directions when it comes to their high school hockey teams. I almost feel like each of the people introduced should have had their own episode in a mini-series only because I'm not sure how much of their stories were left on the editing room floor. I'd like to know more about Pat Andrews and Jeff Torrel and everything they go through as coaches. Nonetheless, Tommy Haines has put together a solid film that takes you from the start of the 2019-20 season right through to the state championship final while not glossing over the human side of the game which is what makes this game part of Minnesota's culture.
Teebz's Rating: ★★★★ out of five stars
There are all sorts of ways one can watch Hockeyland if one is wanting to see this picture. You can stream it on-demand via Vimeo ($6.95 to rent), via iTunes ($4.99 rental vs. $9.99 to buy), or via Amazon ($4.99 vs $9.99 again). If you want a physical copy, Blu-Ray copies are $19.99. If you're a sports fan, this isn't going to be a documentary that will present itself as heroes-vs-villains, but it may give you a new perspective about everything that happens under the surface of two seemingly quiet hockey towns in Minnesota whose high school programs have put them on the map. I do recommend it based on my rating, so give it a watch if you want to learn more about the high school hockey scene in Minnesota!
It's been a fairly rainy day in the area around HBIC Headquarters, so I needed to find something to do today that would keep me occupied. The rain today thwarted my original plans of gardening and yardwork that needs to get done, so I'm using this rainy day to get caught up on something that I needed to watch a while back. Teebz's Movie Club is returning with a review on the Vimeo documentary 1st Year Checking, a documentary produced and directed by Michael Messner that tackles the age-old question as to whether bantam-level boys' hockey is the right time to introduce bodychecking in hockey. This isn't an easy question to answer by any means, and there are lots of opinions from many different people involved in hockey. Mr. Messner examines all the sides to this question in 1st Year Checking through the eyes of his own son and teammates who are beginning their first years of bodychecking.
The documentary, it should be noted, was filmed in the United States where USA Hockey has allowed hitting to begin at the bantam level of hockey which would be for boys entering their 13th year of age (so technically still 12), 13 years-old, or 14 years-old. As you're probably well-aware, the difference in sizes for boys at that age can be enormous, and Messner's son, Grayson, is one of the smaller boys who will be starting bodychecking. Needless to say, there is a vested interest in this documentary by Michael Messner when it comes to exploring this topic.
I won't lie that there is a lot of information in 1st Year Checking. Facts hit you from every angle, if you'll excuse the pun, as to why hitting at the bantam level may be good or bad. One of the facts that stood out to me was that players are three times more likely to suffer a concussion in their first year of hitting than any other year. That stands out to me because concussions affecting the brains of 12 or 13 year-old players may lead to earlier problems in life when it comes to long-term effects on things like short-term memory and headaches.
We often see players who get checked hard in a game and struggle to get back to the bench, but the coach sends them back out after asking "Are you ok?" and the players answer yes because what else are they supposed to say? Mr. Messner recognizes this as he coaches Grayson and his teammates on the Pittsburgh Vengeance that he, too, fell into the same trap of taking a player's word or his parent's word over doing the sensible thing and having that player tested for a concussion. As Mr. Messner states in 1st Year Checking, "What I learned about myself as the year progressed is that I am your worst nightmare as a coach because when I'm taking your kid through his first year of checking, I see my main job as turning your player from a boy into a man at age 12 and 13."
That's not to suggest that Mr. Messner is a bad coach by any means. He enrolled Grayson into a hockey checking clinic so that Grayson could learn the nuances of delivering hits, receiving hits, and the reasons why checking is used in hockey. It appears several other teammates of Grayson also took hitting clinics to learn these lessons as well. It's one of the things that Mr. Messner stresses early on in 1st Year Checking - learning how to hit will allow players to overcome that fear of being hit, but it doesn't completely kill it as you'll see in the documentary.
That's what makes 1st Year Checking so riveting - the story is told through the experiences of Grayson and his teammates as they venture into their first of bodychecking. Mr. Messner asks about whether they are scared or nervous, and the boys try to put on brave face. They experience their first hits and, for some, their first injuries from hits. Mr. Messner asks them to be honest about their feelings, and it's pretty apparent that some are more ready than others when it comes to throwing and taking hits. Filming the documentary in this style makes it harder to ignore some of the messages built into the arc of the story.
What I like about 1st Year Checking is that Mr. Messner doesn't preach about his stance on hitting. He simply presents all the facts that one should consider when entering the first year of hitting in hockey. From the fear of being crushed against the boards to the injuries that come from hitting to the surging confidence of throwing a big hit, there is a range of emotions shown by Grayson in Mr. Messner's documentary and those emotions affect how he plays the game in each and every game.
The facts presented, though, can't be disputed. What Mr. Messner allows the viewer to do is to take note of the facts presented among the anecdotes about Grayson and his team, and the viewer can decide for him or herself whether the risk of bodychecking at the bantam level is acceptable. Mr. Messner never once says "this is wrong" in his film; rather, he weaves the good and the bad about bodychecking at the 12 year-old level while adding expert testimonials, and it's up to the viewer to judge for one's self.
Overall, I really enjoyed Mr. Messner's presentation of the facts while following Grayson's and the Pittsburgh Vengeance's progress throughout their first season of hitting in 1st Year Checking. There is a lot of information to process through the 83-minute film, but it doesn't overwhelm or talk down to the viewer. It's a no-nonsense look at a parent's view, a player's view, and expert opinions on hitting at the bantam level. Ultimately, Mr. Messner highlights the dangers of hitting at this level, but it's up to the viewer to weigh those risks against the fun and excitement of hockey in the bigger picture and whether the kids will be ok when it comes to the risks of bodychecking at age 12 and 13.
Teebz's Rating: ★★★★★
Please note that this is a Vimeo On-Demand film, so it needs to be rented. The cost is $14.54 CDN to watch this film over a 24-hour period, but I assure you that it's worth it if you have a child nearing the age of bodychecking. It will really open your eyes as to what to watch for and what to question when it comes to safety as well as giving you a better idea about some of the risks and benefits in hitting at a young age. Check it out when you can as my rating says it's recommended!
While waiting for the Lake Tahoe outdoor games to commence or resume on the weekend, I went off in search of something hockey to watch because there was an entertainment void in my life at that moment. I went searching for said hockey entertainment on the ol' Interwebs, and I found a film that not only captured my attention but really spoke to me regarding the subject. In saying that, Teebz's Movie Club is proud to review Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story, directed by Geordie Day. I actually reviewed the Tough Guy book way back in 2012, so settling in for this film on Probert's life had me intrigued. But rather than being entertained, the film takes a hard look at Bob Probert's life, the people who tried to help him, the people who enabled him, and the people missing him after he tragically passed away on July 5, 2010.
The names you'll see in Tough Guy who made their careers in the NHL are very recognizable: Tie Domi, Troy Crowder, Joey Kocur, Colin Campbell, Don Cherry, and Chris Chelios to name a few. These men pull no punches, if you'll excuse the pun, on the kind of player Bob Probert was, how good he was, and how his addictions and dependencies changed him and affected him on the ice is rather eye-opening. Everyone knew that Bob Probert was tough, but he could score goals and make plays when given the opportunity. These men saw the good in Probert when it came to him playing hockey, but it was the other side of the coin they could get him to reconcile.
There are other people, though, who sit down for the documentary to talk about the impact that Bob Probert had on them, and they include his wife Dani Probert, his mom Theresa Probert, his brother Norm Probert, and his three daughters Brogan, Tierney, and Declyn. To hear some of these people talk about Bob Probert's loving nature, his caring parenting, his love of his children, and his devotion to his family is endearing in that you forget how feared he was on the ice. However, it was his absences due to drinking and drug use, his repeated arrests, and his repeated relapses that shook these people he loved so much. It's this portion of the film that is hard to watch.
Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story does an excellent job in telling a story that not many wanted to hear about Probert. There are no corners cut when it comes to Probert's brushes with the law and his repeated alcohol- and drug-fuelled episodes as Geordie Day digs into the these moments, and it's hard to see a guy with so much potential struggle to get himself right, particularly early in his career.
There are moments of happiness, though, where you see him at the 1988 NHL All-Star Game, see him dancing joyfully with his kids, and his wedding, but those seem to be few and far between when it comes to everything else he dealt with in his life - the legal troubles, the constant fighting in the game and keeping an NHL roster spot, and the never-ending number of enablers who allowed him to relapse despite him trying to right his life. Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story might be less about Bob Probert's failures and more about the failures of the system that was supposed to help him find his way out of darkness.
One of the interviews in Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story involved former Detroit Red Wings assistant coach and current NHL executive Colin Campbell. Campbell spoke of how the Red Wings saw Probert as a commodity rather than a person when it came to what he brought to the team.
"We were selfish, too. We knew how good Bob was and how he could help us, so we didn't fix it the way we really had to fix it. We wanted him to clean it up in two weeks. He spent a lifetime getting the way he did, and we thought we could fix it up in seven-to-ten days."
Admittedly, the Red Wings attempted something that rarely was done back then in seeking help for Bob Probert, but Campbell's description of the help they sought was more pills and medication to treat the addiction rather than treating the person. The Red Wings reaped the popularity of their star player, but did the bare minimum to help him through his well-known and well-documented addiction problem while they filled seats, sold merchandise, and peddled concessions at games.
If you've read the book, Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story in movie form is just as compelling and certainly will give you a great look into Bob Probert's far-too-short life and career in the NHL. If you haven't read the book, Tough Guy is a must-watch for what Geordie Day shows you in the many interviews, news clips, and documents presented in the film. It's not glamourous or fairy tale-like in any way, but the reality wasn't either for everyone involved in the film. You get that sense while watching Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story, and it's this realism and gravity of the situations that make this film an excellent watch about a flawed man who was loved so dearly by fans and family, feared by his opponents, and whose life ended far too soon.
I finally cleared some time on the schedule to sit down and give this documentary a thorough viewing. Being that I was and am a Pittsburgh Penguins fan, I knew of this Russian Penguins team through stories I heard, but I was never lucky enough to see the team play in any way. Thanks to the efforts of Gabe Polsky, we now get a glimpse of how this team came about and why it eventually fell apart. Teebz's Movie Club is proud to review Red Penguins, directed by Gabe Polsky. This documentary follows the idea of Howard Baldwin and a handful of investors buying into the Russian Red Army team, the two years of absolute craziness surrounding the team, and the eventual end of the Russian Penguins hockey club.
I want to say upfront that I found it weird that Polsky repeatedly made reference to Walt Disney's Michael Eisner denying any involvement with the Russian Penguins whatsoever. It's not weird that he mentioned it, but it was weird that Eisner has denied this over and over again despite there being mountains of evidence indicating that every word of it is true. While the Disney tie-in is important for the story that Polsky tells, it just struck me that Eisner's constant denials came across as petty when one considers the story of the Russian Penguins as a whole.
In any case, Red Penguins is an enjoyable look at this rather crazy period of time when Russia's communist regime had fallen, US capitalism viewed that fall of communism as an opportunity, and the overall corruption of a political system that bled into sports in a big way thanks to the ties the spots clubs had with the government for so long.
A handful of names in Red Penguins are somewhat recognizable - Howard Baldwin and Viktor Tikhonov, most notably - but the documentary really highlights the people we may never heard of in marketing whiz Steven Warshaw, Russian Penguins general manager Valery Gushin, and Russian businessman Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov who may or may not have ties to organized crime. Through these men, we hear the tales of Russian Penguins and their ups and downs when it came to on-ice and off-ice ideas and business from 1993 through to 1996.
It was Warshaw who was handed the task of making this bankrupt Russian hockey team into an entertainment mecca once more, and he went all-in to attract fans back to a mostly-empty rink. From strippers on the ice to circus bears to free beer nights to listening to a pitch involving the team in a potential Mighty Ducks 5 movie, it's hard to believe that an NHL club would partner with this Russian club that allowed Warshaw to run some of the most insane promotions ever. But he did, and the results were that the Penguins would eventually sell out their arena on a regular basis thanks to efforts by Steve Warshaw.
Where things start unraveling is when Baldwin and his partners began examining the finances for this team, and they noticed a lot of "discretionary spending" that essentially were the Russian executives skimming off the top for themselves. While the intentions of Baldwin and his partners were positive, the free democracy that Russia had instilled upon itself was collapsing inward thanks to its own corruption and greed as the mafia grew increasingly stronger while Vladimir Putin's militaristic control restored a sense of order in the country. In the end, the idealism of this American-run Russian pipeline for players to come to North America was abandoned after executives, politicians, and players began turning up dead with no explanation and no investigation.
Red Penguins would be one of those hockey movies where you'd expect to see it running late at night on some channel as filler, but the fact that it's a real story makes it more like The Blair Witch Project in that you keep watching and suspending disbelief knowing that something crazier is on the horizon. Honestly, Gabe Polsky does a good job in pulling back the curtains on this short era of insane hockey and politics that intertwined, but the 80-minute runtime feels too short when it comes to really looking into some of the bigger details revealed in the film.
If you want some crazy hockey history or have heard of this fabled Russian Penguins team, you'll want to watch Red Penguins to get a better idea of the craziness that surrounded this team. While the film is rated PG-13 for violent and/or bloody images, sexual material and/or nudity, some strong language, and drug references, this is one documentary that hockey history fans won't want to miss. I enjoyed Red Penguins for its look at the circus that surrounded this team, and I feel like I know a little more about this squad thanks to Gabe Polsky's film.
While there may be a Disney movie of the same name as this NHL-produced film about the NHL expansion for the Vegas Golden Knights, it's hard not to feel some Disney-esque warmth from this film, even if you hate the Golden Knights. The question for this film isn't what you remember about their inaugural season, but how much you likely forgot in the build-up to the franchise's run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017-18. In saying that, Teebz's Movie Club continues its run of reviews today by focusing on Valiant, directed by Cruz Angeles. While no one will contest that the Golden Knights' first campaign in the NHL was a resounding success both on and off the ice, it's the little details that one forgets that were so vital to the success that this documentary brings forth so well as one watches the story unfold.
After we learn of owner Bill Foley's and former NHL Murray Craven's longtime friendship which was where the seed of the Golden Knights seems to have been planted, we meet several key players who played a role in the success of the team who were acquired through the NHL Expansion Draft such as Jonathan Marchessault, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Deryk Engelland. Everything seems to be going to plan as the team approaches its first game.
What you may have forgotten is that there was a major crisis nine days before the Golden Knights kicked off their first-ever season in the NHL when the city was thrown into chaos by the shooting committed by Stephen Paddock at the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival from his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel. Angeles does a very good job in bringing the realism of that tragedy to the surface by talking to players and staff from the team, survivors, and families of those who were needlessly killed by Paddock. The emotions in this section of Valiant are very raw, and it brings into focus how the city can go from complete euphoria to complete remorse in a matter of seconds.
The response by the Golden Knights shown in Valiant immediately endeared the team to the community as they honoured the 58 lives lost in that senseless act of violence. 58 seconds of silence in the film is a stark reminder of these 58 people who were taken from families and loved ones, and, from that point on, the Golden Knights were playing for 58 people who would never see them play.
While this part of the film does tug at the heart strings and show the raw side of Las Vegas' mourning over this tragedy, the remainder of the film is a reminder of the amazing season that the Golden Knights had in amassing 51 wins, winning three playoff rounds, and falling just short in their quest to win the Stanley Cup. The reactions from players, staff, and fans surrounding this team is notable as they found themselves in the same disbelief of the accolades and achievements the Vegas Golden Knights accomplished that season.
Where Valiant falls short, for me, is how Angeles misses how the Golden Knights generated some rather fun moments with various celebrities and moments in this first season. While Wayne Newton and Li'l Jon get included, the fact that he failed to include the Imagine Dragons performing on T-Mobile Arena ice in Game Two that some believe may have inflicted some sort of curse on the Golden Knights seems like a fun twist to a story. There are other moments - Celine Dion embracing the team before the season and the Blue Man Group showing support - that maybe should have been included, but it seems like the NHL and Angeles opted out of pursuing those moments for this film.
Overall, Valiant is the kind of movie that a Golden Knights fan would want in their collection of all things Vegas Golden Knights. The work put into the movie is apparent based on the interviews and moments shown, and the end result is a thorough look at how the Golden Knights came to be and their results through the 2017-18 season. While the movie doesn't give you that feeling that it was produced by a Las Vegas resident in love with the Golden Knights, it is a solid encapsulation of the inaugural season of the Vegas Golden Knights.
As you may know if you following this blog is that I love hockey history. If those who don't know history are condemned to repeat it, I'd like to think I have enough knowledge of old-time hockey that I wouldn't fall down the same rabbits holes that some of the past hockey people have. In saying that, my love of hockey history falls into Teebz's Movie Club today as TMC is proud to review Only the Dead Know the Brooklyn Americans, directed by Dale Morrisey. If you don't know the history of the original seventh team of the NHL, this Larry King-narrated documentary might be the perfect film for you to dive into the story of the Americans, how they were founded, which team moved to become the Americans, and much, much more!
The 2017 film features a ton of hockey historians who weave through the history of the early NHL to the identification of the ownership icons who would bring the Americans to Brooklyn to the last days of hockey in Brooklyn until the New York Islanders moved into the borough. Names like Stan Fischler, J. Andrew Ross, Eric Zweig, and Sam Wesley cobble together the history of this team while looking at the circumstances that led to the rise and fall of Americans.
Only the Dead Know the Brooklyn Americans tells the story of the rise of Bill Dwyer as one of New York's more wealthy people thanks to his illegal bootlegging of alcohol to the bad deal he signed with Madison Square Garden owner Tex Rickard. The first Americans game on December 15, 1925 is highlighted along with Bill Dwyer's absence from the game due to him being arrested as the head of the bootlegging ring under a charge of bribery.
The insanity of some of the stuff that's discussed in Only the Dead Know the Brooklyn Americans proves that the old days of the NHL were a bit of a "wild west" when it came to player and management struggles, management and ownership struggles, team and arena struggles, and team and league struggles. With all of these various problems in the works along with a lackluster record of the team, the New York Americans' history seemed doomed from the start.
The documentary features many old photos of players and moments and video highlights of the Americans, and I found this to be fascinating since I had never seen some of these moments in history. Along with the history of the team and the NHL at that time, Only the Dead Know the Brooklyn Americans does a good job in highlighting what was happening in society in those times as we get a better idea about the outside influences that affected the Americans and the NHL as well.
While the Americans played in Madison Square Garden during their sixteen-year run in the NHL, it should be noted they never once played in the Brooklyn borough proper. It was also noted in Only the Dead Know the Brooklyn Americans that Bill Dwyer's empire was collapsing after the United States passed the 18th Amendment, and his attempts to merge with the failing Ottawa Senators was voted down by governors. Dwyer's empire was crumbling, and the Americans suffered because of it.
I found this documentary to be very revealing as I personally didn't know a lot of the information disseminated in Only the Dead Know the Brooklyn Americans. With this team's existence being a century ago, there aren't a lot of places where one can find troves of information on the Americans online. Having a great documentary like Only the Dead Know the Brooklyn Americans brings the history of one of the NHL's most colorful teams back to life.
If you're into hockey history, Only the Dead Know the Brooklyn Americans is definitely for you. The images and videos are excellent, the information is fantastic, and I know I learned something about the Americans so all three checkboxes are covered. Check it out if you can and absorb as much as you can about the New York Americans in Only the Dead Know the Brooklyn Americans!
I spent some time this week looking for obscure hockey movies that likely never hit the theatre like Goon or Slap Shot nor would be overly popular on streaming services. To say there are a few might be an understatement, but my thought was that there may be a gem or two in the mix that should have a little more attention paid to them. As a result, Teebz's Movie Club has been born and will run through August as I take in more and more of these movies! Today, TMC is proud to review the 2013 film Skating to New York, directed by Charles Minsky! This coming-of-age tale about five teenage boys is less about hockey than I would have liked, but it feels a bit like The Sandlot in its portrayal of the friendship and adventure these five young men undertake.
Admittedly, Skating to New York starts out with hockey where Casey, our main protagonist, is the goaltender for the local hockey team called the Cubs. Instead, the five friends, following a loss, decide that they'll be the first people to skate across Lake Ontario to New York in the dead of winter!
Adapted from a novella by Edmond Stevens, Skating to New York doesn't really examine any of the relationships outside of the five boys who attempt to cross the lake, and the development of these characters are rather one-dimensional based on some early situations.
Rudy, for example, is the tallest, but he's quick to anger and blame others like his father as shown at the hockey game. I would have liked Minsky to have provided a little more backstory on the remaining three boys, but that's not included in the telling of Skating to New York.
Their journey to New York on skates sees the five boys encounter various hardships - unfrozen lake water, food and water needs, and self-doubt in being able to accomplish the feat of reaching New York. Through each ordeal, friendships are tested and, in most cases, stronger bonds are formed between the young men. Seeing the young men deal with some of these problems by working together and relying on each other for teamwork lies at the heart of Skating to New York.
If there is one major positive that Minsky accomplishes in Skating to New York, his experience as a cinematographer shines through in his sweeping panoramic shots of the boys on the lake to expose how alone they are on this journey. These shots might be telling in that these boys feel alone with their individual problems, needing to come together to overcome their respective issues. If that wasn't the intention, it still bears mentioning that Minsky's cinematography mind has produced a visually beautiful film.
While I fully admit that Skating to New York isn't a hockey movie, five hockey-playing teens crossing Lake Ontario sounds like something every pond-hockey teen has through of when faced with an open expanse of frozen water.
Aimed for a teenage audience, the PG-13 rating seems appropriate considering some of the insults the boys trade with one another. It's not going to win any Academy Awards nor will it be on a lot of people's Top-100 movies selections for any year. However, if you're a fan of movies like The Goonies or The Sandlot, you might warm up to Skating to New York!
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