The Blackhawks‘ new championship film, “Hat Trick,” is ostensibly about the team’s Stanley Cup run this year. It’s named after the team’s three Stanley Cups in the past six years, a run of on-ice success most franchises dream of. But at the center of the 105-minute movie is something far more interesting, the human side of players who rarely get to show it to us.
I won’t spoil too much of the movie because, yes, it is worth watching, but what stood out during the best parts of the new film from Blackhawks TV and Banner Collective Production wasn’t a kickass hockey montage or the stirring nostalgia of victory. Instead, it was the time spent with the players traveling across the globe for their respective Stanley Cup days and getting a chance to see some of them away from the game.
There’s Niklas Hjlmarsson, who comes from a farmers’ town in the Swedish countryside so small it couldn’t fill half of the United Center. There’s Jonathan Toews, who’s a helluva lot funnier than his nickname would lead you to believe. There’s Marian Hossa, who returns to Slovakia and gets treated like a rock star. The movie covers 12 different players on their Cup days. Each one helps to give a little different flavor of each player, like Teuvo Teravainen carrying the Cup off a boat past a group of clapping, shirtless young men. I don’t know why it happened but it was perfect and makes me want to see Teuvo win every year so we can see what else Finland has in store.
In another section, Toews, the fiery-yet-contained captain at the center of the Blackhawks’ recent Stanley Cup run, is now at an outdoor celebration with friends and family at his Stanley Cup day. The 27-year-old is carrying his girlfriend’s bite-size dog like a handbag, water skiing and drinking beers on a lake near Winnipeg.
“In the past few days he’s said a few funny things so, you know, he might succeed at losing that ‘Captain Serious’ nickname,” Toews’ mother, Andree Gilbert, says.
“No, I’m not funny at all, I’m just serious,” Toews responds with a smirk.
It’s looking like the gig is up on that one for the captain.
And in arguably the highlight of the movie, Scott Darling brings the Stanley Cup back to Lemont, Ill., after an incredible road to the NHL. His inspiring story has been written about many times, but it’s still powerful to see how he overcame such difficult challenges off the ice to reach such incredible heights. “For someone to just stop drinking, and then, my god, you get all this as a reward. Who would want to take a drink?” Darling’s mother, Cindy, says in one of the most impacting moments.
The movie goes on sale tomorrow at a variety of locations and if you’re a Blackhawks fan, it’s worth checking out. You’ve seen all the hockey before, but that’s not what makes this a great watch.
Note: The Chicago Blackhawks provided me with a ticket to the showing of the event at the Chicago Theatre on November 9 as well as a copy of the film. Thank you to the team for that.