In October 1998 an extraordinary documentary series dominated Canada’s TV screens. Six ground-breaking one-hour documentaries took viewers inside the world of NHL hockey. Only the full co-operation of the NHL, the NHLPA, the owners, general managers, coaches, agents, and players throughout the league made this possible, taking the viewers – and now the readers – into many private meetings normally out of bounds to cameras and writers.
The six episodes deal with 1) The Dance: deal-making, drafting at the summer draft pick, horse-trading between agents and managers; 2) The Show: the business of marketing hockey; 3) Showdown at Nagano; 4) The Canadian Game: by following Canadian teams we discover what hockey means to the country; 5) The Grind: the life of the players, at home and on the road; 6) Agony and Glory: the race for the Stanley Cup, and the completion of a full seasonal cycle.