The Trailer For The New Anaheim Mighty Ducks 30 For 30 Looks Like The Perfect Documentary For Millenial Sports Fans

OFF THE FLOOR ON THE BOARD

One of the great calls in NHL history by the one and only Gary Thorne. 

The NHL's on-ice product was certainly MUCH worse then than it is today. When the Ducks were flying in the late 90s and early 2000s the NHL was in the midst of their clutch and grab era. Obstruction penalties, the redline, and the left-wing lock made the fastest game on Earth feel like trench warfare at times. The NHL obviously canceled the 2004-04 season and came back with changes to the rules, financials, and CBA that has put the NHL in a better position than ever in my opinion. 

With all of that being said...somehow with an objectively worse product back then the NHL was more compelling. More stories. More rivalries. Less talent, but somehow it feels like there were more stars players. It was great. The Ducks were the pinnacle of that. Kariya, Selanne, JSG, and an iconic name and unique uniform. When I was a kid everyone had their own favorite team, but you also always sort of rooted for the Ducks because they were cool and fun. 

When ESPN came back as a partner for the NHL I'd say that most hockey fans were excited. After a couple of years ESPN has left a TON to be desired, especially when compared to TNT's coverage. The NHL doesn't appear to be a priority for ESPN. Having said that...this documentary is a great thing. The NHL has ALWAYS lagged behind the NFL when it comes to original programming and storytelling. For whatever reason the NHL hasn't been interested in making their players and teams more accessible to fans in other formats the way that the NFL has "America's Game", "Hard Knocks", "A Football Life", etc. This documentary looks like a positive step. 

There's always a market for good storytelling. Here's hoping that ESPN makes a series of NHL documentaries.