Connor McDavid called it some of the most raw and compelling footage you’re ever going to see about hockey players.
And if the 10-second snippet released Monday is any indication, he’s right.
In its highly-anticipated documentary series Faceoff: Inside the NHL, Amazon is pulling back the curtain and taking fans where they’ve never been before — like into the Oilers dressing room moments after they lost Game 2 to the Florida Panthers.
Inside, McDavid is screaming at his teammates, imploring them to give more.
“That’s not good enough!” he shouts, in a voice none of us have ever heard before. “It’s the Finals! Dig In! Right now!”
This show is a significant departure for NHL players, who have a well-earned reputation for being private and guarded. McDavid, who’s among the most private and guarded of them all, says it wasn’t easy allowing cameras into their inner sanctum and sharing their pain with the world, but that was the deal.
“You’re going to see us at our most vulnerable,” said the Oilers captain and face of the NHL. “You can’t say that we didn’t let them in. They shot things in our most intense moments, our most meaningful moments.
“They shot it, they might as well use it. There are lots emotions there and I think fans will see that.”
The six-part series filmed over the course of the 2023-24 season, features a behind the scenes look at a number NHL players, with McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman the focus of the fifth episode and McDavid taking centre stage in episode six on the Cup final. The series premiers Oct. 4
It’s along the same lines as the highly popular sports series on Netflix — Drive to Survive, about the Formula 1 world and Full Swing, which centres around the PGA Tour.
Another clip shows the Oilers dressing room after losing Game 7 to the Panthers. The players are in shock, with tears in their eyes, sitting dead silent — the only sound we hear is the Panthers and their fans celebrating their championship in the background.
It’s as brutal as it gets.
“You’re going to see hockey players, but you’re going to see the human side of it,” said McDavid.
“You’re going to see joy on one side and you’re going to see a lot of heartbreak as well. Hopefully it’s worth it, it’s not the easiest thing to let some media in to some of those moments.”
As is often the case with these types of documentaries, the film makers try and funnel things into certain story lines, but McDavid said that’s just the nature of the business.
“They get to contextualize it as much as they want. It’s interesting how they cut it up. They obviously need to make a story. But I thought, overall, you’re going to see emotions from both sides. Guys are playing for their dream. You’ll see that and feel that.”
Zach Hyman, who is also featured prominently in the series, said that while fans might be surprised to see McDavid as vocal as he is in the Game 2 clip, it’s nothing he and his teammates haven’t seen before.
“To us it’s normal. He’s a phenomenal leader, wears his heart on his sleeve. To you guys he’s quieter and more guarded, to us he’s Connor. He is who he is, a great player, the best in the world and a phenomenal leader.
“When we’re playing poorly he takes a lot of it on himself and tries to elevate everybody’s game. That clip, you’ll see more of it in the show.”
With all the drama and intensity that comes with a deep playoff run, Hyman said it’s only natural that the series has so many raw and visceral moments like the Game 2 post-game eruption.
“Everybody is upset, we’re down 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Final, the worst possible situation after two games,” said Hyman. “We worked all this way to get there and we’re down 2-0 and we have to be better. That was kind of the message, everybody was feeling it and it was great that he said it at the time.”
They all still remember the feeling after they lost that second game to the Panthers. Everyone in the room knew McDavid was right.
“The closer you get the more it’s in reach,” he said. “We’re in the Stanley Cup Final and had a pretty good first game and lost and a not so good second game. It’s just frustration of ‘Guys, wake up!’ And Connor is the most competitive guy you’ll meet. That’s a little window into what goes on.”
Are they glad they did it?
McDavid said he’s not entirely comfortable being so much of the focus, and he doesn’t love answering questions about those uncomfortable moments, but believes anything that generates interest in the game is good in the end.
“It was never my plan to be the star of the show, it was never my plan to be the star,” he said. “We wanted to dip our toe in but here we are head first off the diving board, so we’ll see.
“Ultimately everybody wants to grow the game. It’s worked for other sports. If it does something for our sport as well that’s all we can really ask for.”
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