Perfect

Rating: Null/10 (23 August 2002)

Anyone who knocks this movie as being unrealistic, or "dated", is clearly ignorant of the inside of sports. Instead of trashing you for being closed-minded or clueless, I will simply leave it as "ignorant" since not everyone has been in a hockey locker room.
Obviously, this movie is a parody. There is exaggeration for effect. But the film is so otherwise dead-on accurate, it may as well have been a documentary. From the shenanigans of the general manager, and the ownership situation, to the winning at all costs mentality, to the bus trips of the minor leagues, to the hotels and women, and bars, and team comraderie and machismo. It's all there.
I've spent 10 years around hockey, including 5 travelling with minor league hockey teams. Trust me.
Today, the violence is not nearly as pervasive, since the rules have been changed - though I've seen my share of bench clearing brawls in the minor leagues. But all you have to do is listen to the Hanson Brothers commentary on the DVD to get any idea. Listen to them as they say "Hey, remember when that actually happened in Syracuse" - or - "Hey, remember that crazy guy who..."
Of course, none of this necessarily makes this a great movie. I believe it is, though that is just my opinion. I believe it is because it's making a statement about a number of issues that surround sports - the violence and the hero worship and the business side of things - while also being hysterical.
There are so many baseball movies that are pure junk because of how unrealistic they are. This film holds up for even hockey players because of how true it all rings.
This is a 10 - all the way around.