Scene from the Blackhawks new documentary “17 Seconds” as Jonathan Toews takes the Stanley Cup home to Manitoba, Winnepeg, Canada for the day.
The Chicago Blackhawks’ new documentary, “17 Seconds,” is 53 minutes of moviemaking that neatly packages the 2013 Stanley Cup championship-clinching 6th game, while providing behind-the-scenes access to the players and coaches and more.
I got a sneak peek at the full-length doc today (it premieres at Navy Pier Wednesday at an invite-only event), and while the footage of the iconic 17-seconds to victory in Game 6 against Boston is riveting; and while the footage of the “views from the buses” as the team was ferried up Madison to Millennium Park is an eye-opener in terms of what it’s like to be on those vehicles streaming past throngs of devoted fans; the BEST portion of the film are those moments “at home” with the players. These are quiet moments away from the media, the fans, the thunderous ovations.
Chicago Blackhawks left wing Bryan Bickell, left, and center Jonathan Toews (19) work around Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (33), of Slovakia, as goalie Tuukka Rask (40), of Finland, defends the net during the third period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. Chicago won 3-2 to win the Stanley Cup. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Call it a travelogue of Canada if you will. Here are highlights of some very moving and emotional footage you can expect from “17 Seconds”:
— Patrick Sharp goes home to Thunder Bay, Ontario, where the Cup is feted with a family barbecue, and where (after meticulous cleaning) a massive ice cream sundae is served from the trophy to the joy of family, friends and one very special little girl;
— Andrew Shaw goes home to Belleville, Ontario, where he talks of the sacrifices made by his parents. In a very moving segment, he brings the cup to the local sports shop where the owner often cut deals with Shaw’s dad on equipment, so the family could afford the gear for their hockey-loving child;
— Corey Crawford goes home to Chateauguay, Quebec (where it seems odd to see all the Hawks memorabilia, banners etc. in a Canadian neighborhood) where “hockey is a way of life in Montreal,” he says. He visits with the local police force and groups of kids.
Duncan Keith introduces his two-month-old son to the Stanley Cup in the Chicago Blackhawks documentary “17 Seconds.”
— Duncan Keith spends time with his family and friends in Penticton, British Columbia, and his two-month old son who finds nesting in the top of the cup much to his liking. Four generations of the Keith men are photographed with the Cup. Priceless is the only way to describe the footage of Keith returning to his childhood basement bedroom filled to the brim with old trophies, equipment and more — a moment he was not able to capture for the 2010 win, as he ran out of family Cup time.
—Bryan Bickell gets teary-eyed as his time with the Cup back home in Orono, Ontario, is capped by getting the key to his local municipality. The Cup also spends a day wrapped in a life jacket as the family goes fishing with it.
Chicago Blackhawks’ Bryan Bickell takes the Stanley Cup home to Canada for the day. | From the documentary “17 Seconds”
— Brent Seabrook takes the Cup home to Kelowna, British Columbia, where it arrives via sea plane to yet another massive lakefront family estate. His young son, Carter Seven Seabrook (only two weeks old at the time), rests inside the Cup’s top in a very touching moment.
— Jonathan Toews takes the Cup home to Winnepeg, Manitoba, where he proudly proclaims to the community: “IT’S BAAACK!” The Cup ends up on a water skiing family outing.
Back on American soil:
— Patrick Kane goes home to Buffalo, New York, and the recreation center where he first played hockey as a kid.
— Brandon Saad takes us to Pittsburgh, Penn, for an outdoor family barbecue at his cousin’s massive lake house. The Cup watches dutifully from the pier as the family goes swimming.
These are quiet moments fans won’t soon forget.
For information on upcoming public screenings of “17 Seconds,” visit blackhawks.nhl.com. “17 Seconds” will be included in Blackhawks Publishing’s upcoming hardcover book, “One Goal II,” which can be pre-ordered now at chicagoblackhawks.com for a mid-November ship date.
P.S. President Obama welcomes the championship Blackhawks to the White House on Nov. 4.
