In the bustling city of Toronto, where hockey reigns supreme, NHL’s chief content officer, Steve Mayer, is a man who is no stranger to the inner workings of the world’s best hockey players. He constantly finds himself engaged in various aspects of their lives, from managing the season-opening player media tour to revamping the All-Star weekend and planning outdoor games.
However, even for a seasoned league executive like Mayer, nothing could have prepared him for what he witnessed when cameras were given exclusive access to Connor McDavid and other NHL stars during last year’s playoffs for a new Amazon Prime docuseries set to premiere in October.
“You think (McDavid) is just focused,” Mayer shared with The Athletic, “but there’s a couple of scenes where he goes ballistic on his team as a leader. I was surprised. Like I didn’t think he had that side to him.”
The docuseries promises to reveal a side of McDavid and other players that fans have never seen before. Mayer expressed his awe at the raw emotion displayed by the players, particularly McDavid, after a heartbreaking loss in the playoffs.
“That emotion, that raw emotion after they lost, if you’re a human you’re going to feel it,” Mayer added. “(The series) really does show an interesting side of him. I think out of all the players, people will leave thinking they feel differently about him more than anybody.”
The project, described as offering “unprecedented access” to life in the NHL, was launched earlier this year and is set to premiere on Amazon Prime on October 4. The six-episode series aims to give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of NHL players like never before.
To understand how the docuseries managed to break through the barriers and red tape that had hindered previous attempts at NHL all-access programming, one must look back at the decision to collaborate with Box to Box Films on its production.
Box to Box Films, known for producing Formula One’s Drive to Survive and the PGA Tour’s Full Swing docuseries, added credibility to the project. They met with players during February’s All-Star weekend in Toronto and secured early buy-in from stars like McDavid, Nylander, Pastrnak, Hughes, Forsberg, and others who would play key roles in the series.
Nylander, in particular, embraced the project wholeheartedly, according to showrunner Daniel Amigone. The Toronto Maple Leafs star allowed cameras into his life without restrictions, showcasing his daily routines, visits to favorite spots, and even vulnerable moments like watching his team play while he was unable to due to health reasons.
With such unprecedented access to the lives of NHL players, the upcoming docuseries promises to provide fans with a unique and intimate look at the human side of these hockey superstars.
