Hockey: A People's History

- Season 1

(2006)

A hockey puck is dropped for the first time in 1875. A young country of Canada, along with patrons like Lord Stanley of Preston, suddenly have a new passion.

The professional hockey truly begins when NHL is formed in 1917. Brothers Frank and Lester Patrick modernize the rules of the game.

Young men fight in World War I, so women take their place in pro hockey. Conn Smythe returns to Toronto and Canada plays at the 1924 Winter Olympics.

NHL is on the brink of collapse during the Great Depression, but the advent of radio carries the voice of Foster Hewitt to people's homes.

Hockey Night in Canada debuts on television in 1952. Players like Maurice "Rocket" Richard and Gordie "Mr. Hockey" Howe brings both finesse and toughness to Canadian living rooms.

Two of the biggest hockey towns Toronto and Montreal are also fierce rivals. Maple Leafs defender Tim Horton and Canadiens center Jean Béliveau personify their teams.

It was a war on ice when Canada and Soviet Union faced off in the Summit Series in 1972. Ultimately it was also a source of national pride.

In the early 1980s "The Great One" arrives. Wayne Gretzky brings renaissance to NHL during the decade when fights and brawls were commonplace.

In the 1990s Gretzky, Lemieux and women's national team shine for Canada, but there are also dark clouds: Alan Eagleson affair, losing teams from Winnipeg and Quebec City, and closing down historical Montreal Forum and Maple Leaf Gardens.

Team Canada wins gold medal in women's and men's hockey on 2002 Olympics. Behind the scenes, however, the millionaire players and billionaire owners can't get along and 2004-05 NHL season is canceled. Has the game lost its moral compass?