[.ca] Nhl (National Hockey League): All Access

From Amazon.com:
This collection of film segments promises to show the viewer "the game behind the game," and by taking cameras into National Hockey League locker rooms and putting microphones out on the ice, it accomplishes just that. Features include coverage of a milestone, the night goaltender Patrick Roy set the record for career victories, and a segment focusing on ordinary games, as sensitive microphones pick up spirited comments uttered by players, coaches, and officials on the ice and on the bench. NHL veteran Ray Ferraro offers his perspective on how the game is really played, and some bone-crunching film footage punctuates his explanations of how fast the players are skating and how hard they really slam into each other. The camera enters the locker room to show techniques coaches use to motivate players, and officials are seen suiting up and preparing for a game in their dressing room. The officials also provide perspectives on their jobs, and how it has only gotten harder in recent years thanks to intensive coverage of every single NHL game. Wayne Gretzky's final NHL game and a tribute by the fans is chronicled, and after the game the Great One is seen literally hanging up his skates. This is a very entertaining look at aspects of pro hockey that the usual television coverage tends to overlook. --Robert J. McNamara

Content! Content! Content!:
I was plesantly surprised by this DVD primarily because I expected it to be little more than an hour-long version of 'Cool Shots.' NHL Productions actually does live up to the behind-the-scenes idea with this DVD. The entire program isn't all locker room, coaches, and trainers, though. Those bits are mixed in with the program highlights on Gretzky's retirement, Mario Lemieux's comeback, Patrick Roy's 448th win, and Dan Moriarty's brief stay with the Minnesota Wild. There are also chapters on game preparation for officials and coaches, as well as on-ice communications, hits, and discussion on the fast and spontaneous nature of the game. Beyond the actual program, there are also a ton of bonus chapters to check out along with an interactive section to access with your computer. For fans, this DVD is well worth its purchase price because NHL Productions didn't skimp on it. It doesn't have a lot of game highlights, but what it does have is a refreshing change to NHL Productions' usual product.

Where's the good stuff?:
"All Access" my @ss. Where's the cursing? Fighting? Backstabbing? Where's the real NHL? It is falsely represented on this disc. This disc is simply clips from "Cool Shots" re-edited into a special. Do not spend your money on this. I repeat, do not.

A great look at what happens behind the scenes at the NHL.:
NHL All Access, hosted by NHL veteran and ESPN analyst Bill Clement, is an entertaining, albeit short, look behind the scenes of the NHL. From on-ice chatter, to a look at the unsung virtues of the referees and linesmen (that is, BEFORE all this obstruction nonsense), All Access affords hockey fans to get a better feel for how the NHL works. It's short length is the only thing recommending against a purchase.

Good but a little disappointing.:
I was hoping for a little bit more than what I saw in the commercials. But I had to go to the added features to see my favorite hockey team, the New Jersey Devils. There, I only saw glimpses of SCOTT GOMEZ and PATRIK ELIAS. The bits on Lemieux and Gretzky seen them before. But, on a fan level, this is a must for the Hockey library collection. My 3 stars on this DVD is for quality, 2nd for Dan Morriarty, and 1 star for the Super Skills Competion on the added feature list.

EXCELLENT!:
Living in Australia, we don't get to see any hockey games on the T.V., but mate, I have to tell ya, I was very pleased with this...it pointed all the major things that we didn't get a chance to see down here. e.g. Lemieux coming out of retirement and Gretzky hanging up his skates. It is a fantastic video for behind the scene views of the hockey world, but if you want more action...then this might not be for you. I hope that people do get the chance to see this. Good on ya, and I hope I helped ya.