The Sticks Netflix Cast, Characters, Plot and Release Date

Michelle Monaghan leads the cast of The Sticks as Harper Sullivan, a grieving woman who steps behind the bench of a high school hockey team after tragedy shakes her Minnesota community. The Netflix drama also features Scott Bakula and Logan Marshall-Green as coaches, alongside a large group of rising actors playing the South Dorothy hockey recruits.

Netflix describes The Sticks as an eight-episode coming-of-age sports drama about hockey, family, loss and community. The series comes from creator Nick Naveda, showrunner Bridget Bedard and Shawn Levy’s 21 Laps, the company behind Stranger Things. As of August 11, 2026, Netflix has not announced a release date.

Who is in The Sticks Netflix cast?

The confirmed ensemble combines established television actors with younger performers playing the hockey team and the families surrounding it. Netflix has released character names for the principal cast, but detailed biographies and relationships remain limited because the series has not premiered.

Michelle Monaghan as Coach Harper Sullivan

Michelle Monaghan plays Harper Sullivan, the emotional center of The Sticks. Harper is grieving after a tragedy devastates South Dorothy and leaves its celebrated high school hockey team without the leadership it once relied on. She responds by taking over the team her husband built, even though the job places her inside the community’s deepest wound.

Harper is not simply trying to win games. She is guiding young players who are also carrying loss, anger and uncertainty. Netflix positions her as an unlikely coach, which suggests the series will follow both her learning curve behind the bench and her attempt to rebuild a life after bereavement.

Monaghan brings extensive drama and action experience to the role. Her credits include True Detective, The White Lotus, Gone Baby Gone and the Mission: Impossible films. The role of Harper gives her a grounded lead character whose strength is likely to come from persistence and empathy rather than sporting dominance.

Emilie Bierre as Riley Sullivan

Emilie Bierre plays Riley Sullivan. The shared surname connects Riley directly to Harper’s family, although Netflix has not yet published a full description of their relationship or Riley’s place in the team. Bierre is known for Teacup and the Canadian drama A Colony, and she is part of the younger ensemble expected to carry the coming-of-age side of the story.

Riley’s role could be especially important because the tragedy affects both the hockey program and the Sullivan household. Until Netflix releases an episode guide or trailer, more specific claims about her storyline should be treated as unconfirmed.

Shai Chase as Henry Sullivan

Shai Chase appears as Henry Sullivan, another member of the Sullivan family. Chase’s credits include Diary of a Muslim Cynic and ANINO. Like Riley, Henry is positioned close to Harper’s personal story, giving the series a way to show how grief changes a family differently from how it changes a team.

Josh Macqueen as Rhett Nelson

Josh Macqueen plays Rhett Nelson, one of the young characters connected to the South Dorothy hockey program. Viewers may recognize Macqueen from Motorheads and Black Snow. Netflix has not yet explained Rhett’s position, strengths or rivalries on the ice, but promotional material places the young players at the center of the ensemble rather than treating them as background athletes.

Costa D’Angelo as Owen Boone

Costa D’Angelo plays Owen Boone. The actor has appeared in Tell Me Lies and is connected to the upcoming East of Eden adaptation. Owen shares a surname with Emma Boone, played by Alex MacIsaac, indicating a family connection, but Netflix has not disclosed its exact nature.

Owen belongs to a group of recruits described as wounded young athletes. That wording indicates that the team members will arrive with personal difficulties that extend beyond scores and standings.

Carter Shimp as Austin Ryder

Carter Shimp plays Austin Ryder. Shimp also appears in Best Medicine and Curse of the Sin Eater. Netflix has not revealed Austin’s position or personal background, although the recurring role of Frankie Ryder suggests that his family will be represented beyond the rink.

Ethan Holder as Cooper Cunningham

Ethan Holder joins the cast as Cooper Cunningham. His earlier credits include Ballard. Cooper is one of the named young athletes, but his precise relationship with Harper and the other players remains under wraps. The limited information is another reason the article should separate confirmed casting from predictions about who becomes the captain, star player or principal rival.

Isaac Arellanes as Manny Rodriguez

Isaac Arellanes plays Manny Rodriguez. Netflix audiences may already know him from Reservation Dogs and My Life with the Walter Boys. Manny is part of the hockey ensemble, while Alison Araya’s recurring role as Joan Garcia may connect to his wider family or community story. Netflix has not formally confirmed that connection.

Scott Bakula as Coach Brody Hansen

Scott Bakula plays Coach Brody Hansen, one of the series regulars. Bakula is best known for leading Quantum Leap and starring in NCIS: New Orleans, Star Trek: Enterprise and American Beauty. His experience makes Brody one of the most recognizable figures in the supporting cast.

The presence of multiple coaches suggests that Harper will not take charge without encountering established sporting authority. Netflix has not said whether Brody becomes her ally, mentor or opponent, so the nature of their relationship remains an open question.

Logan Marshall-Green as Coach Sully

Logan Marshall-Green plays Coach Sully. Marshall-Green is known for Upgrade, The Invitation, Quarry and Prometheus. Like Brody Hansen, Sully appears to be part of the team’s coaching structure, but Netflix has not clarified whether he works beside Harper or challenges her control of the program.

The character’s nickname may invite questions about whether Sully is related to Harper Sullivan, but there is currently no official confirmation. It is safer to treat the similar names as unverified rather than presenting a family connection as fact.

Alex MacIsaac as Emma Boone

Alex MacIsaac plays Emma Boone, a series regular whose exact role has not been described. MacIsaac’s credits include When Calls the Heart and upcoming projects such as Hollywood Arts and The Social Reckoning. Emma shares a surname with Owen Boone, suggesting that their stories will overlap, but Netflix has not disclosed more.

Who else appears in The Sticks?

Netflix has also announced a substantial recurring cast. These characters should help build the wider world of South Dorothy beyond Harper and the players:

• Bryan Greenberg as Cliff Barnes
• Chelsea Field as Alice Hansen
• Patrick Gallagher as Principal Montgomery
• Alison Araya as Joan Garcia
• Aman Smardon as Kai Becker
• Krista Bridges as Frankie Ryder
• Ben Cotton as Mr. Marchbanks
• Chloe Avakian as Izzy Miller
• Caleb Baumann as Elu
• River Codack as Tyler Walker
• Angus Albinati as Jack McGrath
• Callum Orchison as Derek Marchbanks

Because Principal Montgomery and several family-linked characters are included, The Sticks appears designed as a community drama rather than a series limited to practices and games.

What is The Sticks about?

The Sticks takes place in South Dorothy, Minnesota, where high school hockey is central to the town’s identity. A tragedy shatters the community and weakens its legendary team. Harper Sullivan then steps behind the bench to guide the players through a season shaped by grief, love, rivalry and the question of whether the town can believe in itself again.

Creator Nick Naveda has described the series as being about hockey, family, class, loss and community. That combination places the sport inside a wider story about who gets supported, who is allowed to lead and how people recover together after a shared crisis.

How many episodes will The Sticks have?

The Sticks will have eight episodes. Netflix identifies it as an eight-episode series, but individual episode titles, runtimes and directors beyond the opening production information have not been released.

When will The Sticks be released on Netflix?

Netflix has not announced a release date for The Sticks. The cast and first behind-the-scenes images were revealed on August 10, 2026, but the official announcement specifically says there is no release-date news yet. Any date circulating without confirmation from Netflix should therefore be treated as speculation.

Who created The Sticks?

Nick Naveda created the series. Bridget Bedard serves as showrunner and executive producer, while Shawn Levy, Dan Levine and Robert Atwood executive produce for 21 Laps. Trey Edward Shults directs the first two episodes and also serves as an executive producer. Moera Ainai is a producer.

The involvement of 21 Laps connects the project to large Netflix ensembles such as Stranger Things, while Shults brings experience with emotionally intense stories including Waves and It Comes at Night.

Is The Sticks based on a true story?

No true-story source has been announced. Netflix presents The Sticks as an original scripted drama created by Nick Naveda. Although the Minnesota hockey setting may draw on recognizable sporting culture, the town of South Dorothy, Harper Sullivan and the team are being introduced as fictional elements.