Title search results
Showing 1 - 20 of 296 items
A Great Game: The Forgotten Leafs & the Rise of Professional Hockey
By Stephen J. Harper. 1912
Drawing on extensive archival records and illustrations, histories of the sport, and newspaper files, Canada’s Prime Minister delves into the…
fascinating early years of ice hockey.In the tumultuous beginnings of hockey, the fights were as much off the ice as on it. This engaging new book is about the hockey heroes and hard-boiled businessmen who built the game, and the rise and fall of legendary teams pursuing the Stanley Cup. With a historian’s perspective and fan’s passion, Stephen Harper presents a riveting and often-surprising portrait, capturing everything from the physical contests on the rinks to the battles behind the scenes.Stephen Harper shows that many things have stayed the same. Rough play, fervent hometown loyalties, owner-player contract disputes, dubious news coverage, and big money were issues from the get-go. Most important in these early years was the question: Was hockey to be a game of obsessed amateurs playing for the love of the sport, or was it a game for paid professionals who would give fans what they wanted? Who should be responsible for the sport—including its bouts of violence—both on and off the ice.A century ago, rinks could melt, and by halftime the blades screwed to the players’ shoes could be sinking in mud. It was during this time that the unsuccessful Toronto Professionals of 1908 and the victorious Toronto Blue Shirts of 1914 battled for the city’s very first Stanley Cup. Against the fanatical opposition of amateur hockey leaders, these “forgotten Leafs” would lay the groundwork for the world’s most profitable hockey franchise.In paying tribute to these hockey pioneers and the contagious loyalty of their fans, Harper resurrects the history of hockey’s first decades. Lavishly illustrated with photographs of the game’s greatest arenas and earliest star players, this entertaining and original book will captivate you from start to finish.The Stanley Cup (Sports Championships)
By Shane Frederick. 2020
A left winger lines up a perfectly timed slap shot. The puck buzzes past the goalie's glove, and the home…
crowd roars. This is the Stanley Cup Finals, and ice hockey's top prize is on the line. The long history of the Cup is full of amazing stories and legendary stars. Readers will discover it all in this book.Shift Work
By Tie Domi. 2015
From hockey’s most prolific fighter comes a sports memoir unlike any other—passionate, funny, and candid, Shift Work chronicles Domi’s sixteen…
tumultuous seasons in the NHL.Making it through a single fight as an enforcer in the NHL is a sign of toughness. Making it through 333 of them is a mark of greatness. Whether it was on the ice or off it, Tie Domi was driven to be the best at his job and was gifted with an extraordinary ability to withstand pain. He made a career out of protecting the people around him and became known as someone who would stand up for the people who needed it most.Raised by immigrant parents in Belle River, Domi found success from an early age on the field and the rink. A gifted athlete in whatever sport he played, Tie eventually focused his sights on hockey. As he moved up the junior ranks, he made a name for himself as a player who was always ready to take on anyone who dared to cross his teammates.Tie’s reputation followed him into the NHL, and it wasn’t long before he ranked among the game’s most feared—and fearless—enforcers. From New York to Winnipeg to Toronto, Tie quickly became a fan favourite in whatever city he played. As he went about working his name into the record books, Tie surrounded himself with people from every walk of life, learning from each one as he evolved into a respected leader who was never afraid to tell it like it was.In Shift Work, Tie recounts the ups and downs of his life on and off the ice, showing what he has learned and how he has grown as both a player and a person. He offers insight into the most memorable points of his career, sharing his successes and mistakes with unparalleled honesty. Shift Work shows Tie Domi as he is—a devoted father and friend, a valued and loyal team player, a magnetic personality, and an athlete of immense skill and courage.Colorado Ice Hockey (Images of Sports)
By Roger Hadix. 2024
Colorado has a long, rich ice hockey history. The earliest references date back to January 28, 1893, from an article…
in the Rocky Mountain Sun . There have been many colorful teams, like the Colorado Rocky team, the Denver Spurs, and the Colorado Flames. On February 22, 1980, ice hockey suddenly vaulted onto the forefront of the American sports scene, due in large part of what is simply known as "the Miracle on Ice." The US men's ice hockey team had pulled off an incredible upset over the Soviet Union men's ice hockey team and then went on to win the gold medal over Finland. It gave the country a reason to celebrate and made the sport of ice hockey red hot! That "miracle" started in 1979 at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs with the selection of players at the 1979 National Sports Festival. Leadville, Steamboat Springs, Aspen, Colorado College, Denver University, Salida, Pueblo, and Fort Collins have all contributed to the "fastest game on ice."Hockey and Philosophy (Philosophica)
By Normand Baillargeon and Christian Boissinot. 2015
Does hockey provide a better understanding of the differences between Canadian and Québécois nationalisms? Is there a fundamental relationship between…
the hockey arena and the political arena? What have we lost as a society in abolishing the tie game? Are salaries in the NHL really that outrageous? Is hockey more art than sport? Should hockey players be banned from using performance-enhancing drugs at all costs? Do goalies suffer from angst? Does our national sport have its own mythology and metaphysics? Do hockey brawls reflect our true human nature more than we would care to admit? And what would it be like if the great philosophers were to face off on the ice? A team of philosophy and hockey buffs go deep with these fascinating questions and many others in this examination of a worshipped sport elevated to something akin to a cult. Accessibly written and peppered with humour, the essays in this book will charm specialists, sports fans, and everyone in between. Whether you’re a fan of Richard, Gretzky, Crosby, Plato, Kant, or Kierkegaard, you’re invited to be a spectator at this very special meeting of minds!Draft Day: How Hockey Teams Pick Winners or Get Left Behind
By Doug MacLean, Scott Morrison. 2023
Doug MacLean, former NHL coach, general manager, team president, and one of the game&’s biggest personalities, reveals how teams build…
for greatness—or fail to—on hockey&’s most anticipated day. A Moneyball for hockey.The NHL draft is a critical time for teams, when the foundation for future championships is laid—or when championship dreams die. Only time will tell if a draft is successful, but a failed draft can severely set teams back for seasons, much to the dread of ownership, management, and most importantly, the fans. For even the most die-hard hockey fan, the preparation for draft day is a black box. Former president, general manager, and coach Doug MacLean takes readers behind the scenes, from the 2022 draft in Montreal to revealing draft stories from the past, to show how players are discovered and evaluated to create successful teams. Just as Moneyball illustrated the value of analytics in building teams in baseball and beyond, Draft Day shows the careful considerations that go into assessing talent for success. What is that balance in today&’s game between metrics and instinct, between analytics and traditional scouting? MacLean draws from his own career as well as anecdotes from across the league to illustrate the hard-won lessons and principles that lead to building successful teams. Hockey is big business, and this book is an invaluable resource for any leader seeking an edge for building resilient organizations. Entertaining and informative, with never-before-told details from some of the biggest moments in NHL history, Draft Day is for every hockey fan who wonders how their team develops that hard-to-define winning chemistry—or fails to, year after year.The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey (Orca Biography #2)
By Chad Soon, George Chiang. 2024
Larry Kwong became the first player of Asian descent in the NHL when he played one shift with the New…
York Rangers in 1948. Even though Larry's achievement happened more than 70 years ago, his contribution to hockey is only now being recognized. He broke hockey's color barrier and fought racism and discrimination at every step of his career. From his humble beginnings on the outdoor rinks in Vernon, British Columbia's Chinatown all the way to playing at Madison Square Garden and in the NHL, this inspiring hero has a timeless story for young readers.Calling the Shots: Ups, Downs and Rebounds – My Life in the Great Game of Hockey
By Kelly Hrudey, Kirstie McLellan Day. 2017
Few people have had a better front row seat to hockey history than Kelly Hrudey, whose former teammates include Mike…
Bossy, Denis Potvin, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey and Wayne Gretzky, among many others of the game’s greats. In 1987, he stood tall in net during the Easter Epic, the longest playoff game in Islanders history. Kelly made seventy-three saves (to this day an NHL record for most saves made in a playoff game) against the Capitals before Pat LaFontaine scored the winner in the fourth overtime period of Game Seven at two o’clock in the morning. Later that year, Kelly was in the Canada Cup lineup of one of the most talented teams ever assembled on ice. In 1989, he joined Wayne Gretzky and Marty McSorley on a team that took Los Angeles by storm: the Kings went all the way to the Stanley Cup final against the Canadiens in 1993. Hrudey is now a well-respected hockey analyst and broadcaster and has watched with a keen eye as the game continues to evolve. Through it all, he has seen greatness and missed opportunities, inspiring moments and outright craziness. Working with bestselling author Kirstie McLellan Day, Kelly delivers a lively and thoughtful memoir, rich in behind-the-scenes anecdotes, humour and insight.A Team of Their Own: How an International Sisterhood Made Olympic History
By Seth Berkman. 2019
A December Stephen Curry Book Club PickOne of ESPN’s 25 Can’t Miss Books of 2019“A feel-good story.”—New York Times Book…
Review“This isn’t simply a sports book. Rather, it’s a book about inspiring and courageous women who just happened to be hockey players.”—Korea TimesThe inspiring, unlikely story of the American, Canadian, South Korean and even North Korean women who joined together to form Korea’s first Olympic ice hockey team.Two weeks before the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics, South Korea’s women’s hockey team was forced into a predicament that no president, ambassador or general had been able to resolve in the sixty-five years since the end of the Korean War. Against all odds, the group of young women were able to bring North and South Korea closer than ever before.The team was built for this moment. They had been brought together from across the globe and from a wide variety of backgrounds—concert pianist, actress, high school student, convenience store worker—to make history. Now the special kinship they had developed would guide them through the biggest challenge of their careers. Suddenly thrust into an international spotlight, they showed the powerful meaning of what a unified Korea could resemble.In A Team of Their Own, Seth Berkman goes behind the scenes to tell the story of these young women as they became a team amid immense political pressure and personal turmoil, and ultimately gained worldwide acceptance on a journey that encapsulates the truest meanings of sport and family.Ken Reid's Hometown Hockey Heroes
By Ken Reid. 2023
From Sportsnet Central host and broadcaster Ken Reid comes an inspiring and entertaining new collection of hockey stories about local…
legends who define the game and its values. In many communities across Canada, hockey lives in the nearby arenas and leagues that forge both decades-long rivalries and unbreakable friendships. Fans show up to cheer not for distant NHL superstars, but for the homegrown heroes who define their town. These players don&’t always make it to the big leagues, but they inevitably become legends. In this entertaining collection, Canadian broadcaster and Sportsnet Central host Ken Reid tells their uplifting stories, from Pictou, Nova Scotia, to Kimberley, British Columbia—and everywhere in between. There&’s Robbie Forbes, who arrived in Newfoundland in the mid-eighties still dreaming of the pros and ended up giving the town a dream of its own when he led the Corner Brook Royals to a Canadian Senior Hockey title. He also happens to be Sidney Crosby&’s uncle. In a legendary Ontario community, the name Paul Polillo is spoken in the same reverential breath as Wayne Gretzky in their shared hometown of Brantford. There&’s also the tragic story of George Pelawa, who may have been the inspiration for Tom Cochrane & Red Rider&’s famous song &“Big League.&” And Tyson Wuttunee, an Indigenous player in Saskatchewan who, through hockey, found the family and home he&’d always longed for. Featuring heartwarming stories of grit, leadership, and lifelong bonds, Ken Reid&’s Hometown Hockey Heroes celebrates how hockey, and the values the game teaches, can shape our communities for the better.The Awesome Game: One Man's Incredible, Globe-Crushing Hockey Odyssey
By Dave Hill. 2023
One man's search to answer the ultimate question in sports: Why is hockey so incredibly awesome?Dave Hill--author, actor, rock musician…
and stand-up comedian--is a truly outstanding American. For one thing, he's part Canadian (an advantage he explored in his previous book Parking the Moose). For another, and maybe this has something to do with his Canadian heritage, he's a totally obsessive fan of hockey. That makes him a minority within a minority: apparently only five percent of the US population admit to liking hockey more than any other sport.In his latest opus, Dave--who's from Cleveland, which hasn't had an NHL team since 1978--tackles this hockey conundrum with full force, drilling down into what makes hockey so damn important in so many parts of the world, despite the average American not recognizing the sport's preeminent greatness. His search for the very soul of hockey has taken him across the globe, from Poland to LA to Kenya, and brought him into contact with many of the sport's great and good. Humorous but heartfelt, Bill Bryson-like but hipper, this is arguably the greatest book ever written about hockey and definitely the one to be asking for at Christmas.Leafs 365: Daily Stories from the Ice (Hockey 365 #3)
By Mike Commito. 2023
Now you can cheer for the Toronto Maple Leafs every day of the year, even when they’re out of the…
NHL playoffs.Get your daily Toronto Maple Leafs fix with Leafs 365. From the franchise’s early beginning as the Arenas and the St. Patricks to the incredible four-goal comeback against the Lightning in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Leafs 365 includes 365 short stories about everybody’s favourite hockey team — one for every day of the year — to remind you why you still cheer for the blue and white season after season. Some people say that the Leafs are cursed, but any team that brings you this many moments worth revisiting must be blessed. You may not be old enough to remember the team’s last Stanley Cup, but chances are you can recall Auston Matthews’s four-goal debut or the sense of optimism when the Leafs signed John Tavares. And while there are plenty of stories in this book that might make you question why you still root for the Buds, like the Game 7 meltdown to the Bruins in 2013 or losing to the Hurricanes, who had a Zamboni driver in net in 2020, the lowlights are what make the best times sweeter and worth celebrating. Chances are, if you’re holding this book in your hands, you’re a Leafs fan, and with every turn of the page you’ll fall in love with them all over again.Eddie Olczyk: Beating the Odds in Hockey and in Life
By Eddie Olczyk, Perry Lefko. 2019
Eddie Olczyk had built a life and career most people could only dream of. Growing up in the suburbs of…
Chicago, he fell in love with the game of hockey during an era when most kids preferred balls to pucks. Against all odds, he played on the 1984 U.S. Olympic hockey team as a 17-year-old, and four months later he was drafted in the first round by his hometown Chicago Blackhawks. During an illustrious 16-year career, he played for and alongside some of the greatest franchises and players in history, winning a Stanley Cup with the unforgettable 1994 New York Rangers. Years later, he coached former teammate Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby on the Pittsburgh Penguins before transitioning into the broadcast booth, where he has become one of the most recognizable voices of the sport. He then combined his skills as an analyst with his second passion— horse racing—and became an integral part of NBC’s coverage of thoroughbreds. Away from the spotlight, Olczyk and his wife of three decades raised four adoring children. He was respected and admired by fans, friends, and peers. Life was sweet. Then, at 7:07 pm on August 4, 2017, his entire world turned upside down. In Eddie Olczyk: Beating the Odds in Hockey and in Life, one of the biggest names in American hockey has written an inspiring and entertaining memoir of his life both on and off the ice. From shooting hundreds of tennis balls at a goal in his childhood living room to the ups and downs of his improbable hockey career to rollicking stories from the booth and the backstretch, Olczyk guides readers on his journey toward his ultimate test: a battle against Stage 3 colon cancer. For years, Olczyk’s goal was to be the best husband, father, broadcaster, and handicapper he could be. Today he has a new one: to bring as much awareness and support to those fighting cancer as he possibly can. In this emotional but often hilarious autobiography, you’ll learn why the people who know Eddie Olczyk best might describe him as “tremendously tremendous.”Life in Two Worlds: A Coach's Journey from the Reserve to the NHL and Back
By Ted Nolan. 2023
In 1997 Ted Nolan won the Jack Adams Award for best coach in the NHL. But he wouldn&’t work in…
pro hockey again for almost a decade. What happened?Growing up on a First Nation reserve, young Ted Nolan built his own backyard hockey rink and wore skates many sizes too big. But poverty wasn&’t his biggest challenge. Playing the game meant spending his life in two worlds: one in which he was loved and accepted and one where he was often told he didn&’t belong.Ted proved he had what it took, joining the Detroit Red Wings in 1978. But when his on-ice career ended, he discovered his true passion wasn&’t playing; it was coaching. First with the Soo Greyhounds and then with the Buffalo Sabres, Ted produced astonishing results. After his initial year as head coach with the Sabres, the club was being called the &“hardest working team in professional sports.&” By his second, they had won their first Northeast Division title in sixteen years.Yet, the Sabres failed to re-sign their much-loved, award-winning coach.Life in Two Worlds chronicles those controversial years in Buffalo—and recounts how being shut out from the NHL left Ted frustrated, angry, and so vulnerable he almost destroyed his own life. It also tells of Ted&’s inspiring recovery and his eventual return to a job he loved. But Life in Two Worlds is more than a story of succeeding against the odds. It&’s an exploration of how a beloved sport can harbour subtle but devastating racism, of how a person can find purpose when opportunity and choice are stripped away, and of how focusing on what really matters can bring two worlds together.Business the NHL Way: Lessons from the Fastest Game on Ice
By Norm O'Reilly, Rick Burton. 2023
Business the NHL Way draws on hockey-inspired stories to show how brands, institutions, and individuals associated with the NHL have…
consistently survived a variety of challenges and thrived as a result of its decisions. This revised and expanded edition explores business-related scenarios from the sport of hockey and links each lesson back to business, leadership, diversity, management, and sport outcomes. Using ice hockey as an analogy for life, Norm O’Reilly and Rick Burton – leaders in the business of sports and former amateur hockey players – inform business and industry professionals on best practices to achieve strategic outcomes and career advancement. The book aims to help businesses emerge from the financial and health disruptions of the global COVID-19 pandemic that not only altered the future of hockey but threatened business sustainability in every sector. Business the NHL Way will appeal to both casual and passionate hockey fans, as well as anyone eager to follow in the footsteps of a successful professional sports organization.Skating on Thin Ice: Professional Hockey, Rape Culture, and Violence against Women
By Martin D. Schwartz, Walter DeKeseredy, Stu Cowan. 2023
Skating on Thin Ice exposes the culture of toxic masculinity in professional hockey and suggests how sport and society can…
change the narrative on sexual assault and violence. Why is it that professional sports, and notably hockey, remain a bastion for rape culture and violence against women? What are the conditions that allow a culture of toxic masculinity to persist despite awakenings elsewhere in society? What is the path forward, and how do we make officials, coaches, and athletes accountable? Drawing on decades of award-winning sociological research and sports journalism, Walter S. DeKeseredy, Martin D. Schwartz, and veteran sportswriter Stu Cowan find answers to these questions in Skating on Thin Ice. The book examines the abusive, misogynistic, racist, and homophobic behaviors found in professional hockey and explains the larger societal forces that perpetuate and legitimate these harms. Confirming a recent federal government inquiry into Hockey Canada’s handling of sexual assault allegations, the book reveals that young men enter the NHL and other revenue-generating hockey leagues already trained and primed to treat women as objects – and often to commit violent acts against them. Rooted in the authors’ work in the sports world as well as their work with activists and governments, Skating on Thin Ice doesn’t just highlight the problem of hockey and rape culture, it also provides collaborative solutions for fixing it.&“Nobody enjoys the full kaleidoscope of the game quite like Kenny, from banana blades and &’70s staches to air-brushed, mistake-laden…
hockey cards.&” —Jeff Marek, Sportsnet Hockey host and Marek vs. Wyshynski podcast co-host Hockey Card Stories reveals what was really going on in your favorite old hockey cards through the eyes of the players depicted on them. Some of the cards are definitely worth a few bucks, some a few cents—but every story told here is priceless. Sportsnet&’s Ken Reid presents the cards you loved and the airbrushed monstrosities that made you howl, the cards that have been packed away in boxes forever, and others you can&’t believe ever existed. Whether it&’s a case of mistaken identity or simply a great old photo, a fantastic 1970s haircut and &’stache, a wicked awesome goalie mask or a future Hall of Famer&’s off-season fashion sense, a wide variety of players—from superstars like Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, and Phil Esposito to the likes of Bill Armstrong who played only one game in the NHL—chime in on one of their most famous cards. &“Hockey Card Stories is a sports fan&’s dream—humorous, detailed and nostalgic. I hope there&’s more where this came from.&” —Terry Ryan, author of Tales of a First-Round Nothing &“Bright, funny and filled with a real love of the sport and a genuine affection for its great characters.&” —Stephen Brunt, author of Searching for Bobby Orr and Prime Time Sports cohost &“When Ken is passionate about a topic, he&’s the most knowledgeable individual in the room . . . in this book, you&’ll quickly appreciate his passion for hockey cards . . . What a nerd.&” —Evanka Osmak, Sportsnet Connected co-anchorUncle John's Bathroom Reader Shoots and Scores: Updated & Expanded Edition (Uncle John's Bathroom Reader)
By Bathroom Readers' Institute. 2011
Uncle John's hard-hitting hockey book was such a success that we decided to send it back to the weight room…
to get beefed up for a new season. Now updated and expanded with 70 new pages, this collection of slap shots, penalty kills, and toothless grins offers hockey fans everything they love about this great game: its colorful history, legendary players, and enough trivia to satisfy even the most avid stat head. Read about...The true origin of the "Coolest Game on Earth"The greatest teams in hockey historyThe best (and worst) hockey movies of all timeThe incredible exploding ZamboniA rap sheet of hockey arrestsPatrick Roy's conversations with his goal postsAnd much, much more!Gordie: A Hockey Legend
By Roy Macskimming. 2003
Before Gretzky, before Russians played in the National Hockey League, before multimillion-dollar salaries, there was Gordie Howe: the greatest star…
ever to play hockey. This richly illustrated, thoroughly researched and completely unauthorized biography-the only full-length biography to cover Howe's entire playing career-takes readers behind the sports icon to reveal a man who remains immensely popular with young and old.The Howe legend begins on the frozen sloughs of Saskatchewan, where a painfully shy boy from a poverty-ridden family discovered his one advantage in life: major athletic talent. Signed by the Detroit Red Wings at 16, Howe joined celebrated teammates Sid Abel, Ted Lindsay, Terry Sawchuk and Red Kelly to forge a team that dominated the NHL as only the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers have since. Six-time leading scorer, six-time Hart Trophy winner as the most valuable player, Howe surpassed Rocket Richard's NHL goals record to reach an amazing total of 801, unmatched for years until finally Gretzky caught up to his mentor and idol.Tales from the St. Louis Blues Locker Room: A Collection of the Greatest Blues Stories Ever Told (Tales from the Team)
By Tom Wheatley, Bob Plager. 2013
Nobody bleeds Blue like Bob Plager, considered one of the funniest men in hockey. This rollicking book details Plager's romance…
with the Bluenotes from day one in 1967 to the present day. He was an original Blues player, a rugged defenseman whose specialty was the hip check. He remains an original personality and a good-humored man whose specialty is now the quick quip. As a master storyteller, Plager packs Tales from the St. Louis Blues Locker Room with insights from every level of the hockey rink. He chronicles the puzzling mind games of a young Scotty Bowman, the quirky coach whose legend began with the original Blues. In those old-school days, Plager learned memorable lessons from veterans like Al Arbour, Doug Harvey, Glenn Hall, Dickie Moore, and Jacques Plante, all future Hall of Famers. The early years also brought the three Plager brothers--Bob, Barclay, and Billy--together in St. Louis. Bob played long enough to help break in two Western Canadian kids, future captain Brian Sutter and future Hall of Famer Bernie Federko. Plager later coached a new generation of stars in St. Louis, players like Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, and Curtis Joseph. The tears and the cheers, the fun and the frustration--it is all found in Tales from the St. Louis Blues Locker Room.