What’s hot on the bookshelves for hockey fans
The National Hockey League’s second century and the winter of 2018 begins with an avalanche of books. Here are some of our favourites from a vast catalogue in case you’re snowed in or a snowbird, writes Lance Hornby.
100 YEARS 100 MOMENTS Scott Morrison McLelland and Stewart, 336 pages $ 50.00
What’s Christmas morning in Canada without coffee and a fullcolour coffee table book on hockey? Sportsnet’s Morrison, author of many books for Hockey Night In Canada, the NHL and his days with the Toronto Sun, provides an unique look at the people, places and turning points in league history and their impact of many on today’s game.
It’s a fresh look at the superstars, one-night wonders, coaches, executives, a retrospect of major NHL rule changes, coaching innovations, the amateur draft and expansion, right up to the Vegas Golden Knights. The opening night of play in 1917, the first crackling radio broadcasts, through Doug Jarvis’s ironman streak to the great dynasties of Montreal and Edmonton and epic overtimes are among the moments included.
THE FIRST SEASON, 1917- 18 AND THE BIRTH OF THE NHL Bob Duff Biblioasis, 200 pages $ 15.95
And you thought today’s NHL has too much controversy. Respected hockey historian Duff goes back to the formation of the league, which almost didn’t get launched, nearly folded in its first year and tried to get itself established in the shadow of First World War. Put it this way, generating billions off dollars and debating Don Cherry’s wardrobe were not front burner issues. One thing the early NHL did have was an abundance of colourful characters, whom Duff re-introduces here.
GRATOONY THE LOONY Gilles Gratton and Greg Oliver ECW Press, 260 pages
$ 19.95
We all loved goaltender Gilles Gratton growing up with the WHA Toronto Toros, admiring his style, his fearsome mask, hearing bits and pieces of his life or more to the point, his previous lives. The hockey stories he can still recall from his drug-saddled days, and later his trip to India and transcendental meditation to deal with his personal demons. A sad story in some ways of lost athletic potential, however, Oliver doesn’t miss any of the weirdness, while letting Gratton explain what it was like in the cab of his Crazy Train.
GAME CHANGE Ken Dryden Penguin Random House, 368 pages
$ 32.00
Dryden turns his inquisitive mind onto hockey’s often taboo topic, that being degenerative CTE and its connection to concussions, through a well-told tale of the life and tragic early death at age 35 of Steve Montador. One of many NHL muckers to have passed too young, Dryden bring us into Montador’s tormented world, a well-liked player, but one who hid many off-ice struggles with drugs, alcohol and behavioural issues.
Dryden had begun writing on concussions and CTE before Montador’s death in 2015. But given full access to his medical history and brain data, the former goalie was able to give rare perspective to both the man and what role the head trauma might have contributed to his issues. Worth a read, even if you think concussion risk is what you sign up for in hockey. Dryden sent a copy of Game Change to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, adding his influential voice to those
IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK Stories from the Detroit Red Wings Press Box Ken Daniels and Bob Duff. Triumph, 352 pages
$ 22.95
The move from Joe Louis Arena to Little Caesars Arena ends a wonderful chapter in Red Wings history.
Play-by-play man Daniels and the Windsor Star columnist Duff provide touching and humorous anecdotes of those Cup teams as well as the challenges of dealing with coaches Scotty Bowman, Mike Babcock and the world of Hockeytown. To see how the other half lives, Daniels includes some of his experiences covering Harold Ballard and the Leafs in Toronto.
HOW WE DID IT Karl Subban and Scott Colby Penguin Random House 304 pages
$ 32.00
In August 1970, a flight from Jamaica arrived in Toronto with 12-year-old Karl Subban and his two younger brothers. Travelling alone to join their immigrant parents who’d found work in Sudbury, it was an unlikely beginning to one of the country’s most prolific hockey families.
Karl became a teacher, coach and role model, not just for his five sons, but for many students, some in disadvantaged surroundings. For those wondering why sons P.K., Malcolm and Jordan have looked so polished in the spotlight — and the value of a good upbringing toward an NHL career — it’s quite a success story and a Canadian one at that.
OFFSIDE, MY LIFE CROSSING THE LINE Sean Avery Viking, 336 pages
$ 32.99
Avery is such a polarizing a figure in hockey, they should be selling copies of this to penguins in Antarctica.
But those who’ve tried to find out what made him go against the flow, finally have some answers in this quirky behind the scenes look at his life and his NHL peers in the early 2000s to his retirement in 2012. The trouble he got into on the ice for his caustic comments and animated tactics — see the Avery Rule on screening goalies — is paralleled by his often outlandish behaviour in Los Angeles and New York.
He does some explaining in the book for his comments on exgirlfriend Elisha Cuthbert among others, but is already talking of moving on to a film career.
DENNIS MARUK Hockey’s Forgotten 60- Goal Man Dennis Maruk with Ken Reid ECW Press, 320 pages
$ 29.95
Maruk is one of hockey’s great storytellers, but gets darkly personal here, revealing severe bouts of depression that stalked him as fame faded from his 60-goal year with the Washington Capitals during the 1981-82 season.
Having taken the hard road to 60 goals for a player of his smaller stature — he actually had 50 goals in the year prior — and trying to find his place in the post-hockey world took him on a near disastrous road. Reid, who did a fine job with flash-in-the-pan players in One Night Only, has a nice follow here.
CALLING THE SHOTS Kelly Hrudey and Kirstie McLellan Day Harper Collins, 320 pages
$ 32.99
Hrudey was drafted by the Stanley Cup champions, played with Wayne Gretzky and has spent his post career under the bright studio lights of Hockey Night in Canada.
All providing Hrudey a mountain of stories. Goalies have a different spin on the game and life, making them such well-rounded analysts. Hrudey adds some tales about his Ukrainian ancestors being wrongly condemned as enemy aliens by the Mounties during First World War.
Hrudey would’ve liked to go out a Cup winner with the Kings in 1993, but has great yarns of almost getting there. And we liked the signature blue bandana that our review copy came wrapped in.
FAST ICE: SUPERSTARS OF THE NEW NHL Andrew Podnieks ECW Press, 176 pages
$ 24.95
Prolific Mr. Podnieks chooses more than 60 new breed NHL stars, reminding us today’s NHL isn’t just about Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. Ideal for new fans and a handy reference guide to the new kids on the block.
S IS FOR STANLEY CUP Mike Ulmer and Chris Lyons Sleeping Bear Press, 32 pages
$ 16.99
Ulmer, an old Sun colleague, has an A-to-Zamboni trip for kids in the 6-9 range. The NHL championship trophy is explained, along with some other interesting facts to get the small fry interested in the game.
MAPLE LEAFS: THE COMPLETE ORAL HISTORY Eric Zweig Dundurn, 454 pages
$ 26.99
If Zweig gets paid by the word, he’ll retire well on the vast research included here. Zweig, managing editor of the team that puts out the NHL Guide and Record Book (the beat writer’s best friend), goes Hogtown wild on the Leafs, digging up quotes from players, managers, journalists and NHL officials to frame the club’s 100th anniversary and comments on trades, hirings and firings that were a big part of it.
KILLER, MY LIFE IN HOCKEY Doug Gilmour and Dan Robson Harper Collins, 336 pages
$ 33.99
He won a Stanley Cup in Calgary, but for almost a quarter of a century, all that fans remember, at least in Toronto, is how Doug Gilmour almost willed the Leafs to the final.
Until the day the Leafs make it beyond where the Gilmour-led team took them, there will always be fascination for this under-sized centre and the best hockey tale in town post-1967. Robson, who wrote last year about another Leafs’ icon — former coach Pat Quinn — gets Killer’s long awaited perspective on those blue and white heydays.
YOUNG LEAFS Gare Joyce Simon and Schuster 240 pages
$ 32.00
An in-depth look at how the Leafs rebuild — yes, this one’s for real — has revolved around a group of kids poised to lift a city and a fan nation after years of disappointment and dashed hopes.
Joyce lays out how the package of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander came tied in a nice blue and white bow after so little draft, free agency and trade success. A review of their short, but memorable playoff run could be a taste of what’s to come.
J. P. BICKELL — THE LIFE, THE LEAFS AND THE LEGACY Kevin Shea Dundurn Press, 240 pages
$ 24.99
Many people think Conn Smythe was the grandfather of the Leafs, but they wouldn’t have got very far without John Paris (Jack) Bickell, whose name is on the Cup six times with Toronto. The self-made mining magnate was an investor in the Toronto St. Patricks, facilitated Smythe in purchasing the Leafs in 1927 and was first president of the club, helping guide the franchise behind the scenes.
Bickell was behind long-standing traditions such as the 48th Highlanders playing each home opener, but his greatest contributions were national in scope, organizing Canadian wartime production to aid the Allied cause.
TORONTO AND THE MAPLE LEAFS Lance Hornby ECW, 194 pages
$ 22.95
Who would be crass enough to review his own hockey book in his own paper?
This series of essays and sidebars from 30 years on the beat explores the Leafs relationship to the city and their impact on everything from architecture to politics to the TTC. There’s commentary from players, media, super fans, scalpers, the mayor and even a guy who does Leaf-themed funerals.