Zachary Hyman sharpens his pencil — and his skates
Zachary Hyman is having a big year. Not only was he recently signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs — he’s also just released his second children’s book, Hockey Hero.
Anyone with visions of hockey players as gaptoothed goons has just had their stereotypes bashed up against the boards.
“In the off season I have a lot of time on my hands,” said Hyman, 23, by phone earlier this month.
He’s used that spare time off the ice very efficiently over the past few years. On top of writing his children’s books, he recently earned an honours degree in history from the University of Michigan. While still a student there, he published his debut book, The Bambino and Me. Hockey Hero, is once again illustrated by the illustrious Zachary Pullen.
The book tells the tale of how Tommy Toomay, an eight-year-old with a stutter, eventually finds his “hockey chutzpah.”
The athlete/author says he’s found the pursuits of the body and the mind complement each other — he likes to write during his down time as a way to relax and says the schedule of a hockey player can actually be helpful.
His downtime over the years has been filled with the books familiar to many young men of his generation, from the Harry Potter series to the Game of Thrones books to the Canadian classic The Hockey Sweater.
While Hyman is set to make his debut with the Maple Leafs’ farm team the Toronto Marlies this season, he’s taking all the up and downs in stride — after all, he’s always got his career as an author to fall back on.
“I’ve always loved reading,” said Hyman. “I also enjoy writing . . . it’s an outlet.” Which is a good thing — he’s under contract to write two more books.
“In the off season I have a lot of time on my hands.” ZACHARY HYMAN TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS RECRUIT AND AUTHOR