Ex-Hab Ryan writes about NHL experiences

I never thought of Terry Ryan’s pro hockey career as memorable until I picked up a copy of his soon-to-be-published book, Tales of a FirstRound Nothing: My Life as an NHL Footnote (ecw press, Toronto, $19.95).

During a playing career that spanned more than two decades — the 37-year-old continues to play semi-pro hockey in his native Newfoundland — Ryan kept a journal that forms the basis for this series of vignettes about the life of a hockey player.

Before going any further, it should be noted this is NOT a book for kids. While Ryan displays a fine command of the English language, he throws f-bombs around with careless abandon. He details escapades of binge drinking, teenage lust and sexual escapades that don’t always go well.

As Ryan points out, this is not a tell-all book. While he writes about friends — some famous and some obscure — he points out: “I’m the only one who looks like a jackass in these stories.”

The book is an honest, poignant and often funny look at the life of a player on the fringe. Ryan, who was selected eighth overall at the 1995 NHL entry draft, is remembered in Montreal as one of a series of first-round picks who didn’t pan out. Ryan scored 50 goals for the TriCity Americans the season before he was drafted, but the major attraction for the Canadiens was his willingness to stand up for his teammates.

Ryan would only play eight games over three seasons with the Canadiens, but his tenure in Montreal seemed longer because he spent a fair bit of time as a Black Ace — one of the spares who practised with the team, but watched most of the games from the press box. Injuries — most notably concussions — derailed his career, but Ryan wasn’t helped by the fact the Canadiens rushed his development.

While Ryan agrees with those who would characterize his career as a disappointment, he has few regrets. He talks about the friendships he forged over the years with teammates like Sheldon Souray and Arron Asham, who provides one of the forewords for the book. Ryan writes about the night he made good on a boast to his friends by fighting Tie Domi, about almost sharing a drink with rocker George Thorogood, and his pre-draft interview with New York Islanders general manager Mike Milbury that has become an NHL legend.

One chapter of the book deals with Ryan’s rocky relationship with a chainsmoking Michel Therrien, who was his coach with the Fredericton Canadiens. Ryan writes that the two didn’t like each other, but that they had a grudging respect. Ryan said Therrien was the only coach who gave him “the tap,” a sig- nal that he expected Ryan to fight.

When asked about his relationship with Ryan, Therrien said he liked the scrappy Newfoundlander.

“He was immature, but he worked hard, and I think he had his best year when he played for me,” Therrien said.

Their differences aside, Ryan said he remains a steadfast Canadiens fan and wishes Therrien well.

Ryan isn’t as generous when he talks about my longtime friend and mentor, Red Fisher. The legendary writer had a policy about not talking to rookies and his snub of Ryan still festers 19 years later.

Ryan is now back home, raising a family, working as a production assistant on the CBC television show Republic of Doyle, playing a little hockey and completing a degree in folklore and English at Memorial University.

It seems like a full life for a nothing.