Hockey Books

This book was really good - it showed his whole life. The pictures were great and the tips accurate. It really shows the life of a player and how hard you have to try to make it big. It was a great thing for me---you should check it out.

The worst thing about this book is it doesn't have enough pages...I found myself wanting to read more. There are a lot of tips for young players and some bio information which is interesting. The pictures are great, espescially the younger ones. Thanks to Chris for sharing them with all of us.

If you were like me and were looking for a good Pronger book, your search ends! This had a lot of great information on Pronger. Let's Go Blues!

BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED. IT SEEMS ANYONE WHO HAD AN OPINION OF THE STATE OF HOCKEY AS IT WAS IS 1972, WAS INTERVIEWED IN THIS BOOK. EASILY THE BEST HISTORICAL SPORTS BOOK I HAVE READ. I WAS BORN IN 1968 SO I HAVE NO MEMORY OF THIS SERIES, BUT SO MANY OF THE SOVIET PLAYERS WHO FIRST BECAME KNOWN FROM THE ORININAL 72 SERIES WERE ALREADY VERY WELL KNOWN AS THE SERIES TURNED INTO THE 'CANADA CUP' THAT I FOLLOWED IN 1976 AND 1980. PETROV, KHARLAMOV AND YAKUSHEV AND ALL THE EARLY RUSSSIAN PRE NHL GREATS. THE BEST PART IS THE HISTORY OF SOVIET HOCKEY AND HOW THEY CREATED THIER OWN STYLE OF PLAY DIFFERENT FROM THE NHL AND HOW THEIR INNOVATIVE TRAINING, CONDITIONING AND AGGRESSIVE OFFENSIVE ATTACKING STYLE, CONTRASTED WITH THE NHL'S 'TOUGH' DEFENSIVE GAME. RUSSIA'S GREAT AMATUERS AND CANADA'S MIGHTY PROFESSIONALS MET FINALLY IN 1972 AS THE SOVIET NATIONAL TEAM FACED THE NHL'S BEST IN AN 8 GAME EXHIBITION SERIES. THE SERIES WOULD REDEIFNE HOCKEY AND INTERNATIONAL SPORT FOR ALL TIME. THE SOVIET NATIONAL COACH AT THE TIME PREDICTED THAT ALL FUTURE HOCKEY WOULD BE A MIXTURE OF THESE TWO DIFFERING STYLES AS BOTH SIDES WOULD INFLUENCE EACH OTHER IN THE FUTURE. TRULY PROTHETIC WORDS. ANYONE WHO IS A FAN OR STUDENT OF THE GAME OF HOCKEY, THIS IS A FINE BOOK, WHICH IN GREAT DETAIL TELLS THE COMPLETE STORY, BOTH RUSSIAN AND CANADIAN OF AN ATHLETIC EVENT WHICH MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SOCIAL AND POLITICAL EVENTS CERTAINLY IN CANDAIAN HISTORY. THAT IS NO OVERSTATEMENT. THINK OF DON CHERRY WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT EUROPEAN PLAYERS. THIS WAS THE FIFST TIME CANADIAN FANS SAW EUROPEANS COMPETE WITH AND AT TIMES DOMINATE CANADIAN "BOYS" AT CANADAS GAME. AND PEOPLE BEGAN THE ARGUMENT, WHICH IS BETTER HOCKEY? GOONS OR GRACE? THE ISSUE OVER WHOSE STYLE OF PLAY IS SUPERIOR HAS POLORIZED CANADA EVER SINCE. THIS WAS A HUGE DEAL IN CANADA, AND THE BOOK TELLS IT SO WELL. IT IS BREATHLESSLY WRITTEN A MUST READ

"Cold War" is a beautifully written (and researched!) book about the greatest series ever played (in any sport!) Every Canadian remembers where they were when Paul Henderson Scored the game and series winning goal in Moscow, and reading this book literally sent shivers down my spine, and brought back memories long forgotten. It also opened doors to many "behind the scenes" facts that I did not know. But most of all, it reminded me of how arrogant and over-confident we all were, and as Ken Dryden put it: "NEVER, EVER, UNDERESTIMATE YOUR OPPONENT". Of course we had ....

This point was driven home to an entire nation in September of 1972 when Canada's "professional" hockey stars (our "best of the best") played this dramatic eight game series against the "amateurs" of the Soviet Union. This series was the first ever between the Soviets and NHL players, and almost all Canadians, myself included, thought Canada would win all eight games easily. That is not what happened though, the Soviets stunned everyone by going 2-1-1 on Canadian ice. Canada came back in Moscow, winning 3 of 4 dramatically, all one goal games. Against a backdrop of the "cold war", and Canada's pride and identity at stake, even non-hockey fans got caught up the unfolding drama. Canada's pride was hurt for sure, but it forced our players to dig deep within themselves to pull out the skills that produced an amazing victory, despite tremendous obstacles. (such as a hostile press, star players quitting, and officiating that was horribly biased against Canada) The Soviets on the other hand had violated this very same rule when the teams got to Moscow, and clearly had lost their psychological edge. In short, they thought they had the series won. The series forced Canadians to look at themselves in a way they hadn't before, and in the decades since we have seen improvements in the game itself. In other words, the bar had been raised.

Roy MacSkimming deserves six stars for this one, he captured beautifully this unique series that really had the full range of human emotion, from the total shock of the the Soviets 7-3 rout in game one to the the hosile reaction of Canadian fans and media towards their own countrymen, to redemption, complete joy and relief in Moscow. Every Canadian, and American for that matter, should read this book, it goes beyond a sporting event really and exposes human nature.

On a personel note, I was in English Class in Cranbrook B.C. when Henderson scored "The Goal" on September 28, 1972. Most of Canada's schools, businesses and government offices closed that day, however we were not among those lucky. We did lobby our teacher however, and we watched the last two periods of game on TV despite her objections. Had she not relented, she would have regretted it forever ... the place went nuts!

For those who were very young (like myself) when the series was played and grew up not with the players mentioned but instead with such Russian players as Fedorov and Bure in the NHL, this book is a must to understand how these 8 games played in 1972 forever changed the face of international hockey -- The Canadians (and people in the States as well) realized that we didn't have a monopoly on how to play the game, and the Russians, for all their tremendous preparation and effort, saw that Westerners could rise to the occasion, and ultimately "opened their doors" just enough to begin the journey that today finds several NHL stars hailing from former Warsaw Pact nations. MacSkimming does an excellent job of both drawing upon the original 1972 news accounts and quotes as well as undertaking a host of interviews and research 20+ years later to give a renewed perspective on the games, the players and what it all meant then and now. Even if you know how "it ends," (if you don't you will find out early in the book) the rising action is expertly developed, and you feel (in your mind, at least) nearly the same sense of pride and accomplshment at the end as the Canadian players must have felt. Highly recommened for anyone w/ an interest in hockey and/or the "old" Soviet Union.

This book is simply an excellent biography of one of hockey's first great players. The game was still in its infancy and considerably different from the modern game, but men who played it were athletes through-and-through, and the games as hotly contested (if not more so) than they today. Games were played before large (often disproportionately female (his wife was an ardent hockey fan)) and freezing crowds, on ice often of dubious quality. Play was often rough and rowdy, and more often than not there were goals a-plenty. Even for a player like Cyclone Taylor, there wasn't much money to be earned playing the game, and they played for the most part for the love of the game, a passion that I don't think modern players truly can attain. Unfortunately, almost no other hockey biography of this kind exists, to my knowledge, and virtually no studies on the early days of hockey. Which is a shame since the game is an integral aspect of Canada's heritage.

this book does a great job telling cyclone taylors story, but it also tells the stories of the men he played with and againt like art ross. it also gives you an inside look at the famed ottawa and renfew teams you hear so much about. i recomend this for any hockey fan

This is an awesome biography of professional hockey's first great star. Cyclone Taylor, of course, grew up in Canada and played hockey there, as the sport hadn't been made popular in the USA yet. Very soon, he became one of its most recognizable names, bringing crowds to its feet with his spectacular scoring everywhere he played. In 1915, he had his last harrah on the rink when the Vancouver team won the Stanley Cup. In addition to Taylor's life, Whitehead also captures how hockey was played in the early days in Canada, along with the many great players that skated with Cyclone in his glory years, such as Art Ross and Lester and Frank Patrick. Cyclone Taylor's name is not widely known in hockey circles today, but in the early 1900's, there wasn't a better player anywhere else.

A must for any Red Wing fan, young or old. Great old photos from before they were called the Red Wings, to the present Stanley Cup champions. Find out who's sweater is retired but does not hang from the rafters of "The Joe"

This book is great. I enjoyed it from cover to cover. Many wonderful pictures of present and past Red Wing stars and those associated with the game.

This is the best book I have ever read about the Red Wings, ever. It starts from the beginning when they were the Victoria Cougars to the Stanley Cup win in 1997. The rare photos are outstanding and the text is fun and infomative.

My 2-year-old grandson doesn't usually pay attention when I read to his 3 1/2 year old sister. But this book gets him into my lap every time. She loves dinosaurs, he loves everything sports, and they both love this book. His parents got it for him at Christmas and I knew it was a must for Grandma's house too, so I ordered it. It has a great read-aloud rhythm, excellent illustrations, and I find the writing/story enjoyable.
I suspect our babes also like it because one of the dino teams wears green & white...go MSU Spartans!

My 2 year old is a hockey nut. We got this for him and he loved it instantly. The book has wonderful illustrations and identifies all of the different kinds of dinosaurs. The wording (rhyming) makes it so fun to read that my 3 year old daughter likes it to even though it's not pink.

What an excellent book! The writing is clever and the illustrations are amazing -- they have a lifelike quality and you can almost hear the dinos roaring. The illustrations manage to look appropriately frightening yet friendly at the same time, and my 3 year old can't get enough of this book. The best part is, the adults love reading it as much as the kids because it is so entertaining and exciting to read. The author uses the real names of the dinos, so it also is quite educational. The meateaters vs. veggiesaurs theme helped my toddler understand the different types of dinosaurs. What a cute touch that each dinosaur has his name on his hockey jersey and on the scoreboard. There are also several subtle yet important lessons that come out, such as when you behave badly you go in the "penalty box." And of course after insisting on reading this book at least 6 times per day, my toddler even finally understands how to play hockey and other ball games by analogy. This is one of the best children's books I've seen for a young dinosaur enthusiast.

I could not put this book down because this book symbolized what it takes to succeed in life. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for what it takes to be successful at whatever you want to do with your life.

This is the definitive book of hockey. Dryden's thoughts on goaltending, the city of Boston, and on the state of hockey cannot be matched. Dryden had an incredible insight on what was wrong with the game and where the game was headed, even back in 1983. I read this book once a year, it is that good.

Dryden may be the Canadian hockey equivalent of basketball's Bill Bradley. I wouldn't be surprised if Dryden becomes Prime Minister of Canada in 20 years.

Dryden studied at Cornell and took a year off playing hockey (after winner a playoff MVP award and Rookie of the Year)to complete his law degree at McGill. He won a fistful of trophies and Stanley Cup rings during his brief Hall of Fame career as a goaltender with the Montreal Canadiens. The rare combination of scholarship and athletic brilliance results in an very well written book.

The book is a diary of the last part of his final season. While light on anecdotes, it delves into the heart of what is right and wrong with hockey.

Is is most likely the best book ever written by an athlete.

This mini-anthology has a wide range of hockey stories from one written by the American, Pulitzer-winning author William Faulkner (this story was junk, though well written if you like Faulkner) to life on the road as a minor league player hoping to be called up (poignantly and rawly written like the life itself), to a homily to Toe Blake, to a portrait of The Great One (Gretzky) by Peter Gzowski, to how to make your own backyard rink.

The quality of writing is generally very good and virtually every story offers an interesting perspective on the game. Stories are short so you can read one on the subway or before you go to bed at night. All in all, a decent hard cover to have on your bookshelf.

I've read a lot of hockey books and found most of them to be light on substance from either a literary or technical standpoint. This collection, however, captures so many of the nuances and back stories that make the game of hockey so incredibly unique. E.M. Swifts piece titled "A Reminder Of What We Can Be" is my favorite hockey story ever. I was a 15 year old hockey player at the time the United States beat the Soviet Union and I remember following that team in the papers all winter. When the big game was tape delayed, I was so disappointed because I had a game that night and we didn't have a VCR back then. One of the fathers had a B&W television going in the penalty box and although we new the outcome, both teams decided to stop play and huddle around that television to watch the 3rd period. We hugged and high fived as if we had beaten the mighty Russians ourselves. That moment in time was a rare convergence of what is great about life and hockey. E.M. Swift clearly understands the meaning.
"Facing The Shooter" by Wilkinson is a fantastic account of what its really like to play the most stressful position in sports, hockey goaltender.
This book may be a bit difficult for younger readers to get through and grasp, but older fans will appreciate the depth and quality of the writing.

Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (2/07)

Being an avid hockey fan I wasn't too expectant upon reading "short stories" about the great moments in hockey and being surprised by what they had to say. Imagine my delight when I found not only interesting and completely out of the ordinary tales of some of the most memorable moments in hockey, right before my eyes, but stories told that I knew with inside looks that make them seem completely different than any other I've read.

"The Greatest Hockey Stories Ever Told" is a wonderful compilation of stories regarding the greatest game on ice, hockey. With everything from "The Miracle Team" from a perspective you probably have never heard before to "A Portrait of The Great One," Wayne Gretzky, you will find each story with its own form and style, told like no other. With so many authors contributing to the book, there is an infinite amount of perspectives that you probably have never seen before on the game. Hockey greats like Toe Blake, Wayne Gretzky, and the infamous Montreal Canadiens and their years of reign are all topics of conversation in this great book of hockey stories and memories.

The style and content are so unique to any other hockey book I've ever read that I am somewhat speechless as to how to compare it to anything else. Loaded with stories, insider's views, coaches' memories, team moments and so much more, any true hockey fan will relish this special book and all its content. The ability to read a story and put it down to come back to later makes it a great book to simply keep around to get your "hockey fix," especially out of season! So after the Cup Craze is over, pull up a seat and enjoy an inside look at the real life stories of hockey and all of its glorious moments. Even the most well-versed and trivia filled amongst us will find an inside look at this great life on and off the ice in "The Greatest Hockey Stories Ever Told."

I would recommend this book to all hockey coaches beginning and experienced. This book identifies the 4 critical roles that all hockey players must know and understand to excel at today's game. The 4 roles include play with the puck, supporting the puck, checking the puck carrier and defending away from the puck carrier.

This book presents a modern hybrid of European and North American hockey coaching concepts. Ideas are presented using games and problem solving to develop thinking hockey players that can transition quickly between the 4 roles. A quick mind is even more critical than quick legs for success in the new game.

The most valuable part of the book is the systems provided by Juhani Wahlsten and Tom Malloy for offensive attack and defensive zone coverage. The numbering system they outline, and variations are used by most NHL and interantional teams.

My Bantam team was able to pick up the basic concepts in just one chalk talk. Our defensive zone coverage was noticably improved in our first outing using this system. The offensive system makes it easy for defensemen to contribute to the attack and for forwards to support them in return.

I introduced this system to my coaching partner and he immediately fell in love with it. It's agreat way to simplifiy the game for players at all levels. Should be on every hockey coaches bookshelf, or even better in their hockey bag.

This book is simply a requirement for coaches at every level. It is a great combo of how to coach, how to play, along with a framework of drills that will give new meaning to the term 'dust jackets' for the rest of your hockey books.

It is an easy to read book, yet highly informative. You will learn something new each time you pick it up. Get this book and you will be a better coach and your kids will be looking forward to every practice.

I believe this book is published in several languages and its also notable that it is used as the national development model for Austria's hockey program.

This is the second book by Juhani Wahlsten and Tom Molloy and it completes their first book which was for beginner coaches and players.

In the book they show coaches for all levels how to organize players on the ice, what to look for when you coach and outline how to use their natural way of learning.

There is an extensive chapter on Team Play where they outline how to play every imaginable situation including power plays and penalty killing.

The last section is an entire hockey development program that can be used for beginners right up to pro's.

It is the most comprehensive hockey coaching book I have seen since Lloyd Percival's book.

Molloys approach to the game of hockey is excellent. Skills are built in a logical progression, and the drills included emphasise various aspects of the game of hockey. Tom focuses on teaching each player the nature of the game at its basic level, using the entire ice surface during practices, and helping the player to recognise individual and team responsibilities during play.

Problems do not result from his method. Implementation is the challenge. The terminology, is new to most. As a result, it will take effort to become familiar with the approach. In addition, it will take the players time to adapt, but once the drills have been run through a few times, as well as ice usage, practices will zip along. The kids have to come off the ice sweating and smiling, because the drills need to fun. Some of the most popular drills were 7 puck hockey, cross ice pass 2 times before you can shoot, cross ice backwards skating hockey only and give and go only.

Word of caution...if practices are open, be prepared for critism particularily if players and parents are used to useless lineup drills.( line up in corner, pass to player, shoot on goalie...) If they see backward skating hockey, they will think you are off your rocker...after all, isn't recerational sport serious business?

This book is an excellent tool for coaches. It shows how not only to be practical and efficient with practices, but allowing the players to be competitive and have fun during practices.

The authors use a European approach to their style of coaching. They emphasize game like drills and skill development.

It is time for coaches to give the game back to the players and let them explore, develop and be creative in a controlled environment.

This is a great book that will organize coaches and lead to greater skill development for young players. The book sets forth different ways to set your team up to more effectively run drills. The drills that the book shows are excellent. I am now anxiously awaiting the following editions that should be forthcoming. This is directed to youth players but is useful for all levels.

I ordered this book about a month ago as a present for my husband. After reading the stories (which are practically like reliving the experiences for any hockey parent), I enjoyed the book so much that I ordered several additional copies that we intend to give out to other 'hockey dads' that are friends of ours.

Even tho I'm not a parent of a kid on any type of travel team, every inch of this book was relatable. A fun, and very funny venture through the life of an everyday dad as he supports his son's sporting desires. Every page offered a laugh, and leaves you desperate to see what the next page holds. Very well written.

Being the father of a former youth hockey player, I REALLY enjoyed this book. I am an avid reader, but this is the first time I've felt compelled to write a review. So many of the antcdotes in this book stuck home...the endless road trip, the thought of my son as a future NHLer, the incredible cost...all true. And it's all presented in a very readable, and funny, way. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone with a child that plays, or wants to play, hockey.