Late summer reads

It is getting closer to the start of WHL training camps and I thought it would be a good time to catch everyone up on what I have been reading over the last few months. These are all books I would recommend to anyone for some great insight and stories to the game we all love so much.

“Tales of a First-Round Nothing” – Terry Ryan

Ryan was able to poke fun at his own hockey story in this biography. Terry Ryan spent parts of four seasons in the WHL, three with the Tri-City Americans (and two games in his 15 year old season) as well as one with the Red Deer Rebels. He would go on to play just eight NHL games despite being drafted eighth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1995 NHL Draft. Throughout the pages, Ryan talks about his trials and tribulations as well as his successes. Ryan is also an accomplished ball hockey player, winning two gold medals in his career.

“Calling the Shots” – Kelly Hrudey with Kirstie McLellan Day

This book was published in October of 2017, and was a hit with hockey fans around the world. Hrudey spent three seasons in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers. The book has some tales from his days in the Western Hockey League as well as his time with three different NHL teams over 15 seasons. Hrudey was known for his trademark blue headwear, visible under his goalie mask. Hrudey is now part of Sportsnet’s NHL coverage as an analyst and works on Flames broadcasts.

 

“Sudden Death: The Incredible Saga of the 1986 Swift Current Broncos” – Gregg Drinnan, Leesa Culp and Bob Wilkie

With the recent tragic events in Saskatchewan, this book came back to my memory and was a required re-read. The insight in this book when it comes to talking to the people involved in this tragic bus crash really painted a clear picture of the events that fateful day in 1986. Mr. Drinnan captures the moments in such an eloquent way, you can’t really put this book down. He is now the writer of the WHL’s best established news website, Taking Note. It can be found HERE.

“Stat Shot” – Rob Vollman

With analytics coming to the forefront of hockey in the past decade, Vollman and some of his colleagues have brought information to the masses with his series of Hockey Abstracts. This book encompasses some of the information from those and adds in new material and data. This book would be considered more in depth than an introduction to hockey analytics but an interesting read for people who might have some prior knowledge. Another book is in the works for the beginners. Rob’s website can be found HERE.

“Boy on Ice: The Life and Death of Derek Boogaard” – John Branch

The pulitzer prize winning author really captured the events surrounding the life and death of Derek Boogaard. Boogaard spent parts of four seasons in the WHL with three different teams. He would go on to play in the AHL and then the NHL, fighting his way to the top league in the game, literally. The effects of these fights and trying to stay at the top of the hockey world is the focus of this book. John is also a sports reporter for the New York Times.

“Breaking Away” – Patrick O’Sullivan with Gare Joyce

O’Sullivan’s book really delves into his family history. I am sure it wasn’t easy to spill all the details of his father’s abuses as well as the rest of his family turning a blind eye to the events. Everyone who has any involvement in hockey should read this book based on the fact it highlights how hockey parents can be, in the most extreme way. I agree with Bob McKenzie in saying that the book is a cautionary tale, everyone needs to be more aware of the way players are treated, not just in hockey but in all sports.

“Dennis Maruk: The Unforgettable Story of Hockey’s Forgotten 60-Goal Man” – Maruk with Ken Reid

A quirky story about a player who scored 60 goals in an NHL season and really never met the spotlight generally gained from such a prestigious position in hockey. Maruk would play 888 games in his career and score 356 goals. His best seasons were in 1980-81 and 81-82 where he scored 50 and 60 goals respectively. His 60 goals were the third most in the NHL that season behind just Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy

“Game Change” – Ken Dryden

No matter which side of the debate about concussions you might fall, this is an excellent book. It also tells the story of Steve Montador, another player gone too soon. There are some technical parts of the book that may be hard to digest but it really does hit home about how the concussion issue in sports is widespread and still has very little known about it.

“One Night Only” – Ken Reid

This was a really fun book about people that made it to the NHL, but for just one game. There are a few goal scorers, a few players that got just one shift and others who spent the whole game in the net. The most fascinating thing about this book is the way the people felt about their “career” as well as what they are doing in their lives now.