Bonus review today! I'm getting these done before the Memorial Day weekend...
My second review today is titled Changing the Game: A History of NHL Expansion, by Stephen Laroche.
This book takes a look at expansion in the NHL. It looks at all the new teams that have come into the NHL from the Montreal Maroons up to more recent teams at the end of the 20th Century.
The book is split into eras, timeframes to make things easier for reference. Each team has its own story, such as how the team "won" the right to join the NHL. A look at how they acquired some of their initial players and their history is also featured. A few pictures of some early players is included as well as bios of important players from that fateful first season in the NHL.
From there, it seamlessly transitions into team history, a quick look at how the team fared over the years, highlighting, if applicable, division titles and major awards and milestones.
It's a great look at how the NHL has been built over the decades. It would make an excellent addition to anyone's collection for the 100th anniversary of the NHL.
Special thanks to Sarah at ECW Press for making this book available to me for this review. Thanks!
Link to ECW Press: https://ecwpress.com/products/changing-game
Link to Powell's City of Books: http://www.powells.com/book/changing-the-game-9781770410794/62-0
Link to Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Changing-Game-History-NHL-Expansion/dp/1770410791/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495827465&sr=8-1&keywords=changing+the+game%3A+A+history+of+NHL+expansion
Link to Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/changing-the-game-stephen-laroche/1118624260?ean=9781770410794
Friday, May 26, 2017
Today's hockey book is titled Blue Lines, Goal Lines & Bottom Lines: Hockey Contracts and Historical Documents from the Collection of Allan Stitt...
and it's by Greg Oliver.
This is definitely one of the most unique hockey books I've ever seen. It's not a book in the sense that it's going to tell a story in the traditional manner. Instead, it's a series of historical documents.
The book is taken from the collection of Mr. Allan Stitt, and highlights some of the most interesting legal papers from the world of hockey. We're talking the original contract signed by Wayne Gretzky, correspondence between teams and luminaries such as Frank Calder, Conn Smythe and other major builders in NHL history.
I'll admit, I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book. But I found myself looking over the papers and enjoying the legalese, the technicalities of the contracts. It's not something that the casual hockey fan normally gets a look at, and I am grateful for the opportunity to take a look at something so unique as a scouting report that the New York Rangers created in regards to the play of Mario Lemieux.
These are the sorts of things that are included in this book, and these are the things that could easily be considered lost history in a sense. Why? A simple reason would be because these papers most often never see the light of day except for a few people involved in a new contract.
All in all, for a side of pro hockey that you're not likely to get a good look at, this book takes the cake. Have fun with it and seriously, be sure to read these contracts, these letters... you'll probably never get a chance to see anything like them again.
I want to give a special shoutout to Sarah at ECW Press for making this book available to me for reviewing purposes. Thanks!
Link to ECW Press: https://ecwpress.com/search?q=blue+lines%2C+goal+lines
Link to Powell's City of Books: http://www.powells.com/book/blue-lines-goal-lines-bottom-lines-9781770412514/62-0
Link to Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Lines-Goal-Bottom-Historical/dp/1770412514/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1495827340&sr=8-3&keywords=blue+lines%2C+goal+lines
Link to Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blue-lines-goal-lines-bottom-lines-greg-oliver/1123757138?ean=9781770412514
and it's by Greg Oliver.
This is definitely one of the most unique hockey books I've ever seen. It's not a book in the sense that it's going to tell a story in the traditional manner. Instead, it's a series of historical documents.
The book is taken from the collection of Mr. Allan Stitt, and highlights some of the most interesting legal papers from the world of hockey. We're talking the original contract signed by Wayne Gretzky, correspondence between teams and luminaries such as Frank Calder, Conn Smythe and other major builders in NHL history.
I'll admit, I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book. But I found myself looking over the papers and enjoying the legalese, the technicalities of the contracts. It's not something that the casual hockey fan normally gets a look at, and I am grateful for the opportunity to take a look at something so unique as a scouting report that the New York Rangers created in regards to the play of Mario Lemieux.
These are the sorts of things that are included in this book, and these are the things that could easily be considered lost history in a sense. Why? A simple reason would be because these papers most often never see the light of day except for a few people involved in a new contract.
All in all, for a side of pro hockey that you're not likely to get a good look at, this book takes the cake. Have fun with it and seriously, be sure to read these contracts, these letters... you'll probably never get a chance to see anything like them again.
I want to give a special shoutout to Sarah at ECW Press for making this book available to me for reviewing purposes. Thanks!
Link to ECW Press: https://ecwpress.com/search?q=blue+lines%2C+goal+lines
Link to Powell's City of Books: http://www.powells.com/book/blue-lines-goal-lines-bottom-lines-9781770412514/62-0
Link to Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Lines-Goal-Bottom-Historical/dp/1770412514/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1495827340&sr=8-3&keywords=blue+lines%2C+goal+lines
Link to Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blue-lines-goal-lines-bottom-lines-greg-oliver/1123757138?ean=9781770412514
Saturday, May 20, 2017
Today, we're looking at 99 Stories of the Game, by Wayne Gretzky, with Kirstie McLellan Day.
I'm sure I don't need to tell any of my readers who Gretzky is. He's one of the biggest names in hockey, even nearly 20 years after his retirement.
This book is laid out more or less chronologically as far as hockey history. Along the way, the authors make you feel like you are sitting in a comfortable setting with them, discussing hockey history in a conversational manner, rather than simply delivering the information. It makes for a much more enjoyable read.
Gretzky offers his point of view, based on his extensive hockey experience, both as a player, a coach and someone who's been creating hockey history for his entire career.
Topics such as expansion, the Olympics, the WHA and other significant issues over the course of the NHL's 100 years are touched on and mentioned. They don't spend a lot of time on any single issue, preferring to bring as much information as possible in six to ten pages per chapter. I feel that this makes the book work a lot better. The reader is left to decide if the topic is worth more research on their own time, while providing the causal reader with enough information to satisfy curiosity on the issue at hand.
It's a great read overall. Definitely worth the time to explore the entire history of the league in a single volume.
Links for the book:
Powell's City of Books, Portland, Oregon:
http://www.powells.com/book/99-stories-of-the-game-9780399575471/62-0
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/99-Stories-Game-Wayne-Gretzky/dp/0399575472/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1495316965&sr=1-1&keywords=99+stories+of+the+game
I'm sure I don't need to tell any of my readers who Gretzky is. He's one of the biggest names in hockey, even nearly 20 years after his retirement.
This book is laid out more or less chronologically as far as hockey history. Along the way, the authors make you feel like you are sitting in a comfortable setting with them, discussing hockey history in a conversational manner, rather than simply delivering the information. It makes for a much more enjoyable read.
Gretzky offers his point of view, based on his extensive hockey experience, both as a player, a coach and someone who's been creating hockey history for his entire career.
Topics such as expansion, the Olympics, the WHA and other significant issues over the course of the NHL's 100 years are touched on and mentioned. They don't spend a lot of time on any single issue, preferring to bring as much information as possible in six to ten pages per chapter. I feel that this makes the book work a lot better. The reader is left to decide if the topic is worth more research on their own time, while providing the causal reader with enough information to satisfy curiosity on the issue at hand.
It's a great read overall. Definitely worth the time to explore the entire history of the league in a single volume.
Links for the book:
Powell's City of Books, Portland, Oregon:
http://www.powells.com/book/99-stories-of-the-game-9780399575471/62-0
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/99-Stories-Game-Wayne-Gretzky/dp/0399575472/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1495316965&sr=1-1&keywords=99+stories+of+the+game
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