Hockey History Books

[Doctor No]

Looking forward to this - I’m a big fan of Marc’s (whose son is a current pro goaltender).

 

[seventieslord]

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This came out in October and it completely missed my radar. Had no idea. Written with Michael McKinley too, who's pretty great.

Haha, I just realized it was written BY Vairo, and not just about him. The title threw me off.

 

[Habsfan18]

Haha, I just realized it was written BY Vairo, and not just about him. The title threw me off.

It's been out for months and wasn't even in the SIHR DB. It's not too often a hockey book goes completely unnoticed for that long. I don't think anyone really knew about it. Jim Genac knows Lou pretty well and even he had no idea it was written and already published. Turns out Lou had a massive heart attack and underwent heart surgery pretty much right at the exact time the book came out. He's been recovering.

The book is arriving today and I'll send you some photos on messenger tonight.

 

[Habsfan18]

Not a "history" book, but one I'm very much looking forward to in October. I've always had such a fascination with scouting and the draft, and a deep dive into the life of scouts is right up my alley. Gare Joyce had written a good one about 20 years ago now (crazy that it's been that long..) as did Shane Malloy..but that was one I decided to pass on. Ken Reid is great though, and I think he'll do a great job with this.

 

[Habsfan18]

No cover yet, but Dale Arnold is working on "The Coaches" for Triumph Books and it's tentatively set for publication in November.

Publishers blurb:

The Coaches honors the experiences of NHL coaches throughout history. Author and longtime broadcaster Dale Arnold profiles leaders across eras, sharing their journeys, struggles, strategies, and moments of glory.

 

[Habsfan18]

I apologize to all that this thread has evolved into the crazy collector reporting on forthcoming hockey books, but hopefully at least some of you find it helpful.

Greystone Books has an authorized biography of Gino Odjick in the works, set to be published in October.

From veteran hockey reporter Patrick Johnston and NHL alumni Peter Leech comes the authorized biography of Gino Odjick.

In the 1980s and ’90s, National Hockey League games were very different from the nimble, skill-focused displays we see today. One of the greatest differences—and one of the sport’s more popular facets at the time—was the widespread presence of “enforcers”: hulking, battle-scarred players whose main task was to police the sport by chasing down and brawling with opponents who had broken unwritten codes determining which aspects of violence counted as dishonorable or unjustified.

When hard-hitting Vancouver Canucks player Gino Odjick emerged in the early 1990s, he quickly became one of the game’s most feared enforcers and revered teammates, a sign of a new era for the team, racking up 296 penalty minutes in the 45 games he played in his rookie season. Hailing from Kitigan Zibi, an Algonquin community near Maniwaki, Quebec, Gino was one of the few Indigenous players in the NHL at the time. But it was Gino’s ferocious play contrasted by his genuinely affable and openhearted personality off the ice that won him a special place in the hearts of Canucks supporters.

Yet legends often obscure the human stories behind them. Hockey journalist Patrick Johnston and Peter Leech look beyond Gino’s legendary persona, drawing on insights from family members, friends, and teammates to recount Gino’s early years in a loving household that was always ready to welcome foster children. Gino’s father, Joe, had suffered the lonely traumas of the residential school system, and the experience had instilled a commitment in the family to those who were less fortunate.

The book also details Gino’s eventual struggles with alcohol abuse, and how he responded by taking on the role of empathetic mentor to young Indigenous people, travelling from community to community to hear their stories and offer hope. He never wavered in this role, even as he confronted serious illnesses, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and the rare blood disorder that he survived for years longer than expected, but that eventually led to his death at age fifty-two.

Gino is a moving tribute to a beloved hockey legend.