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.

 

[kaiser matias]

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.

The updates on new books is quite appreciated.

Though this description of the Odjick book is odd. Leech never played in the NHL, and the Amazon description of him says "His athletic accomplishments include a stint with the East Coast and Central Hockey Leagues." However I can't find him on Elite Prospects or HockeyDB, so I'm questioning things here.

 

[Habsfan18]

The updates on new books is quite appreciated.

Though this description of the Odjick book is odd. Leech never played in the NHL, and the Amazon description of him says "His athletic accomplishments include a stint with the East Coast and Central Hockey Leagues." However I can't find him on Elite Prospects or HockeyDB, so I'm questioning things here.

I found this. So he's at least acknowledged by the Canucks alumni. It's possible he got into some pre-season games in minor pro and that was the extent of it. But if so, it's odd to refer to a guy like that as "NHL alumni."

 

[Habsfan18]

For anyone keeping track, here are two more. These scheduled for publication in early 2026. So still a ways away, but worth keeping tabs on.

Black Aces - by Julian McKenzie:

An essential collection featuring hockey's most notable Black players in their own words

The game of hockey has long been considered a predominantly white sport in nearly every facet of its being. But if you look through the annals of the game, you will find Black players who have created longstanding hockey moments. We know — or think we know — these people as hockey players. But do we know how they got here as people? And what about the multitude of factors that have helped shape who they are?

Black Aces tells these stories, going deeper than what has previously been covered in traditional media. The Athletic's Julian McKensie talks to Hall of Famers, Olympic Gold medalists, World Champions, Stanley Cup playoff heroes, and auteurs of hockey history. Completing this modern portrait are the voices of up-and-coming players who look toward the future and defining moments of their own.

Includes conversations with Jarome Iginla, Sarah Nurse, Grant Fuhr, Anthony Stewart, Saroya Tinker, Georges Laraque, Joel Ward, and more.

The Moscow Playbook: How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Gold - by Bruce Berglund

An eye-opening account of how Russia’s leaders have used world sports as a tool to solidify their power, stoke national pride, and build prestige abroad

“Victories in sport do more to cement the nation than a hundred political slogans.” This was the pep talk Russian athletes heard in 2000 from their new president, Vladimir Putin. And so, for more than two decades, Putin has used sports like his Soviet predecessors to stoke nationalism at home, boost prestige abroad, and cement his position as leader.

The Moscow Playbook: How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Gold is the first book to fully examine the intersection of Russian sports and geopolitical power, from the dominant Soviet teams of past Olympics to recent doping scandals and international sanctions. With new research from Olympic archives, records of the Soviet bloc and current Russian media, historian Bruce Berglund shows how Moscow’s leaders have defied the rules of the game for decades as the world’s governing bodies turned a blind eye.

Featuring oligarchs, sportocrats, and famous athletes from Olga Korbut to Alex Ovechkin, this is a timely investigation into the gears of power, nationalism, and money that drive the Russian sports machine.

 

[Habsfan18]

Coming in September from Simon & Schuster..

Biographies on players still in their 20's is always odd to see, but this has been happening since the 70's. A player like this in a market like that? It's easy money. Almost guaranteed to be a best seller this Holiday seasom.

 

[Habsfan18]

Another one for October:

 

[Habsfan18]

Andrew Podnieks is set to publish "Hockey Nations" in October, which will examine Canada's best hockey cities, towns and villages. It's available for pre-order through Chapters/Indigo.

Also,

Some of you may be interested to know that Cornwall native and retired police officer Thom Racine is set to launch his book on Albertine Lapensée, who I'm sure many of you know played for the Cornwall Victorias from 1915 to 1918. If you're unfamiliar with her, she's regarded as Canada's first female hockey star and was believed to have scored over 150 goals while leading her club to 45 wins in 46 games over a two year period. She "disappeared" from hockey in 1918 at age 20, and many rumours have surfaced over the years claiming she either died in the flu pandemic, or even moved to New York to undergo a sex change. That one was actually mentioned in an official Cornwall history book. Thom's book aims to set the record straight once and for all.

If anyone is interested in buying a copy, shoot me a message and I'll give you Thom's contact info.