Belfry Hockey

Leading authorities on goaltending bring you the definitive guide to stopping more pucks, winning more games, and lowering your goals against average.

They are motivators, key strategists, tough bosses, and choreographers. They can be branded as heroes, ousted as scapegoats, quietly valued as friends, and everything in between. It's all in the job description for an NHL head coach. In Behind the Bench, ESPN's Craig Custance sits down for film sessions and candid conversations with some of the game's most notable modern luminaries—names like Mike Babcock, Joel Quenneville, Dan Bylsma, Todd McLellan, Ken Hitchcock, and Claude Julien—all of whom share their singular views on topics ranging from leadership secrets to on-ice game plans. Dissect some of hockey's greatest moments with the men who set the pieces in motion. Go straight to the source on what it's like to manage a dressing room full of the league's top stars or execute line changes with everything at stake. Signature games, including Stanley Cup finals, Olympic gold medal clashes, and World Championship contests—both wins and losses—are reflected upon and broken down in detail, making this essential reading for current and aspiring coaches, players, and hockey fans alike.

Ryan Minkoff was blessed with athleticism, perseverance, and an unquenchable passion for playing hockey. His journey to the pros against lofty odds was, as he says, “unconventional.” Minkoff’s love for the game began in Minnesota, the State of Hockey, where his youth and high-school experiences were anything but ordinary. His suitcase always packed, he played for seven different hockey programs in a fourteen-year span. While Minkoff’s confidence wavered and was often challenged, his determination and passion stayed strong, and he found his way to the University of Washington to play in the unfamiliar world of club hockey. Despite discouraging circumstances, such as games in empty arenas starting well after midnight to hitchhiking home after a long road trip, Minkoff not only set records, captained the squad, and ran the club as the president, he also formed strong bonds with his coaches and teammates. Following an illustrious club career, Minkoff landed in the professional ranks of Finland, where—in the midst of nearly crashing a Zamboni, acting as the town’s Santa Claus, and sleeping at the rink—he truly discovered his gift of a lifetime in the game of hockey. Thin Ice is an honest, witty, inspirational coming-of-age story. Ryan Minkoff’s debut memoir is for anyone who roots for an underdog whose dreams will not fade no matter the obstacles.

Hockey Plays and Strategies features a variety of plays, systems, and strategies for game play in the offensive, neutral, and defensive zones. Special situations such as the power play, penalty kill, and face-offs are also featured.

If you’re serious about becoming an elite hockey player, this guide will help you reach your full potential. Hockey is a tough sport. Not everyone will develop the passion and perseverance it requires. But for those who are dedicated to becoming the best, honing one’s skills, experience, and mental toughness is essential. In Hockey Grit, Grind & Mind, sports specialist Kevin L. Willis helps players, coaches, and parents understand what it takes to play hockey at the highest levels. Here, you will learn how to increase the consistency of their game, step up in pressure situations, play with more confidence, create a reserve of energy to tap into when needed, and persevere when other players are giving up. Willis also offers practical tips on how to develop your personal vision of success and stand out on the ice in both games and practices. Hockey Grit, Grind & Mind provides the tools, insights, and strategies to help players train and compete like the pros and take their game—and their grit—to a new level.

Biographies of 70 of hockey's top NHL players.

This is a book written by well known hockey coach, Dave King. The book is about how the game has evolved over the years and provides written descriptions of tactics used in the game today. It's written in a style that should allow parents, coaches, athletes and fans to gain a greater understanding of the game. Endorsed by two time Gold Medal winning Olympic hockey coach and Stanley Cup winner Mike Babcock, Barry Trotz, Stanley Cup winning coach and Dave Tippett, currently one of the NHL's most successful coaches, they describe the book as having colorful anecdotes, years of wisdom and an incredible grasp of present day coaching. Mike Babcock says, "Dave's experience's provided him with an unbelievable education that he went on to share with many coaches and players improving the way the game was coached and played". Dave Tippett says, "Dave is one of the smartest, most experienced coaches to ever coach the game. I have not met a smarter hockey coach or a better mentor for coaches worldwide".