Everyday Hockey Heroes Volume Iii

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER An inspiring and updated volume of stories about Canada’s most beloved sport—hockey—and the everyday heroes who embody the spirit of the game and help shape its future, from the pros who compete in NHL arenas to the dreamers and fans who play on backyard rinks. What does hockey look like today in Canada? Who is changing the game? Canadian broadcasters Bob McKenzie and Jim Lang bring together players, coaches, and fans to show us what hockey means to them. Meet Philadelphia Flyer Wayne Simmonds and Paralympian gold medalist Greg Westlake, who wouldn’t be at the top of their sport without the never-ending support of their families and communities. Read about players who overcame catastrophic injury to keep playing the game they love, or the renowned Canadian neurosurgeon leading the charge to protect athletes from the dangers of brain trauma and concussion. From hockey commentators who broke down barriers to be on air to the youth hockey coach welcoming Syrian boys and girls to Canada through our national pastime, these are the stories of everyday hockey heroes—those who defy the odds, advocate for inclusion, and champion the next generation of hockey. From small-town rinks to big city arenas across the country, this collection celebrates everyone who loves our great game. A must-read for every hockey fan.

From hockey insider Jim Lang comes a new volume in the nationally bestselling series of uplifting hockey stories about the everyday heroes who are breaking down barriers and shaping the future of a game they love. In this heartfelt collection of personal hockey stories, sports broadcaster and author Jim Lang brings together the remarkable voices of hockey players, coaches, families, and fans who have overcome adversity and are championing the game they love—on and off the ice. Read about former Humboldt Broncos defenceman Logan Boulet, whose selfless organ donation helped six Canadians and motivated almost 150,000 people to register as donors in the following weeks. Meet players like Kelly Serbu, who didn’t let his visual impairment stop him from playing hockey and is now raising awareness and funds for blind hockey programs, or Kim McCullough, who founded Total Female Hockey to empower other aspiring female players. Follow players and coaches of colour such as Jim Paek and Jason Payne who are helping to break down barriers, and the hockey parents who are working to make the game more accessible. These are the everyday heroes who are defying the odds and inspiring change. Featuring extraordinary stories of tireless advocates and unbelievable successes, Everyday Hockey Heroes, Volume III is a celebration of the great game of hockey and the heroes—sung and unsung—found on rinks and in arenas across the country.

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER From TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie comes a new collection of hockey stories about the everyday heroes from across the game who are defying the odds and championing the next generation of hockey—on and off the ice. In this uplifting and entertaining volume of stories, Canadian broadcasters Bob McKenzie and Jim Lang bring together hockey players, coaches, and refs, as well as those behind the bench—the parents, scouts, analysts, and agents—to tell us, in their own voices, why they love the game and how they’re shaping its future. Meet Dallas Stars’ winger Andrew Cogliano, who captivated the hockey world by playing 830 consecutive games, despite various injuries, and hear how hockey and his parents instilled in him the strong work ethic that made his streak possible. Learn about how Jeremy Rupke found his passion and created the popular website How to Hockey to help young hockey hopefuls who might not have money for professional lessons develop their on-ice skills and give them the confidence to achieve their dreams off the ice. Read about players like Jack Jablonski, who didn’t let a life-changing spinal cord injury at age sixteen stop him from being a part of the game, and is now using his experience to raise awareness and funds for spinal cord injury research. From LGBTQ players like Jessica Platt who are breaking down barriers to women such as Danièle Sauvageau who are breaking glass ceilings as coaches, refs, agents, and analysts, these are the everyday heroes who are using hockey to inspire change. Featuring incredible stories of comebacks, milestones, and friendship, Everyday Hockey Heroes, Volume II highlights the very best of hockey: the power it has to unite us to be the best we can be—for ourselves and for others.

From TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie comes a new collection of hockey stories about the everyday heroes from across the game who are defying the odds and championing the next generation of hockey—on and off the ice. In this uplifting and entertaining volume of stories, Canadian broadcasters Bob McKenzie and Jim Lang bring together hockey players, coaches, and refs, as well as those behind the bench—the parents, scouts, analysts, and agents—to tell us, in their own voices, why they love the game and how they’re shaping its future. Meet Dallas Stars’ winger Andrew Cogliano, who captivated the hockey world by playing 830 consecutive games, despite various injuries, and hear how hockey and his parents instilled in him the strong work ethic that made his streak possible. Learn about how Jeremy Rupke found his passion and created the popular website, How To Hockey, to help young hockey hopefuls who might not have money for professional lessons develop their on-ice skills and give them the confidence to achieve their dreams off the ice. Read about players like Jack Jablonski, who didn’t let a life-changing spinal cord injury at age sixteen stop him from being a part of the game, and is now using his experience to raise awareness and funds for spinal cord injury research. From LGBTQ players like Jessica Platt who are breaking down barriers to the women such as Danièle Sauvageau who are breaking glass ceilings as coaches, refs, agents, and analysts, these are the everyday heroes who are using hockey to inspire change. Featuring incredible stories of comebacks, milestones, and friendship, Everyday Hockey Heroes, Volume II highlights the very best of hockey: the power it has to unite us to be the best we can be—for ourselves and for others.

For readers of The Boys in the Boat, the remarkable story of the unlikely Canadian hockey team that clinched Olympic gold in 1948 The announcement was shocking—Canada, the birthplace of hockey, would not be sending a team to the 1948 Winter Olympics in Switzerland. Outraged, a Royal Canadian Air Force squadron leader, Sandy Watson, quickly assembled a team of air force hockey players who were “amateur enough” to complete under the Olympic guidelines. Sergeant Frank Boucher was recruited to coach the team and begin the cross-Canada search for players. Hubert Brooks, a decorated flying officer and serial escapist from POW camps, was another early recruit. Andy Gilpin joined from the RCAF base in Whitehorse, as did airmen from Quebec, the Maritimes and western Canada. And when their starting goalie, Dick Ball, didn’t pass a medical exam, Murray Dowey was called up from his job as a TTC driver and occasional practice goalie for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The ragtag team got off to a rough start, losing so many exhibition games that Canadian newspapers called them a disgrace to the country. But the RCAF Flyers battled back, and Boucher’s defensive strategy paid off. They eliminated the American team, tied the Czech team and beat the Swiss as the hometown crowd pelted the Canadians with snowballs during the game. On the same ice where Barbara Ann Scott won a gold medal, the underdog RCAF Flyers also won Olympic gold, and their goalie, Murray Dowey, set an Olympic record that still stands. Against All Odds is the inspiring untold story of a group of determined men, fresh from the battlefields of WWII, who surprised a nation and the world.

Former NHL star Bryan Berard shares the inspiring story of his life on and off the ice—from finding early success in the league and suffering a life-changing eye injury to discovering the inner strength to overcome whatever life threw at him and continue to play the game he loved. “My career is over,” I said. “I’m never going to play in the NHL again.” My mom turned to me, a stern look on her face. “‘Never’ does not exist in our family’s vocabulary.” On March 11, 2000, Bryan Berard’s life changed forever. One moment, he was a young hockey star, a former first overall pick and Olympian who had a long, bright career ahead of him. The next, he was writhing on the ice, his eye slashed by a wayward stick. The doctors feared Bryan might lose his eye. It seemed certain that he would never play hockey again. But ever since his childhood, Bryan had refused to believe that anything was impossible. With the support of his family behind him and his own inner determination driving him forward, Bryan not only recovered, but made a triumphant return to the NHL just two years after his injury. It seemed that the worst was behind him. But there were storm clouds on the horizon. Injuries continued to plague him throughout the rest of his career, which saw him move from North America to Russia to continue to play the game he loved. Reports of steroid use cast a shadow over his accomplishments. And then, just as he was about to retire, Berard learned that his long-time financial adviser had defrauded him, several other hockey stars, and others out of millions of dollars in life savings. Despite every setback, though, Berard refused to give up. He nearly lost an eye, but he never lost sight of what was most important in his life. Funny, honest, and inspiring, Berard’s memoir is a tribute to the resilience and perseverance of the human spirit.

Never-before-told stories of wild celebrations and heartfelt moments with the Stanley Cup, in the words of the champions themselves, including Sidney Crosby, Brendan Shanahan, Larry Robinson, and Mike Modano. There is no trophy like the Stanley Cup. It has the names of every champion who’s won it engraved on its shining sides. And when it is won, it is presented first to the players, who have fought so hard to raise it above their heads. The Cup is special in another way, too. Every summer, it goes on a cross-continent tour (sometimes even overseas), visiting every player, coach, and team member who won it that year. Everyone gets their day with the Cup, chaperoned by one of the ever-watchful Keepers of the Cup from the Hockey Hall of Fame to make sure it doesn’t get into too much trouble. The Cup has been everywhere, from the bottom of a pool at a rock star’s mansion to a ride through the sky above Montreal in a helicopter flown by none other than hockey legend Guy Lafleur. It has served beer and champagne, breakfast cereal for kids, popcorn, and hot dogs. It brings joy to players and fans and inspires awe everywhere it goes. Veteran sportscaster and bestselling author Jim Lang has interviewed more than thirty players and coaches, and a couple of Keepers of the Cup, to collect these behind-the-scenes stories of the Stanley Cup’s adventures. Each one is special, but they all share strong themes of family and friends, community, gratitude, and the feeling that the greatest achievements in life are best celebrated with others.

A hockey jersey is the handsome exterior of a rugged game. Hockey is full of colorful personalities, but hockey's most colorful symbols, by far, are its jerseys. Some are garish, same are subdued and some are even beautiful, but the best are what most fans would consider "classic." In Hockey Hall of Fame Book of Jerseys, the best and most interesting jerseys in the Hall's collection -- as well as the all-time sentimental favorites -- have been put on display for your enjoyment. Paired with stories about the players who wore them, the teams and leagues they represented and the tournaments they were made for, the jerseys featured in Hockey Hall of Fame Book of Jerseys come to life, just as they did when worn by the heroes we've all come to love: Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby, Cammi Granato, Joe Sakic, Vladislav Tretiak, Ray Bourque, Maurice Richard, Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr. But author Steve Milton also provides fascinating stories about little-known players and teams, such as: Bill Hutton and the 1930-31 Philadelphia Quakers and John Coward and the 1936 gold-medal winning Great Britain Olympic squad. This new edition features new stories that even a veteran hockey fanatic might have missed, including: The 1980-81 Phoenix Roadrunners jersey in which Bruce Boudreau scored his 500th professional point The 1924-25 Victoria Cougars sweater worn by Frank Frederickson as Victoria became the last non-NHL team to win the Stanley Cup The jersey Billy Bridges wore while leading Canada to the gold in the 2006 Paralympic Games. Each jersey in this collection is one of a kind -- battered and bruised, ripped and torn, stitched and stained -- and every one has its own story.