Sidney Crosby

#1 National Bestseller This hockey generation's brightest talent has been plagued by concussions. Now, the very style of play that has brought Crosby such success may be heralding the end of his career. Sidney Crosby is arguably the best player ever to put on skates. You could argue that Bobby was better, or Wayne, or Gordie. But it would be hard to argue that any of those guys changed the game as much as Sid. No defenceman came along in Bobby's wake to play like him. There will never be another 99. But in Crosby's case, the entire league was re-made in his image. The game can be divided into two eras: before and after Sidney Crosby arrived in 2005, breaking Mario Lemieux's rookie scoring record. Says NHL star Matt Duchene, who entered the league in 2008, just three years after Crosby: "Just in the time that I was going from peewee and bantam to junior, there was a whole other game before and after. You didn't have a choice really--you had to adapt and adopt the way he did things or get left way behind." In an effort to keep up with Sid, the game changed. It's faster now, more skilled. There are more highlight-reel goals, and fewer fights. And in many ways, Crosby has thrived. Three Stanley Cups. Two Olympic gold medals. A World Cup. And enough individual trophies to fill a truck. But then, if Crosby hadn't changed the league, he might expect a longer career. Today, Sidney Crosby is the first generational superstar whose every shift could be his last. He invented a faster game, and the faster game has taken its toll on its creator. Crosby has suffered several concussions, and missed most of an entire season with symptoms. He plays the game fearlessly, but he also plays it without a bodyguard. The irony is that he created a league that made it harder for him to thrive. And the tragedy may be that he has created a league that will bring his career to an end in one fell swoop, in front of millions. Telling the story of a generational talent and the way he has revolutionized the game, Gare Joyce will also bring into focus crucial questions about the way the game is played today, assessing fighting and concussions in the light of the way these issues impinge on arguably the greatest player ever to skate.

Introduces readers to the life and career of hockey star Brian Hall. Colorful spreads, fun facts, interesting sidebars, and a map of important places in his life make this a thrilling read for young sports fans.

THIS NATIONAL BESTSELLER IS NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK! UPDATED TO INCLUDE CROSBY'S RECORD-BREAKING 2006-2007 SEASON! When the Pittsburgh Penguins won the right to select first overall in the 2005 NHL draft, there was no doubt who they would pick - Sidney Crosby, the most celebrated junior hockey player since Mario Lemieux. Sidney Crosby was first to win Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year in the Canadian junior ranks, and first to win consecutive Player of the Year awards At age 16, he became the youngest Canadian player to score in the World Junior Hockey Championships. At 17, he recorded an astonishing 168 points in 62 games, leading his Rimouski team to the Memorial Cup. And in 2005, while not yet 18, Crosby landed a lucrative contract with Reebok, placing him in the same athletic stratosphere as Wayne Gretzky and Tiger Woods. But how did a kid from Nova Scotia come to stand alone on draft day as the NHL's undisputed No. 1 pick? And how did a budding teenage superstar cope with the growing pressures of being dubbed "the next Wayne Gretzky"? In this exciting hockey biography, award-winning sports journalist Gare Joyce retraces the incredible journey of hockey's wunderkind from age-group hockey in Nova Scotia to draft day with Mario Lemieux and his Pittsburgh Penguins. From Halifax to the Czech Republic, Minnesota to Quebec City and all places in between, Joyce explores the making of hockey's brightest star and all the obstacles this amazing young man overcame in pursuit of his dreams. In 2003, Wayne Gretzky was asked if there was one player out there who might one day break his records. He responded "Yes, Sidney Crosby. He's the best player I've seen since Mario (Lemieux)." Gare Joyce's riveting biography of hockey's 18-year-old sensation, retraces Crosby's incredible journey from the lacing up of his first pair of skates to his outstanding first season in the League. Joyce explores the making of a superstar and all of the obstacles this amazing athlete overcame in pursuit of his dreams.

Looks at the life and accomplishments of the hockey star who was the number one draft pick for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2005.

"Presents the athletic biography of Sidney Crosby, including his career as a high school and professional hockey player"--Provided by publisher.

In only his second season playing in the NHL, "Sid the Kid" Crosby became the youngest player ever to get over 100 points in a season. This book follows his amazing life story, from boyhood games on the ponds of Nova Scotia to captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Stanley Cup in 2008.

Even before Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin began their NHL careers in 2005, the two players were rivals. They first met at the World U20 (Junior) Championship, playing for the gold medal, and ever since they have been opponents in the NHL and international arenas. No two star players could be so different. Crosby is the consummate captain and team player, the responsible face of the NHL. Ovechkin is the loose cannon on ice and off, capable of a great play or a cocky comment. Sid vs. Ovi traces this intense rivalry game by game, year by year, from 2005 to 2011 and beyond. Their biographies are given consideration alongside their in-game performance and career development to present a clear picture of their lives, their careers, their league, and their countries. Hockey fans can well be divided into those who prefer one or the other of this pair of scintillating talents. But one thing is certain – the presence of one inspires the other to greater heights.

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER First he rewrote the record book. Now, to mark the NHL's ninety-ninth anniversary, Wayne Gretzky has written the story of our game. In 99: Stories of the Game, Gretzky looks back on the last ninety-nine years and tells us, from his point of view, about the NHL’s most memorable moments. We already know what he means to the game. Now he shows us what the game means to him. From hockey's fierce early battles on natural ice; through its mythical golden era, where Howe, Richard, Béliveau, Hull, Orr, and Esposito defined greatness; through the unforgettable dynasties in Montreal, New York, and Edmonton and the success stories of today’s NHL, Gretzky takes us onto the ice and into the dressing room to share never-before-published stories about the great players and great characters who have inspired him. With the insight of someone who knows the incomparable thrill of lifting the Stanley Cup, as well as the agony of falling short against a bitter rival, Gretzky weaves in his own memories with the saga of the game that has meant so much to him. Warm, direct, and personal, these are accounts of friendship and rivalry, triumphs and upsets, role players and heroes. All of them great stories of the game.