The Nhl

Sean McIndoe of Down Goes Brown, one of hockey's favourite and funniest writers, takes aim at the game's most memorable moments--especially if they're memorable for the wrong reasons--in this warts-and-all history of the NHL. The NHL is, indisputably, weird. One moment, you're in awe of the speed, skill and intensity that define the sport, shaking your head as a player makes an impossible play, or shatters a longstanding record, or sobs into his first Stanley Cup. The next, everyone's wearing earmuffs, Mr. Rogers has shown up, and guys in yellow raincoats are officiating playoff games while everyone tries to figure out where the league president went. That's just life in the NHL, a league that often can't seem to get out of its own way. No matter how long you've been a hockey fan, you know that sinking feeling that maybe, just maybe, some of the people in charge here don't actually know what they're doing. And at some point, you've probably wondered: Has it always been this way? The short answer is yes. As for the longer answer, well, that's this book. In this fun, irreverent and fact-filled history, Sean McIndoe relates the flip side to the National Hockey League's storied past. His obsessively detailed memory combines with his keen sense for the absurdities that make you shake your head at the league and yet fanatically love the game, allowing you to laugh even when your team is the butt of the joke (and as a life-long Leafs fan, McIndoe takes the brunt of some of his own best zingers). The "Down Goes Brown" History of the NHL is the weird and wonderful league's story told as only Sean McIndoe can.

In late 2013, Canadians were intrigued to learn the NHL chose Rogers as its exclusive national broadcaster over both CBC and Rogers’s bitter rival, Bell Canada. The decision was met with equal parts fascination, shock and anger. When CBC rank-and-file employees came to believe their leaders missed a chance to hold on to at least a part of Hockey Night in Canada—a move that could have saved some of their jobs—their disappointment turned to outrage. This is also a story of great irony, as the win proved to be costly for the victor in the first years. When Rogers sealed the $5.2-billion, twelve-year deal, it looked like the audacious play might just pay off. The Toronto Maple Leafs, with the biggest fan base in the country, appeared ready to shake off years of mediocrity and become playoff contenders, drawing legions of fans to Rogers’s broadcasts in the process. In anticipation, Rogers gave Hockey Night in Canada a facelift, bringing in hip George Stroumboulopoulos to replace veteran host Ron MacLean. However, in January 2014, the Maple Leafs crashed hard and so did the ratings for Hockey Night in Canada. It was crushing news for Rogers, with cable-cutting already shaping into an existential threat. On top of everything, “Strombo” bombed as host and the network had to bring MacLean back. Then things got even worse—by the middle of the 2015–16 season, the rest of the seven Canadian NHL teams missed the playoffs and ratings fell further, chasing away even more advertising dollars. Simultaneously, viewing habits were changing so quickly no one could predict what would happen next year, let alone in the next decade. Shoalts covers this story from the beginning, and Hockey Fight in Canada details every fascinating play in this intersection of sports and business.

From Sidney Crosby and Brad Marchand to Paul MacLean, Al MacInnis, and Brad Richards, these are the stories of 25 Maritimers and their journey to the National Hockey League. The book chronicles each player's days from when they first laced up skates in cities and small towns throughout Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, to that very special moment of putting on a NHL uniform and knowing they were there to stay. Penned by one of Nova Scotia's most preeminent sports journalists, Road to the NHL is filled with tales of sacrifice, fortitude, and inner personal strength and is a must-have resource for any fan of ice hockey.

The story of the rise of the NHL as the only major hockey league in North America.

Celebrate the NHL's centennial anniversary with the Hockey Hall of Fame -- fully updated with the events that capped the NHL's centennial anniversary! In The NHL 100 Years in Pictures and Stories, authors Ryan Dixon and Bob Duff recount the events that have shaped the league from its madcap early years all the way to the 31-team elite professional sport that it is today. From game changing decisions like allowing goalies to wear masks, to jaw-dropping performances like Maurice Richard's 50 goals in 50 games, there is no stone left unturned. Some of the events you'll read about in 100 NHL Years: 1945: Maurice Richard scores 50 goals in 50 games 1951: Bill Barilko scores his last goal -- a Cup winner 1958: Willie O'Ree breaks the NHL's color barrier 1959: Jacques Plante starts to wear a mask 1960: Montreal Canadiens first ever five-time Cup champs 1966: Bobby Hull breaks Richard's 50-goal record 1971: Phil Esposito scores 76 goals 1980: Peter Stastny defects to the NHL 1981: Wayne Gretzky scores 50 goals in 39 games 1989: First Russians play in the NHL 1998: NHL players go to the Olympics 2003: NHL takes the game outside 2005: NHL installs shootout 2015: Carey Price becomes first goalie to win four major awards 2017: The NHL's 31st team, the Las Vegas Golden Knights debut. With more than 200 images, hundreds of star players and dozens of artifacts from the Hockey Hall of Fame, The NHL 100 Years in Pictures and Stories is the definitive guide to the NHL's centennial celebration.

Terry Ryan was poised to take the hockey world by storm when he was selected eighth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1995 NHL draft, their highest draft pick in a decade. Expected to go on to become a hockey star, Ryan played a total of eight NHL games for the Canadiens, scoring no goals and no assists: not exactly the career he, or anyone else, was expecting. Though Terry's NHL career wasn't long, he experienced a lot and has no shortage of hilarious and fascinating revelations about life in pro hockey on and off the ice. In Tales of a First-Round Nothing, he recounts fighting with Tie Domi, partying with rock stars, and everything in between. Ryan tells it like it is, detailing his rocky relationship with Michel Therrien, head coach of the Canadiens, and explaining what life is like for a man who was unprepared to have his career over so soon.

The complete history of the growth of the NHL. Changing the Game: A History of NHL Expansion celebrates an often-overlooked aspect of hockey history. The book provides comprehensive coverage of the NHL's spread across the North American market in the 1920s along with the memorable expansions that began in 1967. Relive some great and painful moments from the debut seasons of forgotten teams such as the Montreal Maroons and California Seals along with fan favorites like the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. Every first-year NHL roster is covered and nearly 100 players share their memories of playing for hard-luck clubs.

The only complete biographical dictionary of every player who -- from the beginning of the NHL in 1917 to the end of the 2003 season -- has played in the NHL, from the game's superstars to its one-game wonders. Players is the authoritative and essential reference guide for everyone interested in the game of hockey -- from journalists to historians, to aficionados and casual fans alike. Moreover, it is an all-encompassing compendium of the personal narratives of the players' lives, both on and off the ice, and an indispensable treasure trove of information, providing unusual anecdotes, little-known trivia, and hundreds of obscure life histories in a manner never before undertaken on this scale. From A to Z, Players is a unique contribution to hockey history, a must-have item for hockey diehards, trivia fans, historians, librarians, and gift book buyers everywhere. - features more than 5,600 biographical entries - includes more than 3,000 images, including rare photographs, hockey memorabilia, and collectors' cards - features up-to-the-minute information on rookies and Hall-of-Famers from the 2002-2003 season