From pucks to sticks to teams to players, everything about hockey had to start somewhere. This book lets you in on the history behind the more quirky aspects of Canada's favourite pastime.

When Rocky Wirtz took over the Wirtz Corporation in 2007, including management of the Chicago Blackhawks, the fiercely beloved hockey team had fallen to a humiliating nadir. As chronic losers playing to a deserted stadium, they were worse than bad-they were irrelevant. ESPN named the franchise the worst in all of sports. Rocky's resurrection of the team's fortunes was-publicly, at least-a feel-good tale of shrewd acumen. Behind the scenes, however, it would trigger a father, son, and brother-against-brother drama of Shakespearean proportions. The Breakaway reveals that untold story. Arthur Wirtz founded the family's business empire during the Depression. From roots in real estate, "King Arthur" soon expanded into liquor and banking, running his operations with an iron hand and a devotion to profit that earned him the nickname Baron of the Bottom Line. His son Bill further expanded the conglomerate, taking the helm of the Blackhawks in 1966. "Dollar Bill" Wirtz demanded unflinching adherence to Arthur's traditions and was notorious for an equally fierce temperament. Yet when Rocky took the reins of the business after Bill's death, it was an organization out of step with the times and financially adrift. The Hawks weren't only failing on the ice-the parlous state of the team's finances imperiled every facet of the Wirtz empire. To save the team and the company, Rocky launched a radical turnaround campaign. Yet his modest proposal to televise the Hawks' home games provoked fierce opposition from Wirtz family insiders, who considered any deviation from Arthur and Bill's doctrines to be heresy. Rocky's break with the edicts of his grandfather and father led to a reversal for the ages-three Stanley Cup championships in six years, a feat Fortune magazine called "the greatest turnaround in sports business history." But this resurrection came at a price, a fracturing of Rocky's relationships with his brother and other siblings. In riveting prose that recounts a story spanning three generations, The Breakaway reveals an insider's view of a brilliant but difficult Chicago business and sports dynasty and the inspiring story of perseverance and courage in the face of intense family pressures.

Hockey Grit, Grind, & Mind is for all those who are serious about becoming an elite player and reaching their full potential. Hockey is a tough sport and not everyone will develop the passion and perseverance it requires. Yet, honing one's skills, experience, and mental toughness is essential for becoming the best player possible. Performance and sports specialist Kevin Willis helps players, coaches, and parents understand the grit necessary to rise through the ranks and play hockey at the highest levels. Readers 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 things are tough, persevere when other players are giving up, crystalize their vision of success, and stand out on the ice in both games and practices. Kevin provides the tools, insights, and strategies to help players train and compete like the pros and take their game-and their grit-to a whole new level.