The extraordinary true story of the U.S. sled hockey team that overcame physical adversity and internal strife to win Paralympic gold. When former NHL star Rick Middleton accepted the position of head coach for the United States sled hockey team, he wasn't sure what to expect. The program had never medaled-had never even come close, in fact. But where Middleton might have found despair, he instead found an incredible group of men who had battled their way back from hell to play the sport they love. In Hockey's Hidden Gods: The Untold Story of a Paralympic Miracle on Ice, S.C. Megale uncovers the remarkable tale of a team that shocked the world by taking U.S. sled hockey from worst to first in the 2002 Paralympics. Odds of winning were dismal. The road to victory seemed unfathomable. But this cast of fifteen athletes with disabilities, athletes who had helped build a groundbreaking U.S. sled hockey program with almost no outside support, ultimately persevered on the global stage. Featuring a fascinating history of sled hockey, exclusive interviews with players and coaches, action-packed game coverage, and intimate profiles sharing the players' personal journeys, Hockey's Hidden Gods is the uplifting story of how once-shattered dreams can be reborn and rebuilt through tenacity, grit, and an indomitable spirit.

When the NHL announced in early 1976 that its two worst teams, the Washington Capitals and Kansas City Scouts, would travel to Japan for a four-game exhibition series dubbed the Coca-Cola Bottlers' Cup, fans and media were baffled. The Capitals and the Scouts were both expansion teams, with a combined 46 wins, 236 losses and 38 ties in their first two seasons--stats made more dismal when considering seven of those wins were against each other. Yet lagging so hopelessly behind the rest of the NHL, they were perfect for a one-off event on the other side of the globe. The series was an eye-opening success. Players skated on an Olympic swimming pool ringed with rickety boards hung with fishing nets that boomeranged pucks into their faces, as curious Japanese fans gasped at the gap-toothed Canadians wrestling on the ice. Filled with rare photos and player recollections, this book tells the story of how two league doormats became hockey heroes half-way around the world.

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Boston Bruins' 1970 Stanley Cup championship season by reliving all the moments in Kooks and Degenerates on Ice. While the United States seethed from racial violence, war, and mass shootings, the 1969-70 "Big, Bad Bruins," led by the legendary Bobby Orr, brushed off their perennial losing ways to defeat the St. Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup Finals for their first championship in 29 years. In Kooks and Degenerates on Ice: Bobby Orr, the Big Bad Bruins, and the Stanley Cup Championship That Transformed Hockey, Thomas J. Whalen recounts all the memorable moments from that championship season. Behind the no-nonsense yet inspired leadership of head coach Harry Sinden, the once laughingstock Bruins became the talk of the sporting world. Nicknamed the "Big, Bad Bruins" for their propensity to out-brawl and intimidate their opponents, the team rallied around the otherworldly play of Bobby Orr and his hard-hitting teammates to take the NHL by surprise in a season to remember. Kooks and Degenerates on Ice brings to life all the colorful personalities and iconic players from this Stanley Cup-raising team. In addition, the season is placed into its historical context as the United States struggled with issues of war, race, politics, and class, making this a must-read for sports enthusiasts, hockey fans, and those interested in twentieth-century American history.

The Cleveland Barons should never have existed. Born when the National Hockey League's California Golden Seals-another team that should never have existed-were transplanted to Cleveland in 1976 and greeted with apathy by the dwindling number of hockey fans in northeastern Ohio, the Barons were an embarrassment to the city and to the NHL. The only thing the team had going for them was the state-of-the-art arena they played in, which was all but empty for nearly every game they played. This book chronicles the Barons' two regrettable seasons-a case study in what happens when an ill-conceived professional sports team created in an expansion splurge is moved, in an effort to save it, to a city that doesn't really want it.

A riveting graphic novel that reminds us to never stop dreaming. This honest, engrossing graphic memoir tells the story of professional athlete and activist Akim Aliu's incredible life as a hockey prodigy in Canada. Akim Aliu - also known as "Dreamer" - is a Ukrainian-Nigerian-Canadian professional ice hockey player whose career took him all around the world and who experienced systemic racism at every turn. Dreamer tells Akim's incredible story, from being the only Black child in his Ukrainian community, to his family struggling to make ends meet while living in Toronto, to confronting the racist violence he often experienced both on and off the ice. "With honesty and courage, Akim Aliu's Dreamer will inspire readers of all ages to move confidently in the direction of their future." - Colin Kaepernick Full-colour illustration Sure to inspire young readers everywhere Akim has partnered with the Time to Dream Foundation and the Hockey Diversity Alliance to help their mission to eradicate racism and intolerance in hockey Akim continues to play hockey professionally in Europe

The 1969-70 season marked a turning point in the history of the National Hockey League. The season began with a near fatality and it culminated on a steamy Sunday afternoon in Boston with one of the NHL's most iconic moments. In the interim, the 12 NHL clubs staged thrilling and memorable playoff races that were not decided until the final regular-season games were played. The three traditional powerhouse teams from the Original Six era faltered while former underdog clubs began to vie for top honors. Along the way, Boston's Bobby Orr made history by becoming the first defenseman to win the NHL scoring title, three aging veterans in Detroit combined to form the most effective forward line in hockey, and a rookie goalie, Tony Esposito, lifted the Chicago Black Hawks from the basement to a divisional championship. Told here are the numerous other wonderful, strange, and captivating incidents that made the fun, fascinating, and free-wheeling 53rd NHL season one for the ages.

What hockey team is the best ever on ice? What hockey records will stand forever? Which hockey teams buckled under pressure? Which franchises are cursed? Who should be in the Hall of Fame, and who shouldn't be? Is Roy the best goalie to play the game? Should fighting be banned? In "Let's Talk Hockey," hockey enthusiast Phil Schlenker debates these issues and more in the world of hockey.

Based on years of personal experiences and research, "Let's Talk Hockey, /i> dissects fifty of the most popular debates in the game including The greatest coach of all time Top sentimental moments The best trades Why fans boo the national anthem Ten games you need to see before you die Hockey's worst injuries The greatest goalies Appealing to the average hockey fan, "Let's Talk Hockey" provides a humorous, comprehensive, and easy-to-read discussion of sweet goals, scintillating saves, and exciting end-to-end rushes. It provides vivid descriptions of the people and places that play a role in this fastest sport that doesn't have an engine.

America and Canada both saw historic sports milestones in 1993. While the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bulls reigned supreme, the Toronto Blue Jays won a second consecutive World Series on a walk-off homer, and the Montreal Canadiens emerged as the last Canadian team to win a Stanley Cup. While stars like Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky and Joe Montana overcame physical and emotional challenges to make history, teams were performing unprecedented feats, from the Buffalo Bills' unrivaled comeback on Wild Card Weekend to the Baltimore Orioles' unveiling of their transformative ballpark design during All-Star Week. Drawing on original interviews with dozens of former players and coaches, this book revisits an exceptional sports year for fans across North America, with memorable stories involving some of the most iconic sports figures of the 1990s.

Philadelphia has been a hockey town since 1897. Before and even during the Philadelphia Flyers' tenure, other teams-the Ramblers, the Quakers and the Firebirds, among others-called the city home, for better or for worse. The first of its kind, this comprehensive history covers the teams and players that graced the ice from the turn of the 20th century through the 2009 demise of the Philadelphia Phantoms. Offering something for every Philly hockey fan, the author tells the stories of the 10 pro teams that played the world's fastest game in the City of Brotherly Love.

Hard-hitting, nonstop action (and that's just what happens off the ice).

Hockey is the fastest of all team sports―an emotional, exhilarating, and highly entertaining blend of speed, finesse, intensity, and bone-crunching physical impact. And the NHL's Nashville Predators are, in every respect, a team to watch. But the story leading up to, and through, the Predators' triumphant first season is every bit as exciting as the game itself.

"Hockey Tonk" tells of one man's dream of bringing a pro team to a city best known for its music industry. The journey from that dream to its fulfillment in an arena filled with 17,000 screaming fans is a story of vision, passion, hard work, perseverance, and commitment to long-term success. It's a story of teamwork and hard-nosed competition, both on and off the ice.

Just a few short years ago, the majority of Nashville, Tennessee, didn't know the difference between a blue line and a line dance. But now Music City has become a pro sports town, thanks to a fiercely competitive hockey team, its business-and community-minded front office, and fan support that, according to "USA Today," is second to none.

Book in slipcase. Before the NHL, and even before the Pacific Coast League, British Columbia was a land of vibrant hockey. Now Craig Bowlsby has uncovered and revived the old legends and given us a rink-side glimpse into this exciting past. He has included never-before published photos, paintings and drawings, plus new stories of the famous Patrick brothers in Nelson before they launched the Pacific Coast League. The book is highly detailed, including every known BC player at the time, women's teams and team and goalie records.

Hockey players are stronger, quicker, and more agile than ever before. To compete and win in today's game requires superior stamina and strength. Complete Conditioning for Hockey can help get you there with a year-round training plan that will get you primed for a winning season. Author Ryan van Asten, one of the game's leading strength and conditioning coaches, shares the same approach he's used with top athletes and teams at the professional and national levels-including NHL Stanley Cup winners, Canada's Olympic gold medal-winning women's hockey team, and multiple world championship teams. Complete Conditioning for Hockey covers every aspect of physical preparation, including these: Movement optimization Endurance and stamina Functional strength and power Acceleration and speed Change of direction and reactivity Recovery and injury risk reduction Throughout, you'll find more than 145 exercises, each with progressions and variations, to optimize your training in order to continue your development season after season. The position-specific guidelines will help to personalize training to your skill set, experience level, and role on the team. Training plans provide specific information and exercises for the off-season, preseason, in-season, and postseason to ensure optimal peaking and recovery. Complete Conditioning for Hockey also features a detailed analysis of player movement and conditioning needs, taking the process of physical preparation for hockey to a whole new level. CE exam available! For certified professionals, a companion continuing education exam can be completed after reading this book. The Complete Conditioning for Hockey Online CE Exam may be purchased separately or as part of the Complete Conditioning for Hockey With CE Exam package that includes both the book and the exam.

The tragic death of hockey star Derek Boogaard at twenty-eight was front-page news across the country in 2011 and helped shatter the silence about violence and concussions in professional sports. Now, in a gripping work of narrative nonfiction, acclaimed reporter John Branch tells the shocking story of Boogaard's life and heartbreaking death. Boy on Ice is the richly told story of a mountain of a man who made it to the absolute pinnacle of his sport. Widely regarded as the toughest man in the NHL, Boogaard was a gentle man off the ice but a merciless fighter on it. With great narrative drive, Branch recounts Boogaard's unlikely journey from lumbering kid playing pond-hockey on the prairies of Saskatchewan, so big his skates would routinely break beneath his feet; to his teenaged junior hockey days, when one brutal outburst of violence brought Boogaard to the attention of professional scouts; to his days and nights as a star enforcer with the Minnesota Wild and the storied New York Rangers, capable of delivering career-ending punches and intimidating entire teams. But, as Branch reveals, behind the scenes Boogaard's injuries and concussions were mounting and his mental state was deteriorating, culminating in his early death from an overdose of alcohol and painkillers. Based on months of investigation and hundreds of interviews with Boogaard's family, friends, teammates, and coaches, Boy on Ice is a brilliant work for fans of Michael Lewis's The Blind Side or Buzz Bissinger's Friday Night Lights. This is a book that raises deep and disturbing questions about the systemic brutality of contact sports-from peewees to professionals-and the damage that reaches far beyond the game.

Who comprised the most productive pairs in the history of professional team sports? Joe Montana and Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers? Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls? What about the prolific hockey tandem of Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier? And that all-time great New York Yankees twosome of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig can certainly not be excluded. Using various selection criteria-including longevity, level of statistical compilation, impact on one's team, and overall place in history-The 50 Most Dynamic Duos in Sports History attempts to ascertain which twosome truly established itself as the most dominant tandem in the history of the four major professional team sports: baseball, basketball, football, and hockey. Arranged and ranked by sport, this work takes an in-depth look at the careers of these 100 men, including statistics, quotes from opposing players and former teammates, and career highlights. Finally, all 50 duos are placed in an overall ranking. Covering every decade since the 1890s, this book will find widespread appeal among sports fans of all generations.And with photographs of many of the tandems, The 50 Most Dynamic Duos in Sports History is a wonderful addition to any sports historian's collection.

Line changes, limited time outs, and pucks traveling 100 miles per hour-hockey is called "the fastest game on Earth" for a reason. Keeping up with this non-stop action, especially for decades on end, takes a special kind of talent. Today's NHL broadcasters capture the game in arguably the most difficult capacity in the world of sports, giving the fans a guide to the action in a way nobody else could. With careers outlasting the players, coaches, general managers, and, in some cases, the city itself, the NHL's broadcasters have more than their fair share of stories to tell. In The Voices of Hockey: Broadcasters Reflect on the Fastest Game on Earth, Kirk McKnight takes forty-two of the game's most gifted play-by-play broadcasters-including ten hall of famers-and shares their many insights, memories, and experiences. These broadcasters have witnessed all-time greats such as Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby, and Alexander Ovechkin, making them the ideal voices to pay tribute to the legends of yesterday and the heroes of tomorrow. The Voices of Hockey brings the reader down to the surface of the ice to experience overtime marathons, record-setting performances, bloodied fights, intense rivalries, and the raising of the Stanley Cup, with details and inside perspectives from some of the most qualified spectators of the game. From Bob Miller's description of "The Miracle on Manchester" to John Kelly's childhood recollection of Bobby Orr's famous "flying goal," this book is truly an encapsulation of the NHL over the past fifty years. Generations of hockey fans will enjoy reliving their favorite moments and reading about those they missed in this unique and captivating view of the fastest game on Earth.