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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781459741843 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Dundurn Press |
| Publication date: | 10/02/2018 |
| Series: | Hockey 365 , #1 |
| Pages: | 416 |
| Sales rank: | 309,446 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.40(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.00(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
PRE-GAME WARM-UP
Behind every great hockey play is a piece of history. Every milestone goal, point, or shutout is measured and contextualized by how it compares to the feats achieved by players from previous eras. Understanding the history of hockey is important because it highlights the sport's most significant athletes and how the game has evolved and situates the contemporary game within its rich heritage. You may not think you're a hockey historian just yet, but every time you watch a game, you're invariably comparing the accomplishments of the current players on the ice with those of their predecessors.
Having a better understanding of hockey's history gives you a better appreciation of the sport and how far it has come — from its early days on frozen ponds and rivers when the game was played with a block of wood instead of a puck to the riveting crescendo of the NHL's three-on-three overtime — and it also makes you a better fan. Knowing the history of the sport gives you an insider's knowledge of the game, both on and off the ice. Moreover, sharing in these moments engages you with the game on an intimate level and connects you in a way that transcends the outcome on the scoresheet. For example, understanding how Bobby Orr's career revolutionized the role of defencemen not only properly situates him as one of the greatest players of all time but also provides you with a better appreciation for what players such as Ottawa's Erik Karlsson do on the blue line in today's NHL. While knowing the dates that Bobby Orr rewrote the league's record books may not help you make sense of why your favourite team's defence corps is currently struggling, it will help you better understand why he was such a special player and how his impact is still felt throughout the league today.
But Bobby Orr is just one example of the historical snapshots you will find in the pages of Hockey 365: Daily Stories From the Ice. As the title suggests, you're about to embark on a journey through hockey history, highlighted by 366 different stories (don't forget leap years), each one representing a significant hockey moment for every day of the year. Think of it as a Word of the Day calendar that packs a punch. Now, visualize that calendar barrelling down the ice and wallpapering you into the boards. That's Hockey 365. With every flip of the page, you're introduced to a new episode in hockey history. Although there are some familiar names throughout the book — it would be rather difficult not to mention Wayne Gretzky more than a few times — each entry captures a unique moment in the game.
As you might have guessed, there are 12 chapters, one for every month of the year. While there are threads that link some of the stories together throughout the narrative, Hockey 365 is not your standard hockey book. Much like the game itself, there is no linear flow. You can read it from cover to cover (and hopefully you do), or you can pick it up at any point and start from there. It begins with Willie O'Ree's first goal on January 1, 1961, but you don't have to follow the puck to the next day. Instead, you can jump to September 23, 1992, when Manon Rheaume became the first woman to suit up for NHL action, without missing a beat. There's no penalty for skipping ahead. However you want to read the book is up to you. Read it in your bathroom. Read it to your daughter. Read it during intermission. There's no wrong way for you to read Hockey 365.
While Hockey 365 traces the sport from the first indoor matchup in Montreal in 1875 to Auston Matthews's electrifying debut in 2016, it is not a definitive account of the game. Although I've tried to pack in as many details as I could, it is not meant to be a comprehensive hockey history. Moreover, while the book touches on some notable moments in women's hockey and international hockey, most of the inspiration is drawn from the NHL, where the sport is played at its highest level.
At this point, you're probably wondering how I selected these 366 stories. I wish I could tell you I developed a complex algorithm that calculated the most historically significant hockey moment for each day of the year, but that wasn't the case. Using a variety of primary and secondary sources, I carefully chose moments I felt were entertaining and important enough to merit analysis. Sometimes this process was painstaking. There were a few instances where I found some anecdotal information for a story but could not corroborate it with a primary source, so I had to scrap it and go with the next one. Occasionally, I opted to explore some of the game's lesser known moments rather than focus on an event that has been covered extensively. For example, Wayne Gretzky became the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer on March 23, 1994, but instead I wrote about how Chicago's Bill Mosienko scored a hat trick in 21 seconds on that day 42 years earlier. Part of the reason behind that decision was because racking up three goals in 21 seconds is pretty darn impressive, but also because Wayne Gretzky looms so large in hockey history. Even though I didn't dedicate an entire section to his 802nd career goal, it was brought up in other ways as he is a recurring figure throughout the book. That being said, I also took great care to avoid this book turning into Gretzky 365 or Orr 365. Although you could quite easily write a book dedicated to their year-round accomplishments, it was important to give them their proper due but also spread the ice time around to other players. You may not agree with every player or episode I have chosen to highlight here, but I think we can agree that if you're reading this right now you're either my mother (hi, Mom) or you have a passion for hockey history. If it's the latter, and I'm hoping it is, these stories are just 366 glimpses into the rich heritage of the game we all love.
JANUARY 1
MILESTONE GOAL, 1961
While many people might have started 1961 off with a hangover, Boston's Willie O'Ree began his new year with a milestone. On January 1, 1961, he scored his first career National Hockey League goal. His tally proved to be the game-winner as the cellar-dwelling Bruins toppled the first-place Canadiens by a score of 3-2. The significance of O'Ree's goal, however, transcended the outcome on the scoresheet: it was the first NHL goal ever scored by a black player. O'Ree made his debut for Boston three years earlier, on January 18, 1958, becoming the first black man to play in an NHL game. Originally from Fredericton, New Brunswick, O'Ree almost didn't make it to the NHL. During his junior hockey days with the Kitchener Canucks of the Ontario Hockey Association, O'Ree sustained a serious injury that left him blind in one eye. As a result, he not only had to compensate for his limited vision but also had to keep the injury a secret if he hoped to crack the league's ranks.
Following his goal against the Canadiens, O'Ree would go on to play 33 more games for the Bruins, picking up three more goals along the way. In the off-season, he was traded to Montreal but never suited up for the club at the NHL level, instead playing for the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens in the Eastern Professional Hockey League before heading to the West Coast. O'Ree went on to play for nearly 16 years in the Western Hockey League, suiting up for teams such as the Los Angeles Blades and the San Diego Gulls. Although O'Ree's time in the NHL was brief, he paved the way for other black hockey players to ascend to the NHL ranks in the decades that followed. Since retiring from professional hockey, O'Ree has been a tireless advocate for greater diversity and inclusion in the game and has served as the NHL's Director of Youth Development and ambassador for NHL Diversity since 1998. Given his significant contributions to the sport, O'Ree should be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. As of 2018, he has not received the call, but it is long overdue.
JANUARY 2
UP IN FLAMES, 1918
The NHL's inaugural campaign in 1917–18 was full of ups and downs, but no team fared worse than the Montreal Wanderers. Their season went up in flames. Literally. On January 2, 1918, Montreal's Westmount Arena burned to the ground. According to historian J. Andrew Ross, the fire was caused by faulty wiring that ignited a blaze in a dressing room before it caused the boilers and ammonia tanks to explode. At the time, the facility was shared by both the Wanderers and the Canadiens, with both teams losing nearly $1,000 worth of equipment in the conflagration. Although the Canadiens were able to relocate to the city's Jubilee Rink in the east end, thereby drawing upon the considerable support they enjoyed from the francophone community in that district, the Wanderers could find no suitable alternative. The team's owner, Sam Lichtenhein, threatened to withdraw the club from play unless the NHL committed additional resources in the wake of the fire. The league refused. Although the league hoped Lichtenhein was bluffing, it proceeded with plans for a three-club schedule should it be needed. But where there's smoke, there's fire. With the Westmount Arena still smoldering, the Wanderers defaulted on their next match against Toronto.
In the end, the franchise lost its charter and, to pour salt on the wound, was fined $500 by the league. To help keep the league's remaining three clubs above water for the remainder of the season, a revenue-sharing model was introduced. Although the Wanderers had previously won the Stanley Cup four times as members of the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association and National Hockey Association, their brief NHL tenure was a disaster. The team finished with a record of 1-5-0 and never returned to the league.
JANUARY 3
BROTHER TO BROTHER ... TO BROTHER, 1943
In a game against the Rangers on January 3, 1943, the Bentley brothers stole the show, with all three contributing to the Chicago Black Hawks' first goal of the game. It was also the first goal of Reg Bentley's career and, assisted by younger brothers Max and Doug, the first time in NHL history when all three points were awarded to the same family. Doug and Max were already stalwart players in Chicago, but the league was short on personnel because of the Second World War, so Reg had been called up just two days before the game. The marker proved to be Reg's only National Hockey League goal, but with both brothers assisting, it couldn't have been more special.
Reg played just six more games with the Black Hawks before putting his professional hockey career on hold to join the Canadian military. While serving in Calgary, however, he did get some ice time, suiting up for the Calgary Currie Army of the Calgary National Defence Hockey League. Following the conclusion of the Second World War, Bentley headed west to play for the New Westminster Royals of the Pacific Hockey League. In his second year with the club, he racked up 41 goals and 71 points. Meanwhile, in the NHL, Doug finished the season with the most goals and as the league's scoring leader with 73 points, becoming the first Chicago player to win a regular-season scoring title. The following season, Doug found the back of the net 38 times to lead the league in goal-scoring for the second straight year. Although Doug would play nearly another decade for the Black Hawks, the Bentley brothers' time in Chicago officially came to an end when Max was traded to the Maple Leafs in 1947.
JANUARY 4
SALUTING SALMING, 1988
When Maple Leafs defenceman Borje Salming became the first European-born NHLer to reach the 1,000-game mark, it should have been a cause for celebration. After all, he was just the 62nd player in league history, and only the fifth Maple Leaf, to reach the milestone. The only other players to have reached the benchmark as members of the Maple Leafs were George Armstrong, Tim Horton, Dave Keon, and Ron Ellis. Despite the illustrious company that Salming was joining, his feting would have to wait. At the time, Toronto owner Harold Ballard was on respite because of poor health and insisted that his player not be honoured until he returned. So when Salming played his 1,000th game against the Vancouver Canucks on January 4, 1988, there was no pomp or ceremony. Sure, the Swedish blueliner had his brother Stig in the stands to watch the memorable game, and he was saluted by his teammates, but that was about it.
It was nearly two months later, when the Maple Leafs hosted the St. Louis Blues on February 27, that Salming was officially recognized by the club. During the belated tribute at Maple Leaf Gardens, Salming was presented with a sparkling blue Chevy S-10 Blazer. Emblazoned on the doors were the Maple Leafs logo, Salming's number, and the number 1,000 to signify his accomplishment. Even better than the keys to a new vehicle was who was inside. Behind the wheel was good friend and former teammate Inge Hammarstrom, who had signed with Borje to play for the Maple Leafs in 1973. In addition, Inge was chauffeuring Salming's brother, sister, and parents, Erland and Karin, who hadn't been to Canada in nearly a decade. Although the Maple Leafs lost the game on Salming's big night, the celebration proved to be worth the wait for the Swedish rearguard.
JANUARY 5
LANDMARK TV GOES LIVE, 1957
During the summer of 1956, the NHL and CBS struck a 10game television contract. It was a big deal, as it signalled the first TV network coverage of hockey in the United States. As part of the agreement, CBS would televise 10 Saturday-afternoon games throughout the 1956–57 season beginning in the new year. So when the Bruins and Rangers squared off on January 5, 1957, it wasn't just simply another game. It marked the first time an NHL contest was televised from coast to coast in the United States. Aside from the broadcasting implications, it was also significant for the Rangers. Matinee games were nothing new to the NHL, but this was the first time the New York squad, affectionately known as the Blueshirts, had ever played one at Madison Square Garden.
The game proved to be an easy win for the Rangers, who opened the scoring in the first period, then potted the game-winner at the tail end of the second frame. Chicago got on the scoresheet 44 seconds into the final stanza, but the damage had been done. The Black Hawks kept it a one-goal game for most of the period, but the Rangers scored two quick goals, 20 seconds apart, in the final minute to put the game out of reach. While 9,853 fans were in attendance for the game, countless more viewers were watching the drama unfold from the comfort of their living rooms. With the contest being transmitted on more than one hundred stations as far south and west as New Orleans and Los Angeles, respectively, there would have been no shortage of people tuning in to catch some afternoon hockey. The televised games proved to be very popular that season. As a result, the NHL and CBS both agreed to renew the television package for 1957–58, increasing the number of games to 21 and beginning the coverage earlier in the season.
JANUARY 6
UNDEFEATED, 1980
The Flyers seemed unbeatable. After losing to the Atlanta Flames on October 13, 1979, in just their second game of the season, Philadelphia would win or tie every contest until January 6, 1980, in what became the longest unbeaten streak not just in NHL history but in all professional sports. Over nearly three months, the Flyers racked up 25 wins and 10 ties as opponent after opponent failed to defeat them. During the course of the streak, which included nine straight victories, the Flyers later said they never felt any pressure except on the evening of December 22, 1979, when they faced Boston in a matchup that would determine if they would rewrite the league's record book. By defeating the Bruins 5-2 at the Garden, Philadelphia extended its streak to 29 games, eclipsing the mark that had been set by the Canadiens in 1976–77. The Flyers then closed out the calendar year with three more victories and a draw to keep the streak alive.
In the new year, they just kept on rolling. After vanquishing the Rangers on January 4, 1980, the Flyers travelled to Buffalo to take on the Sabres two nights later. After the Sabres took a 2-1 lead early in the second period, the Flyers fought back with a goal late in the frame from Dennis Ververgaert, who had parked himself in front of the net and wired the puck over the right shoulder of Buffalo goaltender Don Edwards. Heading into the third period, the Flyers simply needed to hang on to extend their record-setting streak to an unfathomable 35 games. With time winding down on the clock, Philadelphia's Bill Barber and Rick MacLeish each potted a goal to break a 2-2 deadlock and lift the Flyers over their opponents to extend the streak in convincing fashion.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Hockey 365"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Mike Commito.
Excerpted by permission of Dundurn Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Pre-game warm-up (Introduction)
Chapter 1: January
Chapter 2: February
Chapter 3: March
Chapter 4: April
Chapter 5: May
Chapter 6: June
Chapter 7: July
Chapter 8: August
Chapter 9: September
Chapter 10: October
Chapter 11: November
Chapter 12: December
Assists (Acknowledgements)
Customer Reviews
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