Hockey Book Review: THN's Top 60 Since 1967

A decade ago The Hockey News celebrated their 50th anniversary by forming a panel to name the top 50 players in National Hockey League history. The result: a whole lot of conversational debate, a classic special issue magazine-turned-expanded book, and, I'm guessing here a bit, magazine/book sales out the ying-yang.

Fast forward to 2007 and THN needs to celebrate their 60th anniversary. How do they do it? By forming another panel to name the top 60 players, of course. But in order to make it different they only look at players after the NHL's first expansion in 1967, skip the special issue magazine and immediately release the book Hockey News Top 60 Since 1967: the Best Players of the Post-Expansion Era. Last step: cue the debate.

Now of course you're immediately saying, "Okay Joe, tell us who the 60 are." Well, I won't quite do that. You gotta go down to the bookstore and check it out yourself.

But I will tell you what I learned firsthand this past summer when I tried naming my top 36 players in the history of the sport. Lists like this are supposed to create controversy and conversation, there in turn selling more books. Everyone wants to chime in with their opinions, and no two people will ever have identical lists. It's all part of the fun.

The only comments on the list I will make at this time are:

• I'm surprised Brett Hull and Stan Mikita were ranked as low as they were.
• Judging Sidney Crosby's place on this list is incredibly tough. He belongs, but do his 2 seasons really place him ahead of Hall of Famers?
• Unlike before, this list isn't strictly about NHLers. That being said, only one WHA player was included, and no Soviets or international players.
  
• The more you study the list, the more you realize the names that aren't there. Mike Gartner, Teemu Selanne and Adam Oates are three that entered my mind quickly.
  

The panel consisted of Mike Brophy, Brian Burke, Jacques Demers, Jim Devellano, Kevin Paul Dupont, Jason Kay, Harry Neale, Jim Rutherford and Al Strachan. The panel is not nearly as strong as the 50 man panel from ten years ago, but their results are strong.

THN writers-extraordinaire Adam Proteau and Ken Campbell write the biographies, although undoubtedly the whole THN staff contributes. It can be tough to write yet another profile of Wayne Gretzky or Guy Lafleur, but I felt each writer did really solid jobs given the space allotted. I pretend to consider myself a well-researched historian when it comes to such players, and I was able to learn a few things. That's probably a really good sign.

Brett Hull scores with the book's foreword. He's open and insightful with his opinion of the era and of his dad, the Golden Jet Bobby Hull. It's short but a nice read.

When I first got the book, I must admit it did not meet my expected first impression at all. The hard cover book is small at 23.5 x 16 cm, much smaller than the normal magazine-size format THN has always used in the past. But it grew on me quickly, and the geeky side of me thinks that in this case different is cool. I like it.

What I am having trouble adapting to is the black and white photos. THN is known for splashy, colorful photos, and lots of them. In this project, done in tandem with publishing giant Random House, they give each player just one photo, and it's black and white. I'm sure that's a sound business decision, but it's disappointing. This isn't suggesting that the book is bad, but it isn't what most people may be expecting.

There is something about this book's layout that I really do like, but I can't quite figure it out. I think it must be the choice of font or maybe they've played with the margins marginally (no pun intended), but the book's typeface though small is really nice.

How this book will stack up against its epic predecessor from a decade ago will be interesting to watch unfold. One thing is for sure: A whole lot of debate will ensue shortly.

Overall Book Rating: 3/5 Second Liner

Hockey Book Review: Maple Leafs A-Z

Yesterday I talked about Raincoast Books lucrative children's hockey book franchise. The beautifully illustrated and well written stories are amazing power sellers. Previous titles include Gretzky's Game, The Greatest Goal, The Goalie Mask, Number Four, Bobby Orr!, A Hero Named Howe and the incredibly successful franchise starter My Leafs Sweater. All of these books were written by Mike Leonetti.

In 2007 Raincoast returns with two titles. They branched out and let Chris Mizzoni have a try with what is sure to be a hit in Clancy With The Puck. As I reviewed yesterday, this is a special title.

And of course Raincoast returns with another Leonetti effort in Maple Leafs A-Z. And why not? The Leonetti/Raincoast formula has worked magnificently in the past, and the marketplace is all theirs.

Except this book is a miss.

Now I don't doubt for a second that this book will sell more copies than most books this season. Greg Banning returns and his artwork is amazing. The franchise's reputation precedes itself, particularly with collectors and public and elementary school library systems. And the #1 rule about publishing hockey books is Maple Leafs books sell. Lots.

My number one complaint about this book: A - Z doesn't make much sense. Now I'll give Leonetti leeway with Max Bentley for the X entry, but E is Ted Kennedy and U is for Mats Sundin? Or H is for Busher Jackson or I is for King Clancy? Every kid I showed this book to drew the same conclusion. "That makes no sense."

Another common complaint: the kids this book is aimed at don't have a clue who anyone other than Sundin is. T is for Darcy Tucker and W is for Kyle Wellwood and M is for Bryan McCabe. I'd have to travel back in time and find myself if I wanted to find an 8 year old who knew who Dave Keon, Happy Day, Red Kelly, Syl Apps or Joe Primeau were.

Now who am I to criticize the Raincoast franchise on this subject. After all, I am the Hockey History Blogger and I think it is great that a) hockey history books are aimed at children and b) there are enough children out there to keep churning out more titles.

But I do find it hard to believe most kids want to connect with players of yesteryear they never heard of. They don't care about Turk Broda, they want Vesa Toskala. Who cares about Borje Salming, where's Tomas Kaberle? Tim Horton is some donut guy, he never played for the Maple Leafs.

Leonetti's previous children's titles all told a well written story, be it about the first goalie mask, the famous goal that beat the Russians, the 10 point game or of the career of #99. But this book just offers the briefest of biographies. It lacks Leonetti's trademark enthusiasm. Only Banning's artwork saves this book.

Overall Book Rating: 1/5 Back Up Goalie

Hockey Book Reviews: Clancy With The Puck

Raincoast Books 2007's entry in their annual children's hockey book marketplace is sure to be a huge, huge hit, as always.

The amazingly beautiful new title Clancy with the Puck continues the publisher's popular children's book franchise, following previous releases such as Gretzky's Game, The Greatest Goal, The Goalie Mask, Number Four, Bobby Orr!, A Hero Named Howe and the incredibly successful franchise starter My Leafs Sweater.

It's actually quite ingenious. These books follow the same formula: A good story, beautiful artwork and the high quality production that is Raincoast's trademark. They tend to be of historical reflection, which interests parents and allows for a great family moment to pass on the joy of both reading and hockey. The books are always popular under Christmas trees for years to come. And the publisher still has every public and elementary school library in Canada to sell at least one copy to. Raincoast's incredibly successful children's franchise will likely churn out new titles every year for some time to come.

2007 is a bit an experiment for Raincoast. While all the previous holdings were written by super-writer Mike Leonetti, new writer Chris Mizzoni steps in on this title. He also illustrates the book. Leonetti does return with a new children's title for 2007, Maple Leafs A-Z, which will be reviewed shortly.

Mizzoni doesn't miss a step, and Raincoast spares no resources, as the two teamed up to produce the most beautiful hockey book I've perhaps ever seen. The artwork and color is simply amazing, and appeals to both adults and children. For the very young the artwork tells its own story, allowing youth to fall in love with books and with reading and making their own stories up as they flip the pages.

Because of the artwork and production, I so wanted to love this book and give it the instant classic designation before I even read the story. And that's where I'm troubled just a touch by the book.

Mizzoni copies the classic Casey at the Bat, the 1888 baseball/literary classic by poet Ernest Thayer. Our hero on the ice is named Clancy Cooke, and is based loosely on the real life "King" Clancy. Our overconfident protagonist cockily lives through great success, but when the Stanley Cup is on the line he comes up just short.

Only as an adult did I understand the greatness of the original Casey, but as a youth I never did. I only really enjoyed the Walt Disney adaptation which ends with a happy ending. Mizzoni's Clancy sticks with the original stencil, basically ending the book with the surprise failure.

I wondered how today's kids would take to this book, so I took it to them. The results were consistent: the beautiful artwork instantly grabbed their attention, and the happy story sucked them in only to be shocked by the ending. Most kids didn't get it, and the few that were more didn't like the character after all. He was too "arrogant" said one girl.

So I'm afraid I can't quite give this book the Hall of Fame status that I want to. Mizzoni's poetry is really clever, although occasionally a bit too wordy for youngsters. As great as the artwork is and as captivating as the story starts out, the sudden and unexpected ending leaves can leave a young reader no longer in love with the book.

One more note, the book also comes with a DVD that brings the story to life on your TV or computer screens. I found the kids were more receptive to the story in this medium, although that may be a sign of the times. The animated short is narrated by legendary Hockey Night In Canada commentator Bob Cole. It may have just been me or my copy, but I did find the DVD difficult to get out of the plastic pocket. Be sure to help your child get the disc out on the initial viewing.

Bottom line, you have to check out this book. It is that beautiful! I know it is proudly displayed in my office.

Overall Book Rating: 4/5 All Star

WHA Indianapolis Racers Book Coming

I got an interesting email from Timothy Gassen this weekend.

Gassen is a hockey fan with a unique interest. He's combined his memories to write "a personal history of the Indianapolis Racers" hockey team. The book is entitled Red, White and Blues.

Gassen is in the process of sending me a review copy of the book, so I don't really know much more than what is said at his website, whaRACERS.com.

But I thought there would be interest in this title. After all, the games two highest scorers started their careers in Indianapolis - Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier.

Their time in Indy is greatly overlooked, almost forgotten about really.The book promises "for the first time, the real story behind Wayne Gretzky and his mysterious million dollar signing with the Racers as a 17-year-old rookie in 1978, and the details of his fateful journey to the Edmonton Oilers — and the Hall of Fame."

The book also promises a firsthand and "complete Racers franchise history, told by the players, coaches and fans themselves."

Gassen, who is a columnist over at InsideHockey.com, has a small publisher. The 152 page paperback book with 32-page photo section will be sold in "fine bookstores throughout North America," but as of right now books are sold at whaRACERS.com. While there appears to be no links available at Amazon or Chapters.ca at this time, the books are available immediately through Gassen's site.

I will have a book review up as soon as possible.

Hockey Book Reviews: Oldtimers

I wasn't just pleasantly surprised by the book Oldtimers: On the Road with the Legendary Heroes of Hockey. I was blown away by it.

I had always dismissed "Oldtimers" whenever I saw it on the bookshelves. The book covers the Oldtimers Hockey Challenge tour, as they travel across Canada and Alaska. I have seen the tour firsthand, both on the ice and off it, and I wasn't sure I wanted any deeper knowledge.

I've witnessed the hard drinking, prank playing ways of their life, and quite frankly found it sad. Here were players I grew up idolizing. I'd go to the game to honor them for who they were, to remember them, to remember my youth. But then I'd see who they have become: middle-aged hangers-on who are desperately trying recapture their youth.

Even sadder was the plight of some of the older legends. These players tour to raise monies for local charities, but also as a form of income. Its kind of sad that legends like Johnny Bower travel to the tiniest of towns in the coldness of winter to hock autographs.

Not all of the players are in it for the money. Some of the more recent retirees, the Russ Courtnalls, Bob Rouses and Gary Nylunds played in the big money era. Though they weren't at the top of the pay scale, they certainly did not need the puny appearance fees. Were they just desperately hanging on to the game they loved, the only life they knew?

So why were they there? Why were well-off Hall of Famers like Lanny McDonald and Marcel Dionne, or independently wealthy hockey players turned businessmen like Tiger Williams or Paul Reinhart there?

So I originally didn't even give this book a chance. I've seen books like this before, where the author glamorizes the drinking and endlessly rollicking hockey lifestyle I have no interest in, and the sob stories of these players problems. I'd much rather read something else, I thought.

I made that decision even though I knew Gary Mason was the author. Being based in British Columbia I've had the great fortune to enjoy Mason's insightful sports columns with the Vancouver Sun before he moved to the Globe and Mail in 2005 as the BC Affairs columnist. Mason is a masterful storyteller and is effortless to read.

Mason travels with team, and at times even plays, with 3 questions in mind: Why do these players put themselves through this?; why do we fans buy into these oldtimers tours as much as we do?; and how has hockey life changed over the years, particularly with the big dollars now at stake?

Mason does spend a lot of time experiencing and reporting about the drinking, the party and the pranking, and is guilty of at times glamorizing it. He does so not only because it is a huge aspect of this tour, but to show the reader that this is hockey life, like it or not. Mason demonstrates just how this lifestyle brings this group of individuals into a team in a hurry. While I still find it a bit sad that 45-50 year olds like Tiger Williams stay up until 5am drinking only to get up by 9 to catch the next flight or bus, Mason ties it all together to provide a fascinating look into what life in the National Hockey League was for these guys.

Mason also delves into the careers and lives of many of the legends. Most of the stories have some aspect of sorrow in it, differentiating the men on the ice from the men off of it. There's Gary Nylund's regret, Marcel Dionne's bitterness, Wayne Babych's injuries, Reggie Leach's drinking, Peter and Anton Stastny's brave defection. Mason masterfully uses the this literary formula to make the reader feel for the player, but usually does not overdo it.

This book is a great peak into the life of a National Hockey League employee. Along the way, we also learn a bit about life in remote Canada and Alaska and a lot about several former players. It also provides a look into ourselves and our country. It's fascinating, usually entertaining, and always insightful, perhaps too much so for us hero worshipers.

Mason's writing captivated me instantly and when I had no choice but to put the book down, I found myself making time to pick it back up. While the book flows nicely and quickly, Mason also divides each each chapter succinctly which makes the book equally enjoyable even if just read in passages.

Don't make the same mistake I did. Don't pass this book by again.

Overall Book Rating: 4/5 All Star

Hockey Book Review: A Canadian Saturday Night

The hockey book writing machine better known as Andrew Podnieks churned out another gem with the 2006 Greystone Books release A Canadian Saturday Night: Hockey and the Culture of a Country.

The author of nearly 50 titles takes a look at how tightly connected hockey is with all aspects of Canadian culture. He examines how hockey, which began as "a geographic and meteorological fact," developed into such a significant part of our everyday lives. Even those Canadians who do not enjoy the sport can not escape it. Hockey is the quintessential Canadian experience.

Podnieks does not approach this book with any grand thesis or encyclopedic chronicling. Instead he provides an admittedly subjective history of random things that have transcended the game itself to shape us culturally, socially, politically and mythologically.

Podnieks goes on to dedicate a full page of text and unique and beautiful color photos of great Canadian experiences such as yelling "car," humming the Hockey Night In Canada theme song, collecting hockey cards, and driving by piles of Zamboni-left snow on the hottest day of summer while munching on a donut from Tim Hortons.

Other subjects include the game's language (hat trick, chiclets,) the game's celebrities (Stompin' Tom, Peter Puck, Don Cherry and the Hanson brothers), the game's defining moments of different generations (1972, the Richard riot, Gretzky's wedding) and the game in its simplest form (puck, stick, skate, outdoor ice).

The book can be read from cover to cover but it is best served as a brilliant though small coffee table book. With the museum-like archiving of how the game has become part of the fabric of daily life in Canada, the book is just dying to be flipped through.

It is written with obvious personal reflection, attempting to be at times heart-tugging and at times funny. Once or twice that humour fails as Podnieks jabs at American hockey fans, many of whom would love to read this book to better understand how the game can be a nation's unofficial religion.

As a coffee table book, I really liked this offering. The pictures are intoxicating while the subjects will touch various readers on an individual basis. That being said the coffee table book also begs to be expanded into a literary masterpiece that it is not.

Perhaps that is another project for the extremely busy Mr. Podnieks.

Overall Book Rating: 2/5 Role Player

Gordie: A Hockey Legend

On a September camping trip I took Roy MacSkimming's unauthorized bio-epic Gordie: A Hockey Legend with me to Tyhee Lake near chilly Smithers, British Columbia. Though the sun went down early and kamikaze moths attacked my nearby Coleman lantern, I quickly was lost in the world of hockey's greatest legend as painted by the literary genius of Mr. MacSkimming. It wasn't until I reached the end of the book that I realized my campfire was little more than glowing embers.

In 2006 the class of all hockey books was Stephen Brunt's Searching For Bobby Orr, which was also an unauthorized homage with no input from the story's main character. MacSkimming's "Gordie," first published in 1994 and re-released in 2003 by Greystone Books, is every bit "Searching's" equal. While your personal interest in the two characters will ultimately sway your own ranking, I will give "Gordie" the edge based on MacSkimming's writing. While Brunt is in every way one of the best sports journalists out there, MacSkimming is a true wordsmith.

Through his own gifts, MacSkimming gives us an incredibly well researched look into "the quintessential hockey player."

"Supremely skilled on the ice, rugged physically, resourceful mentally, tough, even mean when need be, a man who can handle himself so well his opponents keep their distance out of respect, he is at the same time an unassuming gentleman off the ice - modest, decent, self-deprecating, and always, always a credit to his sport, his family and himself. That model has been replicated thousands of times over the years, in small Canadian towns and large Canadian cities. And no one fulfills it better than Howe."

MacSkimming leads us all on Howe's journey to hockey immortality by looking at Howe's previously unexplored youth. To me this is the most fascinating aspect of bios like this. It's often full of stories that autobiographies won't divulge, and of information that otherwise is the closely held knowledge of only the most intimate of friends and family. MacSkimming pieces together a portrait of a terribly shym "backwards" kid with obstructive social skills. He is a terrible student, and early on is weak, frail and often ill. He seems destined to be farm labourer.

Yet he finds his calling in life on the frozen outdoor rinks and ponds of Saskatoon. He spends much of his childhood there, often alone. He learns how to skate, how to handle the puck, and how to play shinny, all on his own experiments with trial and error. Yes, hockey's greatest legend is completely self taught.

We learn of his family life growing up in the Depression years. Gordie's dad Ab was an unforgiving, impatient type, and spent most of his day working where he could in order to provide for his large family. He rarely took part in Gordie's hockey, only seeing him play in a game of any significance many years after his son turned pro in the NHL.

Gordie's mom was a very loving lady who was stretched thin with 9 children. Yet she and Gordie shared a special bond. It was mom who helped Gordie overcome his acute bashfulness. Gordie Howe was very much a momma's boy. She was, in more ways than one, his protector.

Gordie inherited his father's physique, and his ruthlessness, but only in hockey. He combined those traits with his god given hockey talents to become a legend of the ice. He also inherited his mother's kindness and caring to become a legend off of the ice.

The book takes the natural path through to Gordie's turning pro. Still battling his bashfulness and a severe case of homesickness, his first NHL training camp was a complete disaster. He was sent home and never signed. But what most people don't realize is that his first training camp was with the New York Rangers.

He returns, his shot at the big leagues normally extinguished, but he is befriended by a Detroit Red Wings scout, Fred Pinkney. Through some careful foresight and some fortunate luck, Howe is brought into a more favorable situation in Detroit's camp a year later, and agrees to become property of the Detroit Red Wings.

The Gordie we best know, or at least the Gordie we and following generations want to remember, is unveiled in his rise to the top of the NHL. Along the way great stories of hockey lore are told, such as his near death on the ice courtesy of a questionable Teeder Kennedy low hit, his infamous fight with Leaping Louie Fontinato, the Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup dynasty and the so-called feud with Rocket Richard. It truly is, as The Sporting News reviewed it, "marvelously evocative of the era."

Along the way we also learn of Howe's close relationships in the NHL, namely coach/manager Jack Adams, and teammates Ted Lindsay and Red Kelly. However I found the amount of time devoted to these relationships a bit awkward. While as a hockey researcher I loved reading about these three hockey heroes, it seemed to stray away from Gordie himself at times. He certainly did a nice job of an early history of the NHLPA and dealing with the notion that Gordie Howe may have been most responsible for it not getting off the ground in the 1950s.

The meat of this book is from Howe's childhood through his initial NHL retirement in 1971. The book briefly covers his wife Colleen, who is as an important a character the story of Gordie as there is, and his return with this sons Mark and Marty in the WHA. MacSkimming does a great job of emphasizing Gordie's involvement with his sons lives as opposed to the upbringing Gordie had. But I don't doubt the Howe clan would be disappointed that MacSkimming's book devotes little time to these subjects as a) the rest of the book and b) the Howe's release Gordie Howe: My Hockey Memories.

All in all, this is a great book and is as good as any unauthorized hockey biography. While this book is a fantastic reflection of the Original Six era, the Gordie Howe story is somehow incomplete. While this is truly unfortunate, keep in mind this book was originally a 1994 release, and it was only in the 1990s that Howe, led by his amazing wife, became so much more forthcoming about his past. Though the project extension could have reached another 50-75 pages, a high cost to publishers, a more thorough examination of the Howes in the WHA and beyond sure would have been nice.

I would also be remiss if I failed to mention the book's 2 photo inserts. Rarely do such inserts impress me much, but several of the photos chosen for this project are almost daunting while others are hockey classics.

A job very well done.

Overall Book Rating: 3/5 Second Liner

Hockey Books 2007 - A Sneak Peak

This week Raincoast Books sent me my first books to be reviewed of the season. Raincoast and Random House have both asked me to review their lines this season, and I hope to finalize other deals with publishers soon.

Raincoast sent me Chris Mizzoni's Clancy with the Puck, a poetic children's tale along the lines of the Ernest Thayer baseball/literary classic Casey at the Bat. I will have a full review of Mizzoni's book later. For now all I'll say is Raincoast never disappoints in the amount of effort and capital they invest in their products. This is an absolutely beautiful book.

Raincoast also sent Mike Leonetti's Maple Leafs A-Z. Again, this book will get a full review later, but my first impressions weren't quite as favorable as Mizzoni's work. The product quality is there as always with Raincoast, but some of the letter choices were far-reaching (E is for Ted Kennedy?). This book is curiously aimed at kids, none of whom have any idea who Johnny Bower, Busher Jackson or Snowshoes Stanley is.

That being said, Leonetti and Raincoast must be finding success with such projects, as previous historically tag-team titles include Gretzky's Game, A Hero Named Howe, Number Four, Bobby Orr!, The Greatest Goal, The Goalie Mask, and My Leafs Sweater.

I do believe it is no coincidence that this children's book comes out at the same time as a similar book by Leonetti and Raincoast - Maple Leafs Top 100. I haven't seen this book yet, but it does sound awfully similar to Leonetti's 2002 release Maple Leaf Legends: 75 Years of Toronto's Hockey Heroes. Hockey books 101, books on the Maple Leafs, no matter how repackaged, sell lots.

Being an avid hockey book enthusiast and collector, this package from Raincoast got me even more excited for what promises to be a bumper crop of hockey books for Christmas 2007. This is not yet a complete list, andI haven't seen most of these titles, but here's a sneak peak of what is coming to bookshelves in the coming weeks:

This one has me chomping at my bookmark. Ed Willes, Vancouver beat reporter extraordinaire and author of the WHA epicThe Rebel League is coming out with Gretzky to Lemieux: the Story of the 1987 Canada Cup. Those who know me know that the 1987 Canada Cup is my favorite moment in hockey, so much so that Patrick Houda and myself tried writing our own encyclopedic history of all the tournaments. It didn't have as much success as Willes undoubtedly will.

If you don't know who Bob McCown is, then brace yourself. McCown is the host/ringmaster of Toronto's/Canada's most popular sports radio talk show. He ranks among the best in radio in that he knows how to create a stir no matter which side of the argument he finds himself in. And he does so articulately and entertainingly. I be this first book Mccown's Law: the 100 Greatest Hockey Arguments will prove to be a huge hit.

Paul White and Altitude Publishing return looking to capitalize on the popularity of Coal Harbour, Nova Scotia's own Sidney Crosby with Hockey Stars of the Maritimes : Suiting up for Canada's Favourite Sport. It's only 8 bucks, so it should be a popular stocking stuffer on the East Coast this Christmas.

Gare Joyce penned one of last year's best releases with When the Lights Went Out: How One Brawl Ended Hockey's Cold War and Changed the Game. Well you can get the paperback this fall, but he also continues to cash in on the national craze of junior hockey with his new title Future Greats and Heartbreaks: a Season Undercover in the Secret World of NHL Scouts.

Speaking of behind the scenes looks, Ralph Mellanby recently retired after years at the helm of Hockey Night In Canada. He's used his extra time to pen Walking With Legends : The Real Stories of Hockey Night in Canada. I bet he called upon Dick Irvin more than a few times for this project.

The new regime at HNIC has been busy making on air changes and branching out on the internet, satellite radio, and now books. Scott Morrison writes for HNIC in the quick read about hockey jerseys Hockey Night in Canada : By the Numbers.

I don't think Cassie Campbell's entry is the autobiography I'd love to read of the Canadian women's star, but Some Things I've Learned : Lessons on Motivation, Passion, Excellence and More will offer some insight no doubt. More importantly, I hope this book inspires more girls to take up the game, which is no doubt Campbell's full intention.

Speaking of women's hockey, Lorna Schultz Nicholson looks at the very first women's world champions. Pink Power : The First Women's Hockey World Champions is about Team Canada 1991, who, to some note of controversy, wore pink Canada jerseys.

Paul Hollingsworth, with a foreword by Bob McKenzie, takes a look at 2006-07's highest paid hockey player Brad Richards. All of Prince Edward Island will buy this book.

It looks like more than one publisher decided to try and collect hockey catchphrases. Super writer Andrew Podnieks' The Complete Hockey Dictionary : The Language of the Game promises to be the best, but Paul Arsenault's Great Canadian Hockey Phrase Book is out there too. Keep your head up for the little guy. J. Alexander Poulton has a tiny publisher for his release How To Speak Hockey.

Speaking of Podnieks, he's coming out with World of Hockey : Celebrating a Century of the IIHF. Podnieks is incredibly thorough, and I know he had some of Europe's best hockey experts working on this project for him. I really hope this book is as good my all time favorite Podnieks release, 2002's Kings of the Ice: A History of World Hockey.

It's almost time to take a breather here. As mentioned yesterday on Legends of Hockey Network, The Hockey News has two titles coming out this fall: The Top 60 Since 1967: the Best Players of the Post-Expansion Era and Hockey's Young Guns: 25 Inside Stories on Making It to "the Show". As I understand it these aren't just glossy magazine specials, but full books.

Dave King is one autobiography I'd love to read. I guess we'll have to settle for a look inside one year of the life of the great hockey coach, as King and Eric Duhatschek look at King's season behind the bench of Metallurg Magnitogorsk in King of Russia.

Bruce Dowbiggin returns. With such thorough masterpieces as The Stick and Money Players already penned, his newest topic is Canada itself in The Meaning of Puck : How Hockey Explains Modern Canada. Curious by its release timing, it is not available until February 2008.

Of course, some of last years books will reappear as paperbacks. You may want to grab the lower priced versions of such titles as Searching for Bobby Orr (Oct. 30th), Power Of Two : Carl Brewer's Battle With Hockey's Power Brokers (Sept 14th), Brodeur: Beyond the Crease (Sept 14th), Between the Lines : Not-So-Tall Tales From Ray "Scampy" Scapinello's Four Decades in the NHL (Sept 30th) or the highly underrated Baptism By Ice

THN Releasing Top 60 Since 1967 Book

Back in August I created my most popular and most controversial posts when I was asked to name the greatest 36 players of all time.

One of the feedback suggestions that came my way was to forget about players prior to 1967. A precious too few are first hand experts on most of these players, and the differences in eras made the task as unfair as it was nearly impossible.

The Hockey News is taking this approach in the September 18th, 2007 book release The Top 60 Since 1967.

Here's the official press release from Random House:

The Hockey News magazine has, for over sixty years, delivered the authoritative word on the premiere puckhandlers of our generation. In The Top 60 Since 1967, they’ve assembled a panel of experts to celebrate the top 60 players of the NHL in the modern era of hockey — the 40 years since NHL expansion. A detailed analysis accompanies each player, along with photos and statistical charts. Will Wayne Gretzky trump Bobby Orr for the number one position? How does Mario Lemieux stack up? And what about Patrick Roy, Phil Esposito, Sidney Crosby? Find out how the game's leading minds rank the greats of the past forty years.

Oh, by the way, the panel of experts is comprised of Harry Neale, Jim Rutherford, Jacques Demers, Brian Burke, Cliff Fletcher, Al Strachan, Kevin-Paul Dupont, and THN regulars Mike Brophy, Ken Campbell, Adam Proteau and Jason Kay.

Get your $25 ready, this is an early must have for us hockey book enthusiasts.

If you're more interested in the current and arriving generation, don't worry. On October 2nd, THN releases Hockey's Young Guns by Ryan Dixon and Ryan Kennedy.