Fast Ice Superstars of the New NHL by Andrew Podnieks

Andrew Podnieks is back, with an impressive lineup of research and writing help, to give us Fast Ice Superstars of the New NHL.

At first glance I was really excited about this title. Wonderfully presented throughout it's glossy and colourful pages, this book profiles more than 60 of the top young players in the National Hockey League today.

Since I'm known much more for hockey history, I have to admit to not knowing as much about the up and coming stars as I would like. Cam Atkinson was an All Star last season, and I knew nothing of him. Vincent Trochek isn't from Eastern Europe?! Sam Reinhart - now which of Paul Reinhart's kids is this?

And with Lucas Aykroyd, Rob Del Mundo and Carol Schram helping to put these biographies together, I was certain this was my chance to learn some fascinating things about today's young stars just as the 2017-18 season gets underway.

Unfortunately I found the brief biographies to be very pedestrian. Given the talent crew working on this book I hate to say that, and keep re-reading it to see if I'm being too harsh. But the profiles tend to blandly state what each player did each season. So many goals, this many points, while playing for this team that year. A quick glance at the player's stats lines can tell any educated fan this much. But the book fails to tell us more interesting stories that hockeydb.com can not.

Perhaps this book is aimed at younger fans or new fans, and it would make a good Christmas gift for them. But if you are looking for more in depth journalism about today's young players, you will have to look elsewhere.