In the 1970s, Schultz was the face of the Philadelphia Flyers’ “Broad Street Bullies” — the bruising, brawling teams that brought both fear and back-to-back Stanley Cups to Philadelphia. He was the NHL’s ultimate enforcer, setting records for penalty minutes and embodying the rough-and-tumble ethos of the era. Yet beneath the blood and bravado, there was always a more complicated man, one wrestling with his own identity, guilt, and the consequences of his violent role. Hammered finally gives that man space to speak for himself.
The contrast between Schultz’s 1981 autobiography and this new effort is striking. The earlier book, The Hammer: Confessions of a Hockey Enforcer, written by Fischler, leaned heavily into caricature — portraying Schultz as a one-dimensional tough guy, the ultimate hockey villain with little nuance. Schultz has since said that the book didn’t feel like him, that it lacked his true voice and failed to convey the emotional cost of life as an enforcer. Worse yet, Fischler included text Schultz never approved which led to Schultz's estrangement from the Flyers and legendary Flyers captain Bobby Clarke.
A major reason for this success is Dan Robson, one of the premier writers in contemporary hockey journalism. Known for his narrative depth and sensitivity, Robson brings the same literary touch he’s shown in previous collaborations. He knows how to get to the heart of his subjects, to find the humanity inside the myth. With Schultz, he finds a man haunted by concussions, the aftermath of countless fights, and the weight of being both hero and villain in equal measure.
Together, Schultz and Robson craft a story that is as much about redemption as reflection. Schultz speaks candidly about his role in hockey’s culture of violence, his struggles with mental and physical health, and his uneasy relationship with the legacy he helped build. There are moments of humor and nostalgia — tales from the Flyers’ glory years and his time under fiery coach Fred Shero — but the tone is more introspective than boastful.
For fans of hockey history, Hammered offers a new and necessary perspective on one of the sport’s most infamous figures. For Schultz himself, it feels like closure — a long-overdue chance to tell his story his way. This isn’t just a book about fighting on the ice; it’s about fighting for truth, identity, and understanding. After forty years, Dave Schultz has finally landed the knockout punch that matters most.
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