The Death of Hockey by Bruce Kidd and John McFarlane (1972)

When The Death of Hockey appeared in 1972, Bruce Kidd and John McFarlane were issuing a warning. They argued that hockey — once a community-rooted expression of Canadian identity — was being eroded by the growing influence of commercialization and Americanization. Their title was intentionally provocative, but the book itself is a thoughtful, passionate, and thoroughly Canadian meditation on what happens when a cultural touchstone becomes an industry first and a pastime second.

Kidd and McFarlane write with the conviction of insiders who feel they are watching something precious slip away. They evoke the traditional rhythms of the game: frozen ponds, volunteer-run rinks, neighborhood rivalries, and the informal mentorship that defined Canadian hockey for decades. These passages are the book’s emotional anchor, capturing the romantic ideal of hockey as a community ritual rather than a commercial product.

But The Death of Hockey is not merely nostalgic. The authors systematically examine how the National Hockey League’s rapid expansion, the influence of U.S. broadcasters, and the consolidation of power among franchise owners reshaped the sport’s priorities. They contend that profit motives threatened amateur development, narrowed opportunities for children of modest means, and diluted the cultural uniqueness of Canadian hockey. 

The book was criticized at the time for factual imprecision and for overstating the extent of hockey’s “death,” but even critics acknowledged its sincerity and its willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about the direction of the sport. Its arguments are presented with energy, clarity, and a reformer’s zeal, and the authors repeatedly emphasize that their goal is not despair but renewal.

Does the premise stand the test of time? In many respects, yes. The commercialization they feared has only intensified: billion-dollar broadcast deals, corporate-driven franchise decisions, high-priced youth hockey systems, and the expansion of the NHL into non-traditional markets all reflect the trends Kidd and McFarlane described more than fifty years ago. The rising cost of playing hockey — now one of the most expensive youth sports in North America — echoes their concern that the game was slipping out of reach for ordinary families. Likewise, debates about access, community programs, and the loss of local arenas continue to shape discussions across Canada.

Yet the book’s pessimism has not been fully borne out. Hockey remains deeply woven into Canadian identity, and grassroots programs, though challenged, continue to thrive in many regions. The NHL became more global, more inclusive, and in some ways more innovative than the authors could have foreseen. The game evolved rather than died.

Ultimately, The Death of Hockey endures not as a prophecy of doom but as a passionate cultural critique whose central anxieties remain strikingly relevant. It is a vivid reminder that the soul of a sport is always worth defending — and always at risk.