My goal for 2021 was to read 60 hockey books (5 per month), a total that I ended up reaching in early October (I also crossed the 200 hockey book mark in the process). Here is a list of every hockey book (95) that I read in 2021 and each book listed below also has a corresponding score out of 10 based on how I enjoyed it. I then listed my top 10 hockey books of the year that I recommend to other hockey fans, hope you enjoy!
Breakdown:
List of Books Read:
1. Everyday Hockey Heroes, Volume II: More Inspiring Stories About Our Great Game (2020) - by Bob McKenzie & Jim Lang (320 pages) 10/10
2. So You Think You're a Philadelphia Flyers Fan? Stars, Stats, Records and Memories for True Diehards (2018) - by Skip Clayton (184 pages) 4/10
3. So You Think You're a Detroit Red Wings Fan? Stars, Stats, Records and Memories for True Diehards (2019) - by Pat Gass (242 pages) 4/10
4. Boy on Ice: The Life and Death of Derek Boogaard (2014) - by John Branch (384 pages) 10/10
5. In the Crease: Goaltenders Look at Life in the NHL (1996) - by Dick Irvin (386 pages) 9/10
6. The Montreal Canadiens: 100 Years of Glory (2009) - by D'Arcy Jenish (384 pages) 9/10
7. Coach: The Pat Burns Story (2013) - by Rosie DiManno (336 pages) 5/10
8. Hockey Superstitions: From Playoff Beards to Crossed Sticks and Lucky Socks (2010) - by Andrew Podnieks (192 pages) 7/10
9. Before the Lights Go Out: A Season Inside a Game on the Brink (2020) - by Sean Fitz-Gerald (304 pages) 7/10
10. The Greatest Game: The Montreal Canadiens, The Red Army, and the Night That Saved Hockey (2011) - by Todd Denault (368 pages) 10/10
11. The Leafs (2004) - by Jack Batten (308 pages) 7/10
12. All Roads Lead to Hockey: Reports from Northern Canada to the Mexican Border (2004) - by Bill Boyd (227 pages) 7/10
13. Hockey Towns: Stories of Small Town Hockey (1998) - by Bill Boyd (256 pages) 7/10
14. Hockey's Most Amazing Records: +125 More Jaw-Dropping All-Time Feats (2001) - by Edward Fraser (175 pages) 7/10
15. Ice Hockey A to Z (1978) - by Ira Gitler (157 pages) 7/10
16. The Jacques Plante Story (1972) - by Andy O'Brien (162 pages) 8/10
17. Six Shooter's: Hockey's Sutter Brothers (1990) - by Dean Spiros (226 pages) 9/10
18. Into the Empty Net: Tales of Big League Hockey (1997) - by Ross Brewitt (246 pages) 9/10
19. Teemu Selanne: My Life (2019) - by Teemu Selanne and Ari Mennander (336 pages) 8/10
20. Offside: My Life Crossing the Line (2017) - by Sean Avery (336 pages) 6/10
21. Fabric of the Game: The Stories Behind The NHL's Names, Logos, and Uniforms (2020) - by Chris Creamer and Todd Radom (280 pages) 10/10
22. Of Myths and Sticks: Hockey Facts, Fictions and Coincidences (2015) - by Kevin Gibson (160 pages) 7/10
23. Crossroads: My Story of Tragedy and Resilience as a Humboldt Bronco (2021) - by Kaleb Dahlgren (296 pages) 10/10
24. Mario (2002) - by Lawrence Martin (275 pages) 7/10
25. Toe Blake: Winning is Everything (2020) - by Paul Logothetis (288 pages) 8/10
26. Breakaway: Hockey and the Years Beyond (1995) - by Charles Wilkins (236 pages) 7/10
27. What's the Score? A One-of-a-Kind Compendium of Hockey Lore, Legend, History, Facts, Stats (2001) - by Liam Maguire (208 pages) 7/10
28. The Stanley Cup: One Hundred Years of Hockey at its Best (1992) - by D'Arcy Jenish (319 pages) 8/10
29. The Home Team: Fathers, Sons & Hockey (1995) - by Roy MacGregor (325 pages) 7/10
30. Thunder and Lightning: A No-B.S. Hockey Memoir (2003) - by Phil Esposito and Peter Golenbock (304 pages) 10/10
31. Hockey Night Fever: Mullets, Mayhem and the Game's Coming of Age in the 1970s (2015) - by Stephen Cole (416 pages) 7/10
32. Cracked Ice: An Insider's Look at the NHL in Turmoil (1995) - by Stan Fischler (239 pages) 8/10
33. Vancouver Canucks: Heartstopping Stories from Canada's Most Exciting Hockey Team (2004) - by Justin Beddall (144 pages) 5/10
34. Edmonton Oilers: Stories from the City of Champions (2004) - by Rich Mole (128 pages) 5/10
35. Calgary Flames: Fire on Ice (2004) - by Monte Stewart (128 pages) 5/10
36. Finding Murph: How Joe Murphy Went From Winning a Championship to Living Homeless in the Bush (2021) - by Rick Westhead (360 pages) 10/10
37. Road Games: A Year in the Life of the NHL (1994) - by Roy MacGregor (321 pages) 8/10
38. Bower: A Legendary Life (2018) - by Dan Robson (352 pages) 9/10
39. Roger's World: The Life and Unusual Times of Roger Neilson (2004) - by Wayne Scanlan (240 pages) 9/10
40. Hockey Addict's Guide to Los Angeles: Where to Eat, Drink and Play The Only Game That Matters (2019) - by Evan Gubernick (144 pages) 4/10
41. Sid vs. Ovi: Crosby and Ovechkin - Natural Born Rivals (2011) - by Andrew Podnieks (320 pages) 7/10
42. Pee Wees: Confessions of a Hockey Parent (2021) - by Rich Cohen (240 pages) 9/10
43. The Final Call: Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes (2011) - by Kerry Fraser (320 pages) 7/10
44. Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player (2020) - by Willie O'Ree and Michael McKinley (256 pages) 10/10
45. Guy Lafleur: Hockey's #1 (1978) - by Claude Larochelle (251 pages) 7/10
46. Last Minute of Play: Tales of Grit and Glory (1993) - by Ross Brewitt (239 pages) 9/10
47. The Best of it Happened in Hockey (1998) - by Brian McFarlane (384 pages) 9/10
48. Bench Bosses: The NHL's Coaching Elite (2015) - by Matthew DiBiase (544 pages) 10/10
49. 101 Fascinating Hockey Facts (2019) - by Brian McFarlane (224 pages) 7/10
50. Hockey Dreams: Memories of a Man Who Couldn't Play (2018) by David Adams Richards (224 pages) 2/10
51. Eagelson: The Fall of a Hockey Czar (1993) - by William Houston and David Shoalts (238 pages) 7/10
52. Tropic of Hockey: My Search for the Game in Unlikely Places (2001) - by Dave Bidini (312 pages) 8/10
53. King of Russia: A Year in the Russian Super League (2008) - by Dave King and Eric Duhatschek (264 pages) 7/10
54. Quinn: The Life of a Hockey Legend (2016) - by Dan Robson (400 pages) 8/10
55. Travels with Stanley (2007) - by The Keepers of the Cup (168 pages) 5/10
56. True Hockey Stories - The Leafs (2008) - by Brian McFarlane (186 pages) 7/10
57. Warriors of Winter: Rhymes of a Blueline Balladeer (2009) - by Sheldon Kannegiesser (189 pages) 4/10
58. Cornered: Hijinks, Highlights, Late Nights and Insights (2012) - by Ron MacLean and Kirstie McLellan Day (336 pages) 7/10
59. Game Misconduct: Hockey's Toxic Culture and How to Fix It (2021) - by Evan F. Moore and Jashvina Shah (256 pages) 10/10
60. Of Ice and Men: The Craft of Hockey (1999) - by Bruce Dowbiggin (328 pages) 7/10
61. Patrick Roy: Winning. Nothing Else (2014) - by Michel Roy (528 pages) 9/10
62. Bobby Hull (1966) - by Jim Hunt (105 pages) 4/10
63. Gordie Howe Number 9 (1968) - by Jim Vipond (157 pages) 7/10
64. Dynamite on Ice: The Bobby Orr Story (1972) - by Hal Bock (224 pages) 7/10
65. The Good, the Bad & the Ugly: Heart-Pounding, Jaw-Dropping, and Gut-Wrenching Moments from Philadelphia Flyers History (2013) - by Adam Kimelman (352 pages) 7/10
66. Pro Hockey 68-69 (1968) - by Jim Proudfoot (160 pages) 5/10
67. The Lost Dream: The Story of Mike Danton, David Frost, and a Broken Canadian Family (2011) - by Steve Simmons (272 pages) 7/10
68. The Last Good Year: Seven Games That Ended an Era (2018) - by Damien Cox (288 pages) 7/10
69. Phil Esposito's Winning Hockey for Beginners (1976) - by Phil Esposito (160 pages) 6/10
70. Hockey 365, The Second Period: More Daily Stores from the Ice (2021) - by Mike Commito (416 pages) 7/10
71. McCown's Law: The 100 Greatest Hockey Arguments (2008) - by Bob McCown (352 pages) 7/10
72. Hockey Fight in Canada: The Big Media Faceoff over the NHL (2018) - by David Shoalts (224 pages) 6/10
73. Stanley Cup: The Complete History (2018) - by Eric Zweig (528 pages) 10/10
74. The Hilarious History of Hockey (2010) - by Helaine Becker (172 pages) 7/10
75. Original Six: True Stories from Hockey's Classic Era (1996) - by Paul Quarrington (160 pages) 6/10
76. Road to Gold: The Untold Story of Canada at the World Juniors (2019) - by Mark Spector (220 pages) 8/10
77. A Loonie For Luck (2003) - by Roy MacGregor (2003) - (96 pages) 7/10
78. Born Into It: A Fan's Life (2018) - by Jay Baruchel (272 pages) 8/10
79. Coolest Game on the Road: The Official Travel Guide to NHL Cities (2000) - by Mike Brehm and Mark Paddock (238 pages) 5/10
80. Oldtimers: On the Road with Legendary Heroes of Hockey, Including Bobby Hull, Darryl Sittler, Marcel Dionne (2003) - by Gary Mason (240 pages) 8/10
81. Greatest Moments in Canadian Hockey (2005) - by J. Alexander Poulton (144 pages) 5/10
82. Canadian Hockey Record Breakers: Legendary Feats by Canada's Greatest Players (2005) - by J. Alexander Poulton (144 pages) 5/10
83. Weird Facts About Canadian Hockey: Strange, Wacky, & Hilarious Stories (2005) - by Peter Boer (160 pages) 5/10
84. Road to the NHL: The Incredible Stories of 25 Maritimers Making it to the Show (2013) - by Philip Croucher (260 pages) 8/10
85. Borje Salming: Blood, Sweat and Hockey - 17 Years in the NHL (1991) - by Borje Salming and Gerhard Karlsson (197 pages) 8/10
86. Fischler's Illustrated History of Hockey (1993) - by Stan Fischler (155 pages) 7/10
87. Hockey (2014) - by Christopher Kubala (163 pages) 7/10
88. The History of the NHL Hockey Jerseys 1983-1993 (2015) - by Chris Delorme (160 pages) 9/10
89. Hockey Drill Book: 200 Drills for Player and Team Development (2009) - by Michael A. Smith (240 pages) 7/10
90. Etched in Ice: A Tribute to Hockey's Defining Moments (2002) - by Michael McKinley (138 pages) 7/10
91. Play Better Hockey: 50 Essential Skills for Player Development (2010) - by Ron Davidson (144 pages) 8/10
92. Sunlight Presents NHL Hockey Card Collectibles: All Time Hockey Greats (1992) - by Sunlight/Lever Brothers (64 pages) 7/10
93. Official Guide to the Players of the Hockey Hall of Fame (2010) - by James Duplacey and Eric Zweig (544 pages) 8/10
94. The NHL: Today's Stars, Tomorrow's Legends (1999) - by James Duplacey and Mark Paddock (112 pages) 6/10
95. Ultimate Collection of Pro Hockey Records (2015) - by Shane Frederick (128 pages) 6/10
Top 10 Hockey Books Read in 2021:
1. Crossroads: My Story of Tragedy and Resilience as a Humboldt Bronco (2021) - by Kaleb Dahlgren
2. Finding Murph: How Joe Murphy Went From Winning a Championship to Living Homeless in the Bush (2021) - by Rick Westhead
3. Game Misconduct: Hockey's Toxic Culture and How to Fix It (2021) - by Evan F. Moore and Jashvina Shah
4. Boy on Ice: The Life and Death of Derek Boogaard (2014) - by John Branch
5. Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player (2020) - by Willie O'Ree and Michael McKinley
6. Fabric of the Game: The Stories Behind The NHL's Names, Logos, and Uniforms (2020) - by Chris Creamer and Todd Radom
7. Thunder and Lightning: A No-B.S. Hockey Memoir (2003) - by Phil Esposito and Peter Golenbock
8. Everyday Hockey Heroes, Volume II: More Inspiring Stories About Our Great Game (2020) - by Bob McKenzie & Jim Lang
9. Bench Bosses: The NHL's Coaching Elite (2015) - by Matthew DiBiase
10. Stanley Cup: The Complete History (2018) - by Eric Zweig
My goal for 2022 is to read 100 hockey books! This review is in loving memory of my best friend in the entire world, Coby. I miss you so much buddy
Joel Forman - The Forman Faceoff
