Our men and women hoped to go all the way to the finals, but it had been fifty long years since the Canadians had won Olympic gold. In the past, they had come close – it was just that luck always seemed to be against them.This time, however, their chances to end the long drought were good. The women looked set for a medal – although the all-powerful American team stood between them and the ultimate prize. The Canadian men faced strong opponents, too, but prospects were good for the all-star team assembled by the great Wayne Gretzky. And this time, both teams had a secret weapon. So secret, in fact, they didn’t even know it existed. At first.Like all good secrets this one was too good not to pass along. Under the surface at centre ice, Trent Evans had hidden a Canadian loonie. The expert ice maker had been invited down from Edmonton to help install the ice for the Games, and this was his little good-luck charm for our Olympic hockey teams. Perhaps, he figured, the guys could use some “home ice” advantage.A Loonie for Luck is the true story of that loonie and the magic it wove at Salt Lake City. It follows Wayne Gretzky, Trent Evans, and the men’s and women’s teams through their time at the Games. And it pays tribute to the role of superstition and chance in hockey – a part of the sport not always acknowledged, but one that brings real magic to the game.With the close co-operation of Wayne Gretzky and Trent Evans, Roy MacGregor tells the inside story of how the coin came to be in Trent Evans’ pocket and then buried under centre ice. He tells how, throughout the Games, the loonie was in danger of being uncovered as the secret began to spread, and how, as the tournament progressed, with the players in need of every break they could get, the good luck miraculously held.This true story, brilliantly illustrated by Bill Slavin, is full of suspense, humour, and charm. It will delight every Canadian who felt a surge of pride for our athletes at Salt Lake City.From the Hardcover edition.

    McGillis has drawn partly on figures from his own late 60s, early 70s childhood, including a maverick substitute teacher with a predilection for Eastern philosophy, a nine-year-old champion of civil rights, a chain-smoking ten-year-old son of anti-war radicals and baseball immortal Roberto Clemente.

    At the age of six he was holding his own against boys four years older; by the time he was sixteen, he had captured the attention of the National Hockey league, and soon after signed on with NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. At the 2002 Olympic Winter Games he captained the Canadian hockey team, leading them in their gold medal winning performance.

    Over 100 photos.

    Andrew Podnieks's Canadian Gold 2002: Making Hockey History is a colorful celebration of a remarkable tournament, and scores early and often with a generous combination of game reports, scorecards, and action photos. Podnieks works through the tournament game by game and concisely describes the intense pressure facing the Canadian men and women. Many of the best photos are from the women's competition, and the clean-edged, open design of the book plays fair to both sexes. Particular emphasis is given to the masterful work of executive director Wayne Gretzky, whose emotional blast at critics after the opening loss to Sweden rallied fan support and allowed his players to regroup. Two weeks later, Canada peaked at exactly the right moment. In a truly international spirit Podnieks highlights each game by every team in both competitions. Although not all photos are captioned, he provides extensive resources, including full rosters with uniform numbers, complete tournament statistics, and profiles of players from the two winning teams. Endorsed by both the IIHF and the Hockey Hall of Fame, Canadian Gold 2002 stands as a satisfying official record of these historic victories. --David Gowdey

    This is a rare biography of an extraordinary athlete who turned down careers in football and baseball to become one of the world's greatest hockey players. It tells the story of a remarkable individual—a man who was as irreverently funny, generous, and kind as he was obstinate, hard-drinking, and explosive. He was a leader and friend to his teammates, a troublemaker and rabble-rouser to hockey management. Well-written and painstakingly researched, this biography offers a full view of the player, coach, and man.

    But his hard work is about to pay off in a way he never imagined!

    Coaches yell at the players, parents yell at the coaches, and everyone yells at the referees. After nearly a decade of coaching youngsters, Ed Arnold decided he wanted kids to learn the fundamentals of hockey but he also wanted them to have fun. He got support in this enterprise from two former NHL players, goalie Greg Millen and forward Steve Larmer. Concerned that the children’s game was being taken far too seriously by both parents and coaches, they also believed that the kids were losing the opportunity to reinvent the game for themselves.So it came about that in the winter of 2000, when the parents of the would-be Minor Novice Peterborough Petes showed up with their kids for tryouts, they were handed a letter outlining the coaches’ new philosophy. There would be no yelling at players, coaches, or referees. Players would play all positions. They would not be forced to follow a “systems” approach to hockey, but would be left to figure out what to do in a given situation for themselves. And all members of the team would be given equal ice time.Not every parent liked it, but the kids sure had a good time. Readers of this inspiring book will have a wonderful time, too, as they follow the adventures of the team. Coach Larmer wears a Stanley Cup ring but he meant exactly what he said when he told a reporter that his year with the kids was the most fun he ever had in hockey.

    One of the National Hockey League's "Original Six, " few teams in professional hockey have enjoyed more success than the franchise in Detroit. Among the players Fischler glorifies are the immortal Gordie Howe, Terry Sawchuk, Ted Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio, and Sid Abel, all players whose numbers reside on banners in the rafters of Joe Louis Arena. Fischler also writes in-depth stories about current stars such as Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan, as well as Detroit's highly successful coach, Scotty Bowman. This book is a must for any sports fan's library.

    Goalie's rise to stardom and firmly establishes his claim to the title of number one all-time goaltender. From the goaltender's legendary pre-game ritual through the evolution of Hall's trademark butterfly style and the unparalleled consistency of his play, this is a history of the heady days of early hockey. Through interviews with Mr. Goalie, Hall's family, and such noteworthy team-mates as Stan Mikita, Doug Harvey, Ted Lindsay, Bobby Hull and many more, Adrahtas brings to life hockey in the golden era and reminds us that Glenn Hall was number one both on the ice and off.

    When Dad gets a promotion and can no longer play with him, Paul will have to do with watching the exciting Canada vs. Soviet Union series with him at night. Paralleling the play-by-play, goal-by-goal, game-by-game excitement, Paul and his father rally through the series, until finally the tie-breaking final game arrives. It's a day of delight and disappointment, revealing the unbelievable and the unexpected, and setting readers on the edge of their chairs.

    * Helps young readers develop important skills and have fun doing it * Popular picture books combine the pleasures of team sport with the joy of reading * Perfect gift for early readers * Make reading fun with Brady Brady * Mary Shaw. Illustrated by Chuck Temple. Grades 1-3 / Ages 4-8

    Covering more than the most famous stars, such as Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, this weighty resource chronicles the glories of overlooked players, provides statistics for the major hockey heroes, and details the rising popularity of the sport throughout history. Also included is a demo version of the companion CD-ROM, which brings the force of the arena right into the home. Included are essays written by a formidable team of veteran hockey commentators and critics.Author Biography: This book was compiled by the best hockey writers from around the world, including Andrew Podnieks, Dmitri Ryzkov, Yuri Lukashin, Nikolai Vukolov, Pavel Barta, Ales Brezina, Denis Gibbons, Tom Ratschunas, Jan Stark, Yuri Tzybanev, Igor Rabiner, and Vladimir Dimitrov.