In many sports, there are a few players that stand above the rest in terms of their on-ice talent and on-field legacy. In hockey, this distinction goes to Wayne Gretzky. This book covers his early years with the Edmonton Oilers, his record-setting career with the Los Angeles Kings, and his role as an inspiration for future generations of athletes. It’s a fast-paced, fantastic ride through the most iconic player in hockey history.
It’s debatable who invented hockey, with some arguing that any stick and ball game could count as the ancestor of modern hockey. However, the evidence is strong that games similar to ice hockey were played on a regular basis in Nova Scotia and Quebec prior to 1875. It’s likely these games were a combination of native Indian games with those brought over by settlers and military personnel from Europe.
These European games, including hurling and shinty, were played on grass or ice with a puck and a stick. It was around this time that the sport started to transition to ice hockey, which required a few rule changes. For example, a larger field was needed to accommodate skaters. Also, charging on ice was less safe than it was on grass, so body checks were added to the rules.
The first professional hockey league, the National Hockey League (NHL), was founded in 1917. Today, the NHL is the world’s dominant hockey organization, with dozens of teams competing for the Stanley Cup each year. However, it wasn’t always this way. The NHL was once a primarily Canadian enterprise, with only four American teams. The rise of the American teams in the league is a remarkable story of a sports empire that took off in unexpected ways.
Hockey is a worldwide phenomenon, and this book explains why. Drawing on years of research, Stephen Hardy and Andrew C. Holman have written THE monumental end-to-end history of the sport. In addition to showcasing on-ice stars and organizational visionaries, they detail the evolution of the game’s rules and technology. They also explore the rise of corporations and the impact of globalization on the sport.
While most fans know that the NHL was founded in 1917, few people realize that the first game was broadcast on the radio. The NHL’s foray into mass media broadcasting marked a milestone moment that helped the sport become the global powerhouse it is today. This book is the ultimate resource for anyone who wants to understand how this happened and why it continues to influence the development of the sport. It will change the way you think about hockey forever.