Download or read book A Day in the Life of the Maple Leafs written by Andrew Podnieks and published by HarperCollins Canada. This book was released on 2002 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Hope and Heartbreak in Toronto written by Peter Robinson and published by Dundurn. This book was released on 2012-09-22 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For many, being a Toronto Maple Leafs fan has become a curse from cradle to grave. False hope, hollow promises, and a mind-numbing lack of success - these words describe the Toronto Maple Leafs and the hockey club’s inexplicable mediocrity over much of the past decade. Author Peter Robinson has attended some 100 games over the past six seasons and has little to show for it except an unquenched thirst that keeps him coming back. Why does a team that hasn’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967, long before many of its followers were even born, have such a hold on its fans? Robinson tries to answer that question and more while detailing what it’s like to love one of the most unlovable teams in all of professional sports. Being a Leafs fan requires a leap of faith every year, girding against inevitable disappointment. This book tells what that’s like, how it got to be that way, and what the future holds for all who worship the Blue and White.
Download or read book Toronto Maple Leafs written by Kevin Shea and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Toronto Maple Leafs: Diary of a Dynasty, 1957 -- 1967 chronicles those wonderful seasons when the Toronto Maple Leafs skyrocketed from last place in the NHL to become the powerhouse team of the decade.
Download or read book The Lives of Conn Smythe written by Kelly McParland and published by McClelland & Stewart. This book was released on 2012-10-02 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While the story of the Toronto Maple Leafs has been told many times, there has never been a full biography of the man who created, built and managed the team, turning it from a small-market collection of second-rate players into the hockey and financial powerhouse that dominated Canadian sports and created a collection of Canadian icons along the way. From the 1920s to the mid-1960s, Conn Smythe was one of the best-known, highest-profile figures in the country -- irascible, tempestuous, outspoken, and controversial. He not only constructed a hockey team that dominated the league for long stretches, but was critical to the growth and shaping of the NHL itself. By building Maple Leaf Gardens and hiring Foster Hewitt to fill Canada's living rooms with weekly broadcasts, he turned Saturday night into hockey night, creating institutions and habits that became central to Canada's character and remain with us today. Smythe's story is much deeper and richer than the tale of a cantankerous hockey owner. Smythe fought in both world wars, fighting at Ypres and Passchendaele in the first war and landing at Normandy in the second. He was wounded in both and spent two years as a POW in a German camp after being shot down in 1917. He grew up in poverty and vowed to escape the life that was so incredibly hard on his family. Smythe was active in politics and ignited a national crisis over conscription that split the Liberal government in two and brought Mackenzie King to the brink of resignation. This book tells the life of one of the country's great characters, a man who helped shape and define us and who left behind national habits and institutions that continue to lay at the heart of what makes Canada, Canada.
Download or read book If These Walls Could Talk Toronto Maple Leafs written by Lance Hornby and published by If These Walls Could Talk. This book was released on 2019 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chronicling the Maple Leafs for 35 years, longtime Toronto Sun beat reporter Lance Hornby provides access into the Maple Leafs' inner sanctum as only he can. From the heyday of the 1940s when Toronto won five Stanley Cups in Maple Leaf Gardens to the current star-laden era with Auston Matthews and John Tavares, this book provides a one-of-a-kind, insider's look into the great moments and interesting anecdotes from the Leafs' storied history. Read about how a lifetime pass to Leafs games was lost in a poker game; why Charlie Conacher dangled King Clancy by his feet from an open hotel window; how Mike Babcock learned he was related to Dave Keon; the wild times of the historic Gardens during the chaotic Harold Ballard era; and the legendary pranks of Doug Gilmour, whose sense of humour only was rivaled by his skill on the ice.
Download or read book Cujo written by Kirstie McLellan Day and published by Triumph Books. This book was released on 2018-11-27 with total page 371 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Curtis Joseph, known affectionately to hockey fans around the world as Cujo, was an unlikely NHL superstar. The boy from Keswick, Ontario, didn't put on a pair of skates until most kids his age were already far along in organized hockey, and he was passed over by every team in the NHL draft. Despite an unorthodox start, he would go on to play 18 seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Phoenix Coyotes, and Calgary Flames, winning an Olympic gold medal along the way.For the first time, in this revealing memoir, Joseph talks about his highly unusual upbringing and what led him to pursue hockey. Fans will not want to miss this untold story of perseverance and finding one's own path.
Download or read book The Toronto Maple Leafs written by Eric Zweig and published by Dundurn. This book was released on 2017-10-28 with total page 457 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A complete oral history of Canada’s most iconic team, compiled from interviews with some of the biggest names in hockey, then and now. Eric Zweig takes readers through the storied history of the Leafs through the eyes of their players, coaches, managers, and fans.
Download or read book Catch 22 written by Rick Vaive and published by Vintage Canada. This book was released on 2021-10-26 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NATIONAL BESTSELLER Rick Vaive sets the record straight as he tells his story of turmoil in Toronto's Ballard years (and with Don Cherry's Mississauga Ice Dogs), growing up in an environment filled with alcohol and alcoholism, and his own struggles and battles. In the storied history of the Toronto Maple Leafs, no player scored fifty goals in a season until Rick Vaive in 1981-82--and he did it three years in a row. So why isn't his number 22 hanging from the rafters of the Leafs' rink and his name as revered in Leafs lore as more recent stars like Gilmour, Sundin and Clark? You could blame it on a team that lost far more than it won. You could blame Harold Ballard and his erratic ownership. You could blame the fans, the media... but Rick Vaive doesn't blame anybody. Sometimes, life just doesn't go your way. Growing up in a household plagued by alcoholism, the gifted young hockey player took shelter in the company of his grandmother and a blind and severely disabled uncle. Rick learned quickly that there are more valuable things in life than hockey. Even after his promising coaching career stopped dead when it ran into Don Cherry in Mississauga--one of the worst seasons in Ontario junior hockey history--he still doesn't point fingers. Life is too sweet for regrets, but learning that lesson can be one hell of a ride.
Download or read book The Last Good Year written by Damien Cox and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2019-10-22 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nominated for the 2019 Toronto Heritage Book Award We may never see a playoff series like it again. Before Gary Bettman, and the lockouts. Before all the NHL's old barns were torn down to make way for bigger, glitzier rinks. Before expansion and parity across the league, just about anything could happen on the ice. And it often did. It was an era when huge personalities dominated the sport; and willpower was often enough to win games. And in the spring of 1993, some of the biggest talents and biggest personalities were on a collision course. The Cinderella Maple Leafs had somehow beaten the mighty Red Wings and then, just as improbably, the St. Louis Blues. Wayne Gretzky's Kings had just torn through the Flames and the Canucks. When they faced each other in the conference final, the result would be a series that fans still talk about passionately 25 years later. Taking us back to that feverish spring, The Last Good Year gives an intimate account not just of an era-defining seven games, but of what the series meant to the men who were changed by it: Marty McSorley, the tough guy who took his whole team on his shoulders; Doug Gilmour, the emerging superstar; celebrity owner Bruce McNall; Bill Berg, who went from unknown to famous when the Leafs claimed him on waivers; Kelly Hrudey, the Kings' goalie who would go on to become a Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster; Kerry Fraser, who would become the game's most infamous referee; and two very different captains, Toronto's bull in a china shop, Wendel Clark, and the immortal Wayne Gretzky. Fast-paced, authoritative, and galvanized by the same love of the game that made the series so unforgettable, The Last Good Year is a glorious testament to a moment hockey fans will never forget.
Download or read book The Toronto Maple Leafs Ultimate Book of Facts Stats and Stories written by Andrew Podnieks and published by McClelland & Stewart. This book was released on 2015-10-27 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The perfect gift for the diehard Leafs fan (is there any other?), this big and beautiful -- and official -- publication is bursting with fascinating Maple Leafs trivia and photos. The Toronto Maple Leafs Ultimate Book of Facts, Stats, and Stories is the definitive guide to everything you want to know about the Toronto Maple Leafs as they approach their centennial season. From the first puck drop in 1917 right up to the present day, it brings together the monumental games, the Stanley Cup wins, the blockbuster trades, and the many milestones in the club's celebrated history. This fully illustrated compendium includes a wealth of exhaustive information and unique stats--including a complete register of every player to have worn the famous sweater--as well as entertaining stories, fascinating trivia, and amazing photographs.
Download or read book My Leafs Sweater written by Mike Leonetti and published by Scholastic Canada. This book was released on 2012 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This nostalgic tale of a young boy's love for the Toronto Maple Leafs is now available from Scholastic! Journey back to 1976 and meet Michael, who wants to be just like his hero Darryl Sittler, captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. From his living room perch in front of the television, Michael watches Hockey Night in Canada and dreams of playing for the Leafs. He sets out with his father on a search for a sweater that he can proudly wear on the ice while playing with his friends. He tries every store only to find out they are sold out. He tries one more, at Maple Leaf Gardens, and although they, too, have sold out of the Sittler sweater, Michael's father is able to get tickets to what will be an historic game for the Leafs' captain! As Michael roots Sittler on, he learns that there is much more to the love of hockey than just having the sweater of your favourite player.
Download or read book Marcel Pronovost written by Marcel Pronovost and published by Biblioasis. This book was released on 2012-11-13 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Marcel was the most underrated defenceman ever to play in the league. When he hit you, you were hit. He was a tremendous skater and defensively, he was as good as anyone. He might have been overlooked by the press, but he was never overlooked by his teammates. Years later, I brought him back to Detroit as a coach. He is very knowledgeable and a very astute observer of the game.” —Hall of Fame left-winger Ted Lindsay (Pronovost’s teammate from 1949-57 and 1964-65) In the spring of 1950, Marcel Pronovost was called up from the minor leagues to play for the Detroit Red Wings during the Stanley Cup playoffs. The 18-year-old defenceman had never seen NHL ice time before, but his performance in the playoffs was so impressive that he took regular turns in the final series against the New York Rangers. That year, Marcel Provonost became the ninth player in history to win a Stanley Cup before playing a single regular-season NHL game. So began Pronovost’s 65-year career in pro hockey. As a Red Wing he became a star defenceman in Detroit’s golden age, winning three more Stanley Cups between 1952 and 1955, and skating side-by-side with Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, and Terry Sawchuk (who became a lifelong friend). He played a pivotal role in the Toronto Maple Leafs' last Stanley Cup win in 1967. He earned recognition on the NHL's First and Second All-Star Teams. And he has continued to serve the game for decades, becoming one of the few NHLers to have success as a player, a coach, and as a scout. Now, with Marcel Pronovost: A Life in Hockey, this legendary defenceman and Hockey Hall of Famer tells these and other stories for the first time. With over 125 photos and with on-the-ice recollections from the most exciting Original Six Era games ever played, A Life in Hockey is a hard-hitting memoir, and an insider’s take on playing, coaching, and scouting that spans seven decades, and surveys one of the longest hockey careers of all time. A must-have autobiography for Red Wings fans, Leafs fans, and hockey buffs everywhere.
Download or read book Tales of a First Round Nothing written by Terry Ryan and published by ECW Press. This book was released on 2014-05-01 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Terry Ryan was poised to take the hockey world by storm when he was selected eighth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1995 NHL draft, their highest draft pick in a decade. Expected to go on to become a hockey star, Ryan played a total of eight NHL games for the Canadiens, scoring no goals and no assists: not exactly the career he, or anyone else, was expecting. Though Terry's NHL career wasn't long, he experienced a lot and has no shortage of hilarious and fascinating revelations about life in pro hockey on and off the ice. In Tales of a First-Round Nothing, he recounts fighting with Tie Domi, partying with rock stars, and everything in between. Ryan tells it like it is, detailing his rocky relationship with Michel Therrien, head coach of the Canadiens, and explaining what life is like for a man who was unprepared to have his career over so soon.
Download or read book Heart and Spirit written by Doug Magwood and published by Trafford Publishing. This book was released on 2002 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a great gift for any hockey fan. Follow the Leafs as they strive for the Stanley Cup. ALL author proceeds from sales will be donated directly to the Renal Department at the Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga, Ontario
Download or read book Leafs AbomiNation written by Dave Feschuk and published by Random House Canada. This book was released on 2009-08-11 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Love them or hate them, they’re the most successful team in professional hockey … just not on the scoresheet. The Toronto Maple Leafs are an exception to every law of the sporting jungle. They miss the playoffs and the sellouts keep coming. They haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967, but the earning power of that blue-and-white maple leaf, no matter the chronic woes of the blue-and-white’s power play, never ceases to increase. In this description of failure and prescription for hope, Toronto Star sports columnist Dave Feschuk and Globe and Mail sports reporter Michael Grange draw the illogical roadmap that pinpoints how the once-proud Leafs got lost in the sporting hinterlands, who’s to blame for stranding them there, and how they might extract themselves from this historic mire.
Download or read book The Goal of My Life written by Paul Henderson and published by McClelland & Stewart. This book was released on 2013-10-29 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Goal" was only one moment of many that made up a hockey career that lasted twenty years -- and a life that has gone far beyond. Paul grew up in the small town of Lucknow, Ontario, and played hockey from a young age. He started his professional career with the Detroit Red Wings in 1962, where he played with future Hall of Famers Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, and Ted Lindsay. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the end of the decade, and it was there that his career took off, culminating with an invitation to the Summit Series. In the years following, the most famous hockey player in Canada left the NHL for the rebel WHA, playing with the Birmingham Bulls in the United States. It was in Birmingham that Paul developed and deepened his spirituality -- a quest that had begun in Toronto and would define his life after hockey. He founded The Leadership Group, where he serves as a mentor to other men trying to maintain a spiritual life in and out of sports. In The Goal of My Life, Henderson shares a story that cannot be defined by one goal, but by the many goals that he has set for himself throughout his life, both in hockey and beyond.
Download or read book Bleeding Blue written by Wendel Clark and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-10-03 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Funny, fierce, and gritty, Bleeding Blue recounts every struggle and success of Wendel Clark’s rough-and-tumble journey to becoming one of hockey’s greatest heroes. As a young boy growing up in Kelvington, Saskatchewan, Wendel Clark never dreamed of an NHL career. The pro league just seemed too far away from the young man’s small-town life in the Prairies. But Wendel had a talent for hockey that was surpassed only by his love for the sport, and it wasn’t long before he embarked on a path that would take him away from his hometown to a new life. Wendel honed his talents in cities across western Canada and earned a reputation as a force to be reckoned with on the ice. Drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs first overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, Wendel burst onto the pro scene and immediately made an impact, all the while staying true to his roots. As he learned from the players around him, Wendel steadily matured into a respected leader. He soon assumed the mantle as the Leafs captain, and his willingness to lay it all on the line transformed him into a player who could inspire courage in his teammates and fear in his opponents in equal measure. The future seemed limitless for the young star. But just as Wendel’s talents were set to peak, everything unraveled. Years of no-holds-barred, physical play were taking their toll, and soon his greatest competitor wasn’t anyone on the ice, but his own body. Every movement brought agony, every shift was a challenge, and every game meant the decision to keep fighting. But as Wendel’s body broke down, his resolve only grew. Determined to succeed no matter what the cost, Wendel set out on a course that would allow him to keep doing what he loved and that would turn him into one of the most beloved hockey players of all time. Emotional and uplifting, Bleeding Blue is the story of a man who refused to say no, who wore his heart on his sleeve, and who would do anything to keep going, even when everything told him to quit.
