HOCKEY GODS: The Inside Story of the Red Wings' Hall Of Fame Team

by Nicholas J. Cotsonika

Nine future Hall of Famers. The greatest coach of all time, who entered the Hall of Fame long ago. No NHL team has ever had a collection of characters as accomplished as the one the Detroit Red Wings had in 2001-02. But did it work? Did egos clash? Did they go all the way? In the tradition of John Feinstein’s best-selling A Season on the Brink, Nick Cotsonika will draw back the curtain on one of the most compelling stories in the history of sports. Never before has an NHL team brought together such a dazzling number of big names. Chris Chelios. Sergei Fedorov. Dominik Hasek. Brett Hull. Igor Larionov. Nicklas Lidstrom. Luc Robitaille. Brendan Shanahan. Steve Yzerman. And, of course, legendary coach Scotty Bowman. With this unprecedented talent comes the potential of unprecedented competition for playing time and limelight, the burden of expectations in a Stanley Cup-crazy place like Detroit, a city that calls itself ``Hockeytown.’’ With access to the players and coaches, Cotsonika will be witness to it all, how the players deal with themselves, how they clash with the mercurial Bowman, how they handle being part of the richest payroll in the sport’s history, thanks to deep-pocketed, aggressive owner Mike Ilitch. Cotsonika will provide, in sharply engaging fashion, many details of a season in the NHL usually hidden from view. This stew of unprecedented personalities and pressure is bound to be irresistible to every hockey fan.

Genres: Sports, Hockey

213 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2002

Reviews

[Walker G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good B

I'm a sports fan and I grew up playing hockey around my neighborhood during the winters, and I have followed the Detroit Red Wings since I was a young child. The team that the Red Wings put on the ice for the 2001-02 season was full of Hall of Fame talent and experience. This book covers how the team was put together, how they fared in the post season, and a little bit about the regular season. I would have graded it higher, but I'm very passionate and loyal about my favorite sports teams, so I simply crave more. The book made me wanting to read more about the team, and I have already read a lot of material about hockey and the Red Wings.

If you are a Detroit Red Wings fan, or you know one, this book should be added to your wish list, or given as a gift to your Red Wings fans.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 star eBook, 5 star hardcover

The story is a 5 star story if you like the wings and want to know about the 2002 cup winners. The hardcover has a photo gallery and a listing of all regular season and playoff games listing the goalie and game winning goal. The eBook has a kinda grainy photo gallery and no game listings. Cotsonika wrote a good book with behind the scenes locker room and front office stuff I didn't know about as well as helping me relive the good memories of a great hockey season. I recommend this to any Redwings fan. And any big hockey fan in general. Go Wings!!!

[Damon Lively · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read and should be on any “red wings fan” list to pick up. Cotsonika does a nice job writing this book and he spent that period covering the Red Wings – so it has great perspective on a memorable team. It is a quick read. Most of the information and stories shared are pretty well known to true fans – the most intriguing parts encompass the formation of the team and how it all came about, some of the insight into the personalities (players and coaches), and a little more depth into the Yzerman injury situation which adds to appreciation for what he endured. It’s a good book and enjoyable. I think some of the issues with these sports related books is they are somewhat anticlimactic. We tend to know the outcomes (in this case the Stanley Cup win) so although they still provide interesting tidbits and are worthwhile to read – there is only so much you can say.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an avid Wings fan, this is a great book to go back and relive the 2001-2002 season. This is largely a collection of old news stories, and not a ton of new insight.