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Game Change: The Life and Death of Steve Montador and the Future of Hockey
From the bestselling author and Hall of Famer Ken Dryden, this is the story of NHLer Steve Montador—who was diagnosed with CTE after his death in 2015—the remarkable evolution of hockey itself, and a passionate prescriptive to counter its greatest risk in the future: head injuries.
Ken Dryden’s The Game is acknowledged as the best book about hockey, and one of the best books about sports ever written. Then came Home Game (with Roy MacGregor), also a major TV-series, in which he explored hockey’s significance and what it means to Canada and Canadians. Now, in his most powerful and important book yet, Game Change, Ken Dryden tells the riveting story of one player’s life, examines the intersection between science and sport, and expertly documents the progression of the game of hockey—where it began, how it got to where it is, where it can go from here and, just as exciting to play and watch, how it can get there.
Ken Dryden’s The Game is acknowledged as the best book about hockey, and one of the best books about sports ever written. Then came Home Game (with Roy MacGregor), also a major TV-series, in which he explored hockey’s significance and what it means to Canada and Canadians. Now, in his most powerful and important book yet, Game Change, Ken Dryden tells the riveting story of one player’s life, examines the intersection between science and sport, and expertly documents the progression of the game of hockey—where it began, how it got to where it is, where it can go from here and, just as exciting to play and watch, how it can get there.
351 pages, Hardcover
First published October 17, 2017
60 people are currently reading
955 people want to read
About the author
Ken Dryden
21 books88 followersKenneth Wayne "Ken" Dryden is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former NHL goaltender. He is an officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Dryden was a Liberal Member of Parliament from 2004, also serving as a cabinet minister from 2004 to 2006, until losing his seat in the 2011 Canadian federal elections to Conservative Mark Adler.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
October 30, 2017
15 documented career concussions in 12 years. Countless undocumented other head injuries.
I'm a Blackhawks fan and I remember this one, vividly. I remember his death being the catalyst for both the retirement of Daniel Carcillo and the start of his head injury philanthropy project, Chapter 5. Which was of course named with Montador’s number in mind. They were similar players, Car Bomb and Monty, always willing to do anything for the team. But this thing happens all too often. Bryan Bickell got sent down to Rockford after an injury and he was never quite the same. By 2017, we all know he was diagnosed with MS and has started the Bryan and Amanda Bickell Foundation with his wife. But I swear to God he got hit in the head during the 2013 playoffs, had trouble getting up, and seemed completely dazed ever since. He got to retire a Blackhawk with a hero's farewell from the misty eyed United Center fans on October 5, 2017. I wish a guy like Monty had a similar opportunity. Bickell is the same type of guy as Carcillo and Montador; the kind that will do whatever for the team...including sustaining permanent brain damage -- because it's The Cup.
Witnessing a head injury is a visceral experience and you can just tell when it is more than "just a flesh wound." I saw one of these injuries while watching my brother's team play and this was at a tender age before checking was even permitted. It was an innocent mid-ice collision between two boys but one did not get up. When he went down his legs jerked around a bit and then he stopped moving, his arms clutched around his head. The boy's father, conveniently a medical professional, raced down the bleachers and got on the ice to attend to his son. This collision was likely due to inexperience as opposed to any sort of rules. Nonetheless, completely visceral.
But this is a book review, eh? Dryden does a great job at weaving the history of how the game is played with the biographical information about Steve Montador. He throws in some other bigger-name concussed players like Crosby into the discussion. It is valuable to show that it is not an isolated problem for 5/6 line defensemen. He explains how the concussion problem has developed and also provides some possible, realistic solutions with an eye on the game’s history. I have no doubt that a couple tweaks to the official NHL rules would have a quantifiable effect on the amount of head injuries. With substance abuse disorder though, I don’t think changing the NHL rules would really do much. Perhaps less head injuries would result in less benzodiazepine or SSRI prescriptions but substance abuse is almost inevitable in a world where opioid painkillers are handed out like candy – especially to athletes. That is a problem of epidemic proportions facing all socioeconomic classes of both Canada and the United States, not just the NHL.
Dryden was given access to Montador’s personal journals, so you end up invading his brain just a little bit more. The amount of concussions that this man sustained is sobering, especially within that last couple years of his life. You can clearly observe Montador’s mental chaos and decline from those journal excerpts. It is incredibly sad because the man Dryden spent the entire book describing is not the same as the man writing those words. You would have to be in absolute, total denial to conclude that the brain injuries and/or CTE had absolutely no correlation to his death [see: Gary Bettman’s opinion]. Montador’s father filed a lawsuit against the NHL on December 8th, 2015 (See the pdf here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/...). This document outlines how much the NHL knew about concussions since at least 1997 and brings up many other players who were adversely affected and/or died. I am not too sure what has happened with this lawsuit since late 2015 but knowing the legal system and how hard the NHL is fighting this issue, it is probably still going on.
Overall conclusion: Read this book, please.
I'm a Blackhawks fan and I remember this one, vividly. I remember his death being the catalyst for both the retirement of Daniel Carcillo and the start of his head injury philanthropy project, Chapter 5. Which was of course named with Montador’s number in mind. They were similar players, Car Bomb and Monty, always willing to do anything for the team. But this thing happens all too often. Bryan Bickell got sent down to Rockford after an injury and he was never quite the same. By 2017, we all know he was diagnosed with MS and has started the Bryan and Amanda Bickell Foundation with his wife. But I swear to God he got hit in the head during the 2013 playoffs, had trouble getting up, and seemed completely dazed ever since. He got to retire a Blackhawk with a hero's farewell from the misty eyed United Center fans on October 5, 2017. I wish a guy like Monty had a similar opportunity. Bickell is the same type of guy as Carcillo and Montador; the kind that will do whatever for the team...including sustaining permanent brain damage -- because it's The Cup.
Witnessing a head injury is a visceral experience and you can just tell when it is more than "just a flesh wound." I saw one of these injuries while watching my brother's team play and this was at a tender age before checking was even permitted. It was an innocent mid-ice collision between two boys but one did not get up. When he went down his legs jerked around a bit and then he stopped moving, his arms clutched around his head. The boy's father, conveniently a medical professional, raced down the bleachers and got on the ice to attend to his son. This collision was likely due to inexperience as opposed to any sort of rules. Nonetheless, completely visceral.
But this is a book review, eh? Dryden does a great job at weaving the history of how the game is played with the biographical information about Steve Montador. He throws in some other bigger-name concussed players like Crosby into the discussion. It is valuable to show that it is not an isolated problem for 5/6 line defensemen. He explains how the concussion problem has developed and also provides some possible, realistic solutions with an eye on the game’s history. I have no doubt that a couple tweaks to the official NHL rules would have a quantifiable effect on the amount of head injuries. With substance abuse disorder though, I don’t think changing the NHL rules would really do much. Perhaps less head injuries would result in less benzodiazepine or SSRI prescriptions but substance abuse is almost inevitable in a world where opioid painkillers are handed out like candy – especially to athletes. That is a problem of epidemic proportions facing all socioeconomic classes of both Canada and the United States, not just the NHL.
Dryden was given access to Montador’s personal journals, so you end up invading his brain just a little bit more. The amount of concussions that this man sustained is sobering, especially within that last couple years of his life. You can clearly observe Montador’s mental chaos and decline from those journal excerpts. It is incredibly sad because the man Dryden spent the entire book describing is not the same as the man writing those words. You would have to be in absolute, total denial to conclude that the brain injuries and/or CTE had absolutely no correlation to his death [see: Gary Bettman’s opinion]. Montador’s father filed a lawsuit against the NHL on December 8th, 2015 (See the pdf here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/...). This document outlines how much the NHL knew about concussions since at least 1997 and brings up many other players who were adversely affected and/or died. I am not too sure what has happened with this lawsuit since late 2015 but knowing the legal system and how hard the NHL is fighting this issue, it is probably still going on.
Overall conclusion: Read this book, please.
October 2, 2017
What a beautiful book. Here's the thing - I don't know much about hockey, and, although I do like hockey, I'm not a hugely into it or anything, but, once, a few years back, I came across an article about brain injuries and hockey, and I just felt like it was something I wanted to know more about. I was horrified, when I read that article, to hear about the injuries, and how it effects people (and their loved ones). One of the great things about this book is that you don't have to be a huge, huge big-time hockey fan to enjoy it....anyone can (and will) enjoy this book, because it is not just about hockey - it's about a wonderful man, and it's also about a topic that everyone (hockey fan or not) should be aware of.
October 13, 2017
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, via Goodreads.
I loved Ken Dryden's book The Game. I truly hope from the bottom of my heart that this book garners the same attention and readership. Game Change is an inspiring tribute to a remarkable man, Steve Montador, who was a professional hockey player whose premature death at age 35 has been attributed to brain injuries sustained while playing. I like to think I know a fair bit about hockey, but I had barely heard of Montador before this book. I feel like I know him now. And I admire and mourn him.
You don't have to be a hockey fan to enjoy this book -- Dryden's skill as a writer makes this story predominantly a tribute to a man and his life. There are some wonderful smaller bits about brain injury research, about the evolution of the game, about hockey's connection to Canadian cultural fabric, and about hockey players other than Montador who have had their lives impacted by brain injuries. But the last quarter of this book is purely about hockey. Hockey and head injuries. Hockey's obligation to play a role in resolving the growing problem of head injuries in players.
If you are a parent with children playing hockey, read this book. If you play hockey, read this book. If you watch hockey, read this book. If you love someone who loves hockey, read this book. If you just happen to like a really informative book about a topical issue, by a gifted writer, give this book a shot.
Thanks, Ken Dryden. My hope is that you are recognized as much for your humanity and your writing as for your goal-keeping.
I loved Ken Dryden's book The Game. I truly hope from the bottom of my heart that this book garners the same attention and readership. Game Change is an inspiring tribute to a remarkable man, Steve Montador, who was a professional hockey player whose premature death at age 35 has been attributed to brain injuries sustained while playing. I like to think I know a fair bit about hockey, but I had barely heard of Montador before this book. I feel like I know him now. And I admire and mourn him.
You don't have to be a hockey fan to enjoy this book -- Dryden's skill as a writer makes this story predominantly a tribute to a man and his life. There are some wonderful smaller bits about brain injury research, about the evolution of the game, about hockey's connection to Canadian cultural fabric, and about hockey players other than Montador who have had their lives impacted by brain injuries. But the last quarter of this book is purely about hockey. Hockey and head injuries. Hockey's obligation to play a role in resolving the growing problem of head injuries in players.
If you are a parent with children playing hockey, read this book. If you play hockey, read this book. If you watch hockey, read this book. If you love someone who loves hockey, read this book. If you just happen to like a really informative book about a topical issue, by a gifted writer, give this book a shot.
Thanks, Ken Dryden. My hope is that you are recognized as much for your humanity and your writing as for your goal-keeping.
June 29, 2021
You don't have to be a hockey fan to love this book. Ken Dryden is a terrific writer and this book is first and foremost about being human. In this well-written book, he argues passionately that the NHL needs to institute some rule changes, or at least enforce the rules that exist to protect players from head injuries. His most powerful argument is the human face he puts on this in the life of a player who was never a superstar, or even a star.
Steve Montador was a bottom-pairing NHL defenseman, a young man who lived and breathed the game of hockey. He wasn’t a player who was going to get to the big leagues through pure talent, he was going to get there through hard work and a willingness to do anything, to make any sacrifice to make his dream come true. He would end up making a far bigger sacrifice than he ever imagined.
In this wonderfully told story, Dryden takes us on a journey followed by countless young men before and since, from frozen ponds through minor leagues up to AAA and Major Junior Hockey, on long bus rides and flat-out practices as they chase their dreams of big-league glory.
The high point of Montador’s life was probably scoring the overtime goal for the Calgary Flames in game one of the Western Conference Final against the San Jose Sharks during Calgary’s magical and unlikely run to the Stanley Cup finals in 2004. Throughout this book, we come to know Steve, or Monty, as his friends called him. His career eventually sputtered and was finally ended because of a series of concussions that would end up taking his life. He was dead at thirty-five.
This book came out in 2017 and I don’t think the National Hockey League has done a lot since then to put an end to head injuries. This is unfortunate because I think there are lots of ways to make the game safer without sacrificing any of the things that make the fastest team sport on earth so exciting. I’m left to wonder how many more talented young men like Steve Montador will have to lose their lives before something substantial is done.
Steve Montador was a bottom-pairing NHL defenseman, a young man who lived and breathed the game of hockey. He wasn’t a player who was going to get to the big leagues through pure talent, he was going to get there through hard work and a willingness to do anything, to make any sacrifice to make his dream come true. He would end up making a far bigger sacrifice than he ever imagined.
In this wonderfully told story, Dryden takes us on a journey followed by countless young men before and since, from frozen ponds through minor leagues up to AAA and Major Junior Hockey, on long bus rides and flat-out practices as they chase their dreams of big-league glory.
The high point of Montador’s life was probably scoring the overtime goal for the Calgary Flames in game one of the Western Conference Final against the San Jose Sharks during Calgary’s magical and unlikely run to the Stanley Cup finals in 2004. Throughout this book, we come to know Steve, or Monty, as his friends called him. His career eventually sputtered and was finally ended because of a series of concussions that would end up taking his life. He was dead at thirty-five.
This book came out in 2017 and I don’t think the National Hockey League has done a lot since then to put an end to head injuries. This is unfortunate because I think there are lots of ways to make the game safer without sacrificing any of the things that make the fastest team sport on earth so exciting. I’m left to wonder how many more talented young men like Steve Montador will have to lose their lives before something substantial is done.
September 17, 2021
In GAME CHANGE, legendary player-turned-author Ken Dryden, looks at the life and legacy of former NHL player Steve Montador and the history of head injuries that lead to the unfolding crisis of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) plaguing the sport of hockey.
A few years back, I picked up both this and Ken’s critically acclaimed memoir THE GAME. While I immediately read and loved THE GAME, this one sat on my shelf for a few years before pulling it off the bookcase this summer looking for something different to read. While I knew it wasn’t going to be the definition of a “beach read”, I didn’t expect to be as shocked and horrified as I was.
Like many hockey fans (and wrestling fans), I’ve been concerned over the tragic consequences of multiple, repeated concussions. As Ken writes, hockey is without a doubt a tough guy’s sport. Whereas head injuries aren’t quite as noticeable as a broken limb, players chalk up a nasty hit to the skull as “having your bell rung”, and are willing to jump back on the ice as soon as possible with little regard to their health.
Steve Montador is as good a subject as any when examining the effects of countless concussions. A player seemingly consistently on the bubble of playing in the NHL, Steve would need to resort to physicality to prove himself useful to a general manager looking for that fifth or sixth defensemen; a player that could add intimidation and grit. Steve longed for making a difference on the score sheet, but knew his role, which unfortunately led to a mountain of injuries before hitting his thirties. To ease the pain and his mental struggles with self-worth, Steve had been a heavy drinker. While he was able to stay clean for many years, as his career wound down and the injuries began to mount, he turned back to the bottle. Drug and alcohol abuse tied to brain trauma is not a great mix, to say the least.
While the NHL has tried over the years to curb the concussion epidemic by instituting strict protocols to keep players off the ice to allow them to fully heal before getting back in play, the athletes still have that “grin and bear it” mentality that needs to be eradicated. I’m not putting all the blame on the players here as the NHL has repeatedly fought lawsuits as well as public opinion that the sport is to be directly blamed for the long-term effects suffered by retired players – too many of whom take their own lives when day-to-day living proves too difficult.
Two of the biggest highlights of the book – outside of the relentlessly tragic life of Steve Montador – involved Dryden’s discussions with retired players Keith Primeau and Marc Savard with Savard’s chapter being the first time he had spoken publicly about his concussion history. After retiring in 2005, Primeau lived with post-concussion symptoms for years with little hope he would see improvement. Seven years later, when the pain and frustration had begun to ease, he would hit his head on a low-hanging pipe leading to a complete return of his worst symptoms.
The tragic part of it all is that many suffer in silence with many taking their own lives to end their daily anguish and by then, it’s too late. There is no known cure for CTE and the treatments vary based on how a person’s brain reacts to therapy. Dryden does his absolute best to answer a very difficult question – “can hockey as we know it exist without the dangers of head trauma?” Right now, the answer is no, but like many others, I can only hope that more effective treatments become available and we can at least lessen the probability of long-term suffering.
A few years back, I picked up both this and Ken’s critically acclaimed memoir THE GAME. While I immediately read and loved THE GAME, this one sat on my shelf for a few years before pulling it off the bookcase this summer looking for something different to read. While I knew it wasn’t going to be the definition of a “beach read”, I didn’t expect to be as shocked and horrified as I was.
Like many hockey fans (and wrestling fans), I’ve been concerned over the tragic consequences of multiple, repeated concussions. As Ken writes, hockey is without a doubt a tough guy’s sport. Whereas head injuries aren’t quite as noticeable as a broken limb, players chalk up a nasty hit to the skull as “having your bell rung”, and are willing to jump back on the ice as soon as possible with little regard to their health.
Steve Montador is as good a subject as any when examining the effects of countless concussions. A player seemingly consistently on the bubble of playing in the NHL, Steve would need to resort to physicality to prove himself useful to a general manager looking for that fifth or sixth defensemen; a player that could add intimidation and grit. Steve longed for making a difference on the score sheet, but knew his role, which unfortunately led to a mountain of injuries before hitting his thirties. To ease the pain and his mental struggles with self-worth, Steve had been a heavy drinker. While he was able to stay clean for many years, as his career wound down and the injuries began to mount, he turned back to the bottle. Drug and alcohol abuse tied to brain trauma is not a great mix, to say the least.
While the NHL has tried over the years to curb the concussion epidemic by instituting strict protocols to keep players off the ice to allow them to fully heal before getting back in play, the athletes still have that “grin and bear it” mentality that needs to be eradicated. I’m not putting all the blame on the players here as the NHL has repeatedly fought lawsuits as well as public opinion that the sport is to be directly blamed for the long-term effects suffered by retired players – too many of whom take their own lives when day-to-day living proves too difficult.
Two of the biggest highlights of the book – outside of the relentlessly tragic life of Steve Montador – involved Dryden’s discussions with retired players Keith Primeau and Marc Savard with Savard’s chapter being the first time he had spoken publicly about his concussion history. After retiring in 2005, Primeau lived with post-concussion symptoms for years with little hope he would see improvement. Seven years later, when the pain and frustration had begun to ease, he would hit his head on a low-hanging pipe leading to a complete return of his worst symptoms.
The tragic part of it all is that many suffer in silence with many taking their own lives to end their daily anguish and by then, it’s too late. There is no known cure for CTE and the treatments vary based on how a person’s brain reacts to therapy. Dryden does his absolute best to answer a very difficult question – “can hockey as we know it exist without the dangers of head trauma?” Right now, the answer is no, but like many others, I can only hope that more effective treatments become available and we can at least lessen the probability of long-term suffering.
February 14, 2019
After reading Game Change by Ken Dryden, I have a better view of sports and concussions. I myself had my bell rung a number of times over my sports career, from hits in hockey, soccer, and football. As I read the book I soon began to realize the real impact all the collision sports have on not just the body, but the mind (brain) as well. After finishing my playing days, I started to notice that going to amusement parks wasn't as fun anymore. Once, one of my favourite things to do, going on roller coasters, I would immediately feel concussion-like symptoms as soon as I got off the ride. I'd feel terrible and miserable. The feeling would sometimes last for days. I just figured it was part of aging, but after reading this book and attending a concussion summit, I feel that many players are going to suffer for playing the game they love. I know, some of you will say that this has nothing to do with repeated head trauma, but I truly feel it does. Repeated injuries to the brain add up and it takes less and less force to reinjure the brain. Studies have proven this, yet players will continue to play on and pass the concussion tests just to play the game. I know there have been a number of players who have retired early in their careers because they know it's the right thing to do. The NHL and NFL need to step up and admit that playing hockey or football may possibly lead to a number of problems in the future. Steve Montador is an example of what can happen to a young and healthy person who is subject to the repeated punishment of concussions. Some will say it's just what comes with the game. Athletes today are bigger and stronger than ever. The speed of the game has increased and left the brain a vulnerable target. Yet, the NHL is a business and it appears they are just worried about money. I invite anyone who has ever played the game or a sport where there is contact to pick up a copy and read it. We need to open our eyes and see what the future for many of our stars may hold. I know this book opened my eyes.
May 4, 2018
Game Change should be required reading for all constituents of the hockey community. Players, coaches, parents, fans, and those who run hockey organizations at all levels need to know more about the life-changing, and sometimes deadly, effects of traumatic brain injuries, which are becoming more and more common in today’s version of the sport. Ken Dryden is just the right person to deliver the message about how to prevent these injuries. As a former player, he has both credibility and an insider's understanding of all of the nuances of the game and how it has changed since its creation. On top of that, he is articulate, reasonable, intelligent and genuinely concerned about the welfare of the players of the sport at which he excelled. Dryden lays out a detailed depiction of the life and death of Steve Montador so as to provide one very vivid example of a situation that has become increasingly common in recent years as the game has become faster and the players have become bigger and stronger. And what a sad story Montador’s is, especially since it seems as though the misery that he suffered could have been prevented. Dryden makes a clear case for two significant rule changes (and a number of other related amendments) that would undoubtedly decrease the growing number of brain injuries that players are experiencing. There is no doubt that his proposals would drive Don Cherry-types even crazier than they already are because they want to cling to a version of the game that hasn’t been played for decades, but Dryden makes an extremely compelling case that player safety should trump all objections. His writing is somewhat repetitive, and I felt that parts of the final chapters were written for an audience of one, namely Gary Bettman, but both of these criticisms are minor and understandable, given the importance of the message he is trying to drive home.
March 28, 2018
A fantastic book for every fan of sports. Whether you play, coach, referee, or watch hockey and other contact sports like football, this is a highly recommended read. Mr. Dryden does a masterful job of presenting his thesis which is to make the games we love safer and sustainable over the long term. Very well done!
April 10, 2025
This was so good and so close to being a 5-star read, but holy moly was that last chapter long. It felt like he was just saying the same thing different ways for 2 hours.
April 13, 2018
Hockey, for the casual fan – the guy who catches the highlights while at the bowling alley bar or tunes in for a period when the local team hits the playoffs – can be defined by one all-encompassing element of play: the fight.
That diehard fan? Fighting, save for the occasional benches-clearing melee that lasts the entire third period (like that unforgettable Flyers/Senators brawl from 2004), is passé and even a time waster. For the diehard, it’s all about the speed, the slapshot, the butterfly save, the hat trick. The play and the score is what truly matters. And Ken Dryden, former Montreal Canadiens goalie and Maple Leafs president, now author, would agree. With his latest, Game Change, Dryden skates deep into another issue: concussions that come as a result of body checking, and yes, fighting.
Game Change is an entertaining, enlightening read. The book is also an important one, and topically so. In Game Change, Dryden explores the life and career of Steve Montador, an everyman defenseman who played for six NHL teams and whose career ended as a result of multiple concussions. Montador died in 2015 after suffering from the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease commonly known as CTE, an acronym anyone who saw the Will Smith movie Concussion should recall.
Dryden cleverly disguises his treatise with an enjoyable look into hockey history, how the game started, and how it has evolved. Within is also Montador’s story: how he played, how he trained, and most importantly, how he loved the game. Yet, similar to the fighters and goons of the game, Dryden does not pull any punches as he throws down his gloves to present his call to arms: no hits to the head. No excuses.
Dryden writes like a hockey player. His sentences are short and clipped, he often repeats highlights he finds important to ensure the reader takes notice. He is also passionate, writing from the heart, even when he is taking about the mind. To do so, he presents interviews not only from scientists and doctors who share his philosophy of changing – and only slightly at that – the game of hockey to preserve the quality of life for the player, but also talks to players. Former Bruin Marc Savard, Flyers captain Keith Primeau, and someone named Sidney Crosby all share their stories and fears and recovery from post-concussion syndrome, how it has changed their play, and their lives.
Game Change is written for the casual fan, but the diehard will enjoy the deep cuts. More importantly, and even more important than hockey, the respect for life offered within is shown as a universal constant. That players, with their athleticism, their passion, their talent, are much more than just a product. Theirs is a life that should be cherished and celebrated. Dryden believes that is a constant on which everyone can agree. Unless, of course, you are NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
That diehard fan? Fighting, save for the occasional benches-clearing melee that lasts the entire third period (like that unforgettable Flyers/Senators brawl from 2004), is passé and even a time waster. For the diehard, it’s all about the speed, the slapshot, the butterfly save, the hat trick. The play and the score is what truly matters. And Ken Dryden, former Montreal Canadiens goalie and Maple Leafs president, now author, would agree. With his latest, Game Change, Dryden skates deep into another issue: concussions that come as a result of body checking, and yes, fighting.
Game Change is an entertaining, enlightening read. The book is also an important one, and topically so. In Game Change, Dryden explores the life and career of Steve Montador, an everyman defenseman who played for six NHL teams and whose career ended as a result of multiple concussions. Montador died in 2015 after suffering from the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease commonly known as CTE, an acronym anyone who saw the Will Smith movie Concussion should recall.
Dryden cleverly disguises his treatise with an enjoyable look into hockey history, how the game started, and how it has evolved. Within is also Montador’s story: how he played, how he trained, and most importantly, how he loved the game. Yet, similar to the fighters and goons of the game, Dryden does not pull any punches as he throws down his gloves to present his call to arms: no hits to the head. No excuses.
Dryden writes like a hockey player. His sentences are short and clipped, he often repeats highlights he finds important to ensure the reader takes notice. He is also passionate, writing from the heart, even when he is taking about the mind. To do so, he presents interviews not only from scientists and doctors who share his philosophy of changing – and only slightly at that – the game of hockey to preserve the quality of life for the player, but also talks to players. Former Bruin Marc Savard, Flyers captain Keith Primeau, and someone named Sidney Crosby all share their stories and fears and recovery from post-concussion syndrome, how it has changed their play, and their lives.
Game Change is written for the casual fan, but the diehard will enjoy the deep cuts. More importantly, and even more important than hockey, the respect for life offered within is shown as a universal constant. That players, with their athleticism, their passion, their talent, are much more than just a product. Theirs is a life that should be cherished and celebrated. Dryden believes that is a constant on which everyone can agree. Unless, of course, you are NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
July 27, 2018
I think Ken Dryden’s ‘The Game’ is one of the all-time great sports books. It’s been many years since I’ve read it but I can still feel the strength in Dryden’s writing style - his storytelling. That’s what I experienced again with ‘Game Change’.
The book hit so many notes, the life and death of Steve Montador, the evolution of the game of hockey into what it is today, the key players on and off the ice - the influencers, the doctors, the families, the struggles and the regrets. Dryden does an amazing job of weaving all these topics together into a fluid, easy-to-read narrative.
I really appreciated the depth of each of those stories (or what 350 pages would allow). So many interviews with key people to really give this story thickness. The research and effort to put it all together is really quite remarkable.
I really enjoyed Dryden’s “smarminess” when it came to certain areas. It shows up quite a few times and I found it very effective.
My only beef is that the final chapter felt a little long. Long-winded. Half way through I was saying to myself “I get it”. Still...a very minor strike against.
Some fantastic stories about a player most will likely never know of and a great snapshot of our time in hockey history as it stands right now.
Highly recommended across the board.
The book hit so many notes, the life and death of Steve Montador, the evolution of the game of hockey into what it is today, the key players on and off the ice - the influencers, the doctors, the families, the struggles and the regrets. Dryden does an amazing job of weaving all these topics together into a fluid, easy-to-read narrative.
I really appreciated the depth of each of those stories (or what 350 pages would allow). So many interviews with key people to really give this story thickness. The research and effort to put it all together is really quite remarkable.
I really enjoyed Dryden’s “smarminess” when it came to certain areas. It shows up quite a few times and I found it very effective.
My only beef is that the final chapter felt a little long. Long-winded. Half way through I was saying to myself “I get it”. Still...a very minor strike against.
Some fantastic stories about a player most will likely never know of and a great snapshot of our time in hockey history as it stands right now.
Highly recommended across the board.
January 26, 2020
Are you a hockey fan? You should probably read this book.
I can’t give a stronger recommendation to a non-fiction read. This is a prime example of great storytelling by a master of the craft that brings something for everyone.
Into Canadian culture and it’s history with hockey? Read it.
Into the tragic rise and fall of the forgotten athlete, the team guy, the glue that brings everyone together, a man who sought to bring only good to the world? Read it.
Into the current trend of concussions in North American sport? Read it.
Into hearing the proposed solutions to the concussion pandemic by one of hockey’s most storied voices? Read it.
I would recommend this book to anyone. But if you’re a hockey fan I implore you to give this a go. It’s not likely to disappoint.
I can’t give a stronger recommendation to a non-fiction read. This is a prime example of great storytelling by a master of the craft that brings something for everyone.
Into Canadian culture and it’s history with hockey? Read it.
Into the tragic rise and fall of the forgotten athlete, the team guy, the glue that brings everyone together, a man who sought to bring only good to the world? Read it.
Into the current trend of concussions in North American sport? Read it.
Into hearing the proposed solutions to the concussion pandemic by one of hockey’s most storied voices? Read it.
I would recommend this book to anyone. But if you’re a hockey fan I implore you to give this a go. It’s not likely to disappoint.
September 3, 2018
Ken Dryden is a phenomenal writer. This book captured the wonderful person Steve Montidor was which in turn only makes his loss that much harder to take.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2022
Excellent book on not only a former NHL defenseman who was diagnosed with CTE, but also a critical look at how the league is dealing with the disease. Full review to come.
November 1, 2025
Ich wünschte ich könnte mehr als 5 Sterne geben
Reminder an mich selbst: Kapitel 20 so ab 11:00 kommt sein Abschiedsbrief an substance abuse
Reminder an mich selbst: Kapitel 20 so ab 11:00 kommt sein Abschiedsbrief an substance abuse
August 18, 2023
Montréal Canadiens Goalie Ken Dryden brilliantly captivated the tragic story of Monty’s struggles in this piece of investigative journalism.
December 28, 2017
This book was so hard to read... it broke my heart reading it. That being said, I'm glad I read it and I think every hockey fan should. Rest in peace, Monty.
February 23, 2025
as requested, gary bettman is such a demonic little snot! the way he so seriously is going to be responsible for so many lives being ruined by head injuries is so crazy. i really really really liked a lot of things about this book, mainly how it brought the history of hockey into it. hockey has changed so much and has gotten so much faster and much more dangerous and the old farts act like it’s the same as when they were playing so why are these young guys whining about “getting their bell rung” when it’s just so not the same. i also really really really loved that it talked about other players with head injuries (sidney crosby brain rot grows every time i think about concussions) especially since obviously he couldn’t talk to montador about his experience w concussions. however. i did feel like mr dryden was simply looking for a player to base his head injury rambling on? like yes it was about steve montador but it was way more about the nhl and its failings and head injuries which i love. but its put out there as a book about this guy and then it feels like he was kind of an afterthought almost. the other hockey head injury books i have read made me cry like kind of a lot because of the personal side of talking about derek boogaard or joe murphy but i didn’t cry about steve montador. which does feel a bit like a failing on mr dryden’s part because this man died at 35 years old four days before his son was born and was endlessly failed by every doctor he ever saw. so i feel like i should have cried. but whatever. still a really awesome book and the hockey head injury brain rot continues to get worse every day for me!
December 1, 2018
This is the story of one hockey player’s dedication to protecting his teammates, and how it killed him. Even more poignantly, it’s a story of a man who discovers his mistakes and tries desperately to atone, only to find the effort too little, too late.
But this book is so much more than a biography. Ken Dryden weaves Steve Montador’s story into a wider history of violence in Canada’s game: how duels of honour became routine “finished checks”, each triumphant crash bringing us closer to a crisis of concussions. Steve’s tragedy is told not as that of a young man subdued by bad luck before his time, but as the natural consequence of playing the game the way it is supposed to be played - with dedication and respect.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I received a free, advanced copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
But this book is so much more than a biography. Ken Dryden weaves Steve Montador’s story into a wider history of violence in Canada’s game: how duels of honour became routine “finished checks”, each triumphant crash bringing us closer to a crisis of concussions. Steve’s tragedy is told not as that of a young man subdued by bad luck before his time, but as the natural consequence of playing the game the way it is supposed to be played - with dedication and respect.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I received a free, advanced copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
January 26, 2018
A gut check of a book. “We want for the answer to be science. We want for science to /know/, and to know /now/, and to tell us what to do. But science doesn’t work that way. Science is about learning. Whatever we think we know at any moment is only a placeholder for what we will know better in the future.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2018
Ken Dryden is an excellent writer for a goalie. This story is painful but needed. Dryden tells it so well. He also narrates it if you get the audiobook and reads with perfect mood.
This book is exactly what you would expect and more.
This book is exactly what you would expect and more.
April 1, 2021
A great listen, a heart breaking but important story.
February 25, 2025
I have loved hockey for nearly my entire life, but it would be a lie if I said I never have a knot of guilt in me watching it. Every game there are hits that could end a career, end a life. The players take on the risk, the NHL doesn’t care, they’ve written every rule so this violence is allowed.
Ken Dryden pulls no punches and cast Gary Bettman as the villain in this book. He is man that holds all the power but won’t fix anything because that would admit guilt in the deaths of multiple players, the ending of careers, and addictions of countless others. How are we to know the player doesn’t already have a brain injury from playing junior, or he was already an addict, or already had depression and anxiety and a genetic history of dementia? Why would the league take the blame? People are dying Gary!
Things have changed, the play is faster, the players are bigger, the league has tried to limit fighting with laughable rules. We thankfully no longer live in the headhunting era of the early 2010’s but the league still doesn’t care about the players enough to hand out justifiable suspensions. This month a player drove the head of another into the ice and was suspended 8 games, this week the suspension was reduced. The NHL allows too much nuance into their decisions, always choosing to blame the injured. His head was down, the other guy didn’t have time to stop, the angle was weird, he didn’t actually leave his feet. It should be black and white! They write the rule book!
Geoff Molson, the owner of the Canadiens is presented with a plan to do brain scans to have a baseline of the players brains before injury, he does not buy into the program. This was less than 5 years after the hit on Pacioretty where his neck was broken. The fault in that hit fell on the size difference between the players, the way the stanchions were shaped in the rink. You change that piece of glass and the blame is no longer on you. Why prevent something that might never happen?
The older I get the less I like “old fashioned hockey”, the bone crushing hits, the fighting. I want to see the players skate fast, the passing plays, flair, goaltending at its peak. It is so easy to get swept away in the emotion of a rough game, but it’s not worth the physical cost on the players. All these old men that want the gruesome hockey of the 70s and refusing to acknowledge that their heroes are dying with CTE, calling the new players soft because they take months off to recover from concussions.
This book is also very well written. The timeline is very good, we’re woven through the history of hockey, how it’s changed since its beginning. Then to the beginnings of Steve Montador’s life and his progression into professional hockey. There are also chapters with doctors that research concussions and former players NHL players that had their careers ended by concussions. Marc Savard is one of the players interviewed, if the league wasn’t willing to change anything after the hit on him then they were never willing to do anything. I think if you didn’t have a firm grasp on sports culture but wanted to read more about the science of brain injury there is enough here to hold your attention. A lot of the vocabulary surrounding hockey and the NHL is defined in a way that is easy to pick up.
Ken Dryden pulls no punches and cast Gary Bettman as the villain in this book. He is man that holds all the power but won’t fix anything because that would admit guilt in the deaths of multiple players, the ending of careers, and addictions of countless others. How are we to know the player doesn’t already have a brain injury from playing junior, or he was already an addict, or already had depression and anxiety and a genetic history of dementia? Why would the league take the blame? People are dying Gary!
Things have changed, the play is faster, the players are bigger, the league has tried to limit fighting with laughable rules. We thankfully no longer live in the headhunting era of the early 2010’s but the league still doesn’t care about the players enough to hand out justifiable suspensions. This month a player drove the head of another into the ice and was suspended 8 games, this week the suspension was reduced. The NHL allows too much nuance into their decisions, always choosing to blame the injured. His head was down, the other guy didn’t have time to stop, the angle was weird, he didn’t actually leave his feet. It should be black and white! They write the rule book!
Geoff Molson, the owner of the Canadiens is presented with a plan to do brain scans to have a baseline of the players brains before injury, he does not buy into the program. This was less than 5 years after the hit on Pacioretty where his neck was broken. The fault in that hit fell on the size difference between the players, the way the stanchions were shaped in the rink. You change that piece of glass and the blame is no longer on you. Why prevent something that might never happen?
The older I get the less I like “old fashioned hockey”, the bone crushing hits, the fighting. I want to see the players skate fast, the passing plays, flair, goaltending at its peak. It is so easy to get swept away in the emotion of a rough game, but it’s not worth the physical cost on the players. All these old men that want the gruesome hockey of the 70s and refusing to acknowledge that their heroes are dying with CTE, calling the new players soft because they take months off to recover from concussions.
This book is also very well written. The timeline is very good, we’re woven through the history of hockey, how it’s changed since its beginning. Then to the beginnings of Steve Montador’s life and his progression into professional hockey. There are also chapters with doctors that research concussions and former players NHL players that had their careers ended by concussions. Marc Savard is one of the players interviewed, if the league wasn’t willing to change anything after the hit on him then they were never willing to do anything. I think if you didn’t have a firm grasp on sports culture but wanted to read more about the science of brain injury there is enough here to hold your attention. A lot of the vocabulary surrounding hockey and the NHL is defined in a way that is easy to pick up.
November 12, 2017
The message of the book is in the title, Game Change. Hockey is faster and more hard-hitting with shorter shifts and more passing. This makes for the crisis of increased concussions. The game has changed and so must the rules.
Ken Dryden identifies three key events from the 1970s that changed to game. The 1972 Canada-USSR series introduced a new style by the Soviets, the forward pass and off-ice conditioning. The more aggressive, intimidating style of the Philadelphia Flyers in the mid-seventies resulted in two Stanley cup teams. Although it had a short life, the World Hockey League created a more competitive player market with higher salaries.
There are other influences, like Don Cherry, the “syntax-challenged street kid” with his rock ‘em sock ‘em highlights. The NHL Commissioner, Gary Bettman, minimizes or denies the impact of concussions. “There is no need for those in charge to prove anything. Besides, smokers, coal miners, hockey players—they know the risks. For decision-makers, it is an issue to be managed, not a problem to be solved.”
Steve Montador played junior hockey with the singular ambition to have a hockey career. His OHL career went from North Bay to Erie without an anchor, allowing alcohol and drugs to become a habit. A struggle for self-discipline continued through his short life. During one of the Olympic breaks in the NHL season, unknown to family and close friends, he signed himself into a California rehab program and began a period of sobriety. His interest in health and wellbeing became more of a struggle for survival as the effect of concussions on mood and cognition became evident.
One source for control and self-improvement in his life was the Four Agreements by the Mexican author, Don Miguel Ruis: be impeccable with your word; don’t take anything personally; don’t make assumptions; always do your best. His quest for awareness perhaps came too late. Here is the lesson for developing athletes. “Sports still what sports have always taught—teamwork, discipline, hard work, resilience, goal-setting, and goal-achieving—but with the greater commitment now required, these lessons are more intense…”
There is moment of humour in Dryden’s telling of this sad story. Three Sportsnet commentators give a twisted analysis of nasty hit during a 2016 playoff game between the Penguins and Capitals. Comparison is made to the Monty Python skit where Mr. Praline (John Cleese) returns a dead parrot to the story owner (Michael Palin). The store owner carries on about the bird’s attributes while ignoring the obvious. The bird is dead.
The book opens with the examination of the Montador’s brain after his death in February 2015. The accumulation tau protein indicates damage from recurrent concussions. Besides some work with functional MRI, post-mortem examination is the only way to know about the extent of this damage. Science makes a strong argument but decision-makers want certainties. “They acknowledge what we know, but focus on what we don’t.” Time for a game change.
Ken Dryden identifies three key events from the 1970s that changed to game. The 1972 Canada-USSR series introduced a new style by the Soviets, the forward pass and off-ice conditioning. The more aggressive, intimidating style of the Philadelphia Flyers in the mid-seventies resulted in two Stanley cup teams. Although it had a short life, the World Hockey League created a more competitive player market with higher salaries.
There are other influences, like Don Cherry, the “syntax-challenged street kid” with his rock ‘em sock ‘em highlights. The NHL Commissioner, Gary Bettman, minimizes or denies the impact of concussions. “There is no need for those in charge to prove anything. Besides, smokers, coal miners, hockey players—they know the risks. For decision-makers, it is an issue to be managed, not a problem to be solved.”
Steve Montador played junior hockey with the singular ambition to have a hockey career. His OHL career went from North Bay to Erie without an anchor, allowing alcohol and drugs to become a habit. A struggle for self-discipline continued through his short life. During one of the Olympic breaks in the NHL season, unknown to family and close friends, he signed himself into a California rehab program and began a period of sobriety. His interest in health and wellbeing became more of a struggle for survival as the effect of concussions on mood and cognition became evident.
One source for control and self-improvement in his life was the Four Agreements by the Mexican author, Don Miguel Ruis: be impeccable with your word; don’t take anything personally; don’t make assumptions; always do your best. His quest for awareness perhaps came too late. Here is the lesson for developing athletes. “Sports still what sports have always taught—teamwork, discipline, hard work, resilience, goal-setting, and goal-achieving—but with the greater commitment now required, these lessons are more intense…”
There is moment of humour in Dryden’s telling of this sad story. Three Sportsnet commentators give a twisted analysis of nasty hit during a 2016 playoff game between the Penguins and Capitals. Comparison is made to the Monty Python skit where Mr. Praline (John Cleese) returns a dead parrot to the story owner (Michael Palin). The store owner carries on about the bird’s attributes while ignoring the obvious. The bird is dead.
The book opens with the examination of the Montador’s brain after his death in February 2015. The accumulation tau protein indicates damage from recurrent concussions. Besides some work with functional MRI, post-mortem examination is the only way to know about the extent of this damage. Science makes a strong argument but decision-makers want certainties. “They acknowledge what we know, but focus on what we don’t.” Time for a game change.
January 5, 2018
I don't think I'll watch an NHL game in the same way again. It will be difficult to cheer on hard hits and fights, knowing the damage that is done to human beings in the long term as a result. Dryden does an amazing job integrating the story of a middling NHL player who died at age 35 after suffering numerous concussions, with the story of the game as a whole and what needs to be changed to make it safer for the players while still an exciting game to play and watch. By putting the concussion and safety discussion within the context of the life of a likeable NHL player, it drives home the point beyond an abstract debate and puts a very human face on things. You begin to genuinely care for Mr. Montadour and wonder how as hockey fans we can tolerate aspects of a sport that does this to human beings. Dryden reviews what has been done thus far to make changes to ensure player safety, and challenges Gary Bettman and the powers-that-be in pro hockey to do even more.
Dryden reiterates a change in the game that he advocated in a newspaper editorial he wrote almost a decade ago, a change that I've seen no one else suggest, but which I would totally agree with. He maintains that the idea of "finishing the check" should be removed from the game and be called what it is, interference, and be subject to a two minute penalty. By allowing players to finish the check by hitting a vulnerable player two or three seconds after they have passed the puck, the league is rewarding failure, failure of the forechecker to arrive in time, and not rewarding the passer for making a successful pass. He compares the situation to football where quarterbacks are protected and strict penalties are in place for roughing the passer. He maintains that the NHL should do the same, and I have always agreed. Dryden gives an example of Matt Cooke doing serious damage to a player by finishing the check. The instance that sticks in my mind is Cooke hitting Andrei Markov three or four seconds after he passed the puck and injuring his knee, knocking Markov out for a year. The league needs to do more to protect vulnerable players.
This is one excellent point in a book of excellent points, wrapped up in an engrossing narrative. One of the best hockey books I've read in a long time.
Dryden reiterates a change in the game that he advocated in a newspaper editorial he wrote almost a decade ago, a change that I've seen no one else suggest, but which I would totally agree with. He maintains that the idea of "finishing the check" should be removed from the game and be called what it is, interference, and be subject to a two minute penalty. By allowing players to finish the check by hitting a vulnerable player two or three seconds after they have passed the puck, the league is rewarding failure, failure of the forechecker to arrive in time, and not rewarding the passer for making a successful pass. He compares the situation to football where quarterbacks are protected and strict penalties are in place for roughing the passer. He maintains that the NHL should do the same, and I have always agreed. Dryden gives an example of Matt Cooke doing serious damage to a player by finishing the check. The instance that sticks in my mind is Cooke hitting Andrei Markov three or four seconds after he passed the puck and injuring his knee, knocking Markov out for a year. The league needs to do more to protect vulnerable players.
This is one excellent point in a book of excellent points, wrapped up in an engrossing narrative. One of the best hockey books I've read in a long time.
October 5, 2024
This book explains so much.
I keep trying to write this review, but keep deleting it in error.
This is the story of the life & death of a young athlete and the lack of prevention by professional sports to address the problems of concussions and its effects on players. From all accounts this was a young man who the system failed. When he knew he had a problems with alcohol and drugs he put himself in rehab and most of the time straightened himself out. The one thing he couldn’t solve was the effects of the many concussions he suffered throughout his life.
I love this sport, and have watched games for over 50 years, sometimes in person. There were fights years ago, but most of the time they were minor and involved jerseys pulled over the head or holding each other that looked like dancing and yes many times drew blood. This new version of the game, with bigger more powerful players has become more dangerous. Change is necessary in everything, but with those changes have to come more control and protections.
The sport has grown, and as the author points out the protocols for head injuries haven’t yet caught up. The powers that be failed this young man and others by not helping as much as they could in the research of effects concussions on the players. The book shows how the tests they give to players after a concussion are not working. Players are always trying to get back to playing a game that they love as fast as they can, so they learned how to fake the tests until they can’t anymore.
The NHL is failing their players in so many ways, that I’m afraid we will hear of many more stories like this. There must be a way that makes sure players are protected, from more head injuries. They have protocols that deal with drug, alcohol, gambling and physical abuse, but none that really address psychological problems from head injuries.
If you have a child that wants to play hockey, I advise you to read this book & discuss it with them so they see there are real consequences behind the game.
I keep trying to write this review, but keep deleting it in error.
This is the story of the life & death of a young athlete and the lack of prevention by professional sports to address the problems of concussions and its effects on players. From all accounts this was a young man who the system failed. When he knew he had a problems with alcohol and drugs he put himself in rehab and most of the time straightened himself out. The one thing he couldn’t solve was the effects of the many concussions he suffered throughout his life.
I love this sport, and have watched games for over 50 years, sometimes in person. There were fights years ago, but most of the time they were minor and involved jerseys pulled over the head or holding each other that looked like dancing and yes many times drew blood. This new version of the game, with bigger more powerful players has become more dangerous. Change is necessary in everything, but with those changes have to come more control and protections.
The sport has grown, and as the author points out the protocols for head injuries haven’t yet caught up. The powers that be failed this young man and others by not helping as much as they could in the research of effects concussions on the players. The book shows how the tests they give to players after a concussion are not working. Players are always trying to get back to playing a game that they love as fast as they can, so they learned how to fake the tests until they can’t anymore.
The NHL is failing their players in so many ways, that I’m afraid we will hear of many more stories like this. There must be a way that makes sure players are protected, from more head injuries. They have protocols that deal with drug, alcohol, gambling and physical abuse, but none that really address psychological problems from head injuries.
If you have a child that wants to play hockey, I advise you to read this book & discuss it with them so they see there are real consequences behind the game.
August 30, 2018
For what it is and what it aspires to be, this book is nearly perfect. It is the skillfully interwoven stories of Steve Montador, a mid rated defenceman in the NHL of the early 2000s, and the issue of concussion in hockey. Steve Montador died in 2015 at the age of 35 of a drug overdose most likely related to his history of concussion. (Another piece of evidence supporting the theory that all addiction is related to trauma.) A brain tissue autopsy showed that he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition associated with depression, loss of emotional self control and physical symptoms like dizziness and lack of energy. Ken Dryden is a masterful writer and a man steeped in the world of hockey. He builds a largely sympathetic picture of Steve Montador, an undrafted player who did not possess immense talent but who through love of the game and diligent training made himself into a reliable defenseman in the premier hockey league in the world. Dryden also describes what we currently know about concussion and CTE and what the league is doing, and even more importantly, what it could do to make the game safer for players and more enjoyable for people at all levels to participate in and watch. His two fairly simple recommendations in this vein are: all hits to the head should result in a penalty and all attempts to "finish your check" after the puck is no longer in the possession of the offensive player should result in an interference penalty. These recommendations are directed to the NHL and specifically to its commissioner, Gary Bettmen, but with the intent that anything done by the NHL will affect all of hockey at all levels. The story is so compellingly told and the recommendations made with such logic and passion that you finish the book feeling optimistic that the right thing will be done - eventually. But then again, eventually can often be a long time.
August 9, 2022
A really meaty, thoughtful piece of investigative journalism, focusing on the life, hockey career, and eventual death of an "average" NHL hockey player - by "average" I mean someone who gave his life over to hockey, made it to the NHL, but never became a superstar - and using it to illuminate the development and changes over the years that have happened to the game of hockey, the ways in which it has become more violent and more dangerous, and the consequences of that danger in the form of an increased number of concussions. Dryden did his research, both on Steve Montador and on concussions and brain injuries, and he writes about the game (and profession) of hockey with both authority and affection. (I genuinely had no idea he was a former hockey player when I picked this up, which should tell you how much I know about hockey.) It's clearly-written and moving in a number of ways - as someone who has a definite tendency to be in the "if it's dangerous they shouldn't play!" camp of non-sports fans, Dryden really did well at conveying what hockey means to the folks who play it, and love it, and why they would continue to do so despite the dangers.
If I had a criticism, it would be that the last chapter, which was explicitly directed at the NHL league commissioner, felt a little preachy (as did other parts which seemed directed at him). "Here's how you, Gary Bettman, can be a hero!" was the (not-very-subtle) subtext, and there was a lot of sympathetic "of course he was approaching it this way because of XYZ, but he should consider approaching it this way because of ABC." It felt like it could have just been a cover letter, mailed to Gary Bettman c/o the NHL, with a copy of the rest of the book. I get why it was there, but mostly it made me sad, because none of the changes Dryden suggested have been implemented and my understanding is the NHL continues to hide its head in the sand.
If I had a criticism, it would be that the last chapter, which was explicitly directed at the NHL league commissioner, felt a little preachy (as did other parts which seemed directed at him). "Here's how you, Gary Bettman, can be a hero!" was the (not-very-subtle) subtext, and there was a lot of sympathetic "of course he was approaching it this way because of XYZ, but he should consider approaching it this way because of ABC." It felt like it could have just been a cover letter, mailed to Gary Bettman c/o the NHL, with a copy of the rest of the book. I get why it was there, but mostly it made me sad, because none of the changes Dryden suggested have been implemented and my understanding is the NHL continues to hide its head in the sand.
February 9, 2024
Game Change is a meaningful blending of the heartbreaking story of Steve Montador's death at 35 with the broader impact of concussions and CTE in hockey. Dryden points out that fighting and collisions have actually become more dangerous with the increasing speed, size, and strength of today's players. He says that "old time hockey" is a romanticized view that doesn't reflect reality, hockey has become more physically dangerous than it used to be.
Dryden notes that the game has always been a compromise of performance/speed and safety, and as we learn more about the longterm impacts (pun intended) of concussions, we must act in the interest of improving safety for the health of the players. He suggests two simple rule changes: no hits to the head, no finishing your check. Hits to the head during fights should also bring added, significant penalties.
Dryden covers a lot of ground in 350+ pages. He's methodical and takes his time building the story and the case. He is a hockey goalie turned attorney, after all. It's tough going. You know Montador dies--that spoiler is in the title--and you know when, you just may not know how. You know it's coming, but it still hits hard.
He's clearly frustrated with League leadership's failure to meaningfully address the CTE issue, to claim the science isn't settled. It isn't, but there are researchers on the cusp, and he wants the League to help fund the effort at a level evidencing genuine concern.
Game Change is another insightful look behind the scenes of the awesome sport of hockey from Ken Dryden. He loves the game and wants it to continue, but in a way that doesn't put the players at unnecessary risk, that doesn't leave devastated parents, spouses, siblings, children, friends, and fans in its wake.
Read it.
Dryden notes that the game has always been a compromise of performance/speed and safety, and as we learn more about the longterm impacts (pun intended) of concussions, we must act in the interest of improving safety for the health of the players. He suggests two simple rule changes: no hits to the head, no finishing your check. Hits to the head during fights should also bring added, significant penalties.
Dryden covers a lot of ground in 350+ pages. He's methodical and takes his time building the story and the case. He is a hockey goalie turned attorney, after all. It's tough going. You know Montador dies--that spoiler is in the title--and you know when, you just may not know how. You know it's coming, but it still hits hard.
He's clearly frustrated with League leadership's failure to meaningfully address the CTE issue, to claim the science isn't settled. It isn't, but there are researchers on the cusp, and he wants the League to help fund the effort at a level evidencing genuine concern.
Game Change is another insightful look behind the scenes of the awesome sport of hockey from Ken Dryden. He loves the game and wants it to continue, but in a way that doesn't put the players at unnecessary risk, that doesn't leave devastated parents, spouses, siblings, children, friends, and fans in its wake.
Read it.
February 10, 2018
Ken Dryden is, of course, well-known for having written one of the classic hockey books, The Game. This book is a readable polemic about the need for hockey to recognise how developments since the late 1960s have made the game much more dangerous for its players. It follows journeyman defenceman Steve Montador from bantam hockey through the end of his professional hockey career in 2014, when the consequences of a series of concussions forced him to retire. Montador then fell into a cycle of drink and drug abuse, and died in 2015. Dryden proposes that the brain damage Montador suffered contributed to his drinking and drug-taking problem, and suggests that it's about time Gary Bettman did something to make hockey safer, basically by changing the rules for checking and banning hits to the head.
The book includes some interesting details of the different styles of play in hockey through the years, from a slower, safer game in the Original Six era, through the familiar Broad Street Bullies style of physical, negative play in the 1970s, the high-scoring, faster game of the 1980s and the low-scoring, even more faster game of the 1990s and beyond. It was also quite interesting to read about the experience of young men in the junior and major-junior hockey leagues in Canada. However, after Montador turns professional the book becomes very repetitive. He goes somewhere, plays some hockey, meets some people and has a concussion. Then he does it again. And again. I skimmed over a lot of that. Real hockey fans would probably take it for the team.
The book includes some interesting details of the different styles of play in hockey through the years, from a slower, safer game in the Original Six era, through the familiar Broad Street Bullies style of physical, negative play in the 1970s, the high-scoring, faster game of the 1980s and the low-scoring, even more faster game of the 1990s and beyond. It was also quite interesting to read about the experience of young men in the junior and major-junior hockey leagues in Canada. However, after Montador turns professional the book becomes very repetitive. He goes somewhere, plays some hockey, meets some people and has a concussion. Then he does it again. And again. I skimmed over a lot of that. Real hockey fans would probably take it for the team.
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