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Everyday Hockey Heroes: Inspiring Stories On and Off the Ice
An inspiring volume of stories about Canada’s most beloved sport—hockey—and the everyday heroes who embody the spirit of the game and help shape its future, from the pros who compete in NHL arenas to the dreamers and fans who play on backyard rinks.
What does hockey look like today in Canada? Who is changing the game? Canadian broadcasters Bob McKenzie and Jim Lang bring together players, from youth hockey to the NHL, and the people who support them to show us what hockey means to them.
Meet Philadelphia Flyer Wayne Simmonds and Paralympian gold medalist Greg Westlake, who wouldn’t be at the top of their sport without the never-ending support of their families and communities. See how they’re giving back to show young hockey hopefuls that anything is possible. Read about players like Ben Fanelli, who overcame catastrophic injury to keep playing the game he loved and is using his story as a platform to help others, or the renowned Canadian neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Tator, who is leading the charge to protect athletes from the dangers of brain trauma and concussion. From hockey commentators Andi Petrillo and Harnarayan Singh, who broke down barriers to be on air, to Karina Potvin, the youth hockey coach welcoming Syrian boys and girls to Canada by introducing them to our national pastime, these are the stories of everyday hockey heroes—those who defy the odds, advocate for inclusion, and champion the next generation of hockey.
From small-town rinks to big city arenas across the country, this collection celebrates everyone who loves our great game. Heartwarming and entertaining, Everyday Hockey Heroes is a must-read for every hockey fan.
What does hockey look like today in Canada? Who is changing the game? Canadian broadcasters Bob McKenzie and Jim Lang bring together players, from youth hockey to the NHL, and the people who support them to show us what hockey means to them.
Meet Philadelphia Flyer Wayne Simmonds and Paralympian gold medalist Greg Westlake, who wouldn’t be at the top of their sport without the never-ending support of their families and communities. See how they’re giving back to show young hockey hopefuls that anything is possible. Read about players like Ben Fanelli, who overcame catastrophic injury to keep playing the game he loved and is using his story as a platform to help others, or the renowned Canadian neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Tator, who is leading the charge to protect athletes from the dangers of brain trauma and concussion. From hockey commentators Andi Petrillo and Harnarayan Singh, who broke down barriers to be on air, to Karina Potvin, the youth hockey coach welcoming Syrian boys and girls to Canada by introducing them to our national pastime, these are the stories of everyday hockey heroes—those who defy the odds, advocate for inclusion, and champion the next generation of hockey.
From small-town rinks to big city arenas across the country, this collection celebrates everyone who loves our great game. Heartwarming and entertaining, Everyday Hockey Heroes is a must-read for every hockey fan.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published October 30, 2018
8 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
Bob McKenzie
13 books17 followersRobert Malcomson "Bob" McKenzie is a Canadian hockey commentator who has covered ice hockey since joining TSN in 1986.
Growing up, McKenzie was a fan of the hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, and his favorite player was Tim Horton.
McKenzie provides analysis for NHL on TSN telecasts, as well as for international hockey events, notably the annual IIHF World U-20 Hockey Championship. He also covered the NHL Entry Draft. Prior to and continuing for several years after joining TSN, McKenzie was editor-in-chief of The Hockey News for nine years and a hockey columnist for The Toronto Star for six years.
McKenzie is heard weekly on the TSN 1040 in Vancouver on the "Canucks Lunch with Rick Ball", as well on TSN Radio 690 (CKGM) in Montreal, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the Morning Show at 8:05 a.m. He is also a frequent contributor to the Ottawa Senators pre-game show on TSN 1200 radio in Ottawa.
Growing up, McKenzie was a fan of the hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, and his favorite player was Tim Horton.
McKenzie provides analysis for NHL on TSN telecasts, as well as for international hockey events, notably the annual IIHF World U-20 Hockey Championship. He also covered the NHL Entry Draft. Prior to and continuing for several years after joining TSN, McKenzie was editor-in-chief of The Hockey News for nine years and a hockey columnist for The Toronto Star for six years.
McKenzie is heard weekly on the TSN 1040 in Vancouver on the "Canucks Lunch with Rick Ball", as well on TSN Radio 690 (CKGM) in Montreal, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the Morning Show at 8:05 a.m. He is also a frequent contributor to the Ottawa Senators pre-game show on TSN 1200 radio in Ottawa.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 27, 2018
Everyday Hockey Heroes contains a collection of stories from inspiring men and women inside the world of hockey, on and off the ice.
Much like Bob’s previous hockey book, Everyday Hockey Heroes is broken up into individual sections featuring a different subject or personality involved in the game. Each story tells of how the game either helped them or how they used their experience to help others.
There are several feel good stories about players who received unconditional support from their community in the face of hardship allowing them to excel in something they loved. The book also ventures outside of the realm of the player and into the medical field with stories from doctors at the forefront of sports injury and recovery research. It also looks at commentators who broke down barriers to be able to call the action on the ice. There’s a veritable cornucopia of hockey chronicles in this book.
I don’t want to say that I didn’t like this book, but it certainly didn’t do a whole lot for me. The people profiled are both important to the game as well as the fight for inclusion, but because the stories are so short, they lack substance and more or less feel like fluff pieces.
Being released in October likely means the publisher is marketing the book as a great Christmas gift for hockey fans. Unfortunately, there are other better books out there to stuff in a stocking.
Much like Bob’s previous hockey book, Everyday Hockey Heroes is broken up into individual sections featuring a different subject or personality involved in the game. Each story tells of how the game either helped them or how they used their experience to help others.
There are several feel good stories about players who received unconditional support from their community in the face of hardship allowing them to excel in something they loved. The book also ventures outside of the realm of the player and into the medical field with stories from doctors at the forefront of sports injury and recovery research. It also looks at commentators who broke down barriers to be able to call the action on the ice. There’s a veritable cornucopia of hockey chronicles in this book.
I don’t want to say that I didn’t like this book, but it certainly didn’t do a whole lot for me. The people profiled are both important to the game as well as the fight for inclusion, but because the stories are so short, they lack substance and more or less feel like fluff pieces.
Being released in October likely means the publisher is marketing the book as a great Christmas gift for hockey fans. Unfortunately, there are other better books out there to stuff in a stocking.
December 16, 2024
Five stars times five. Wonderful life stories that just happen to be related to hockey.
March 22, 2020
This book was a pleasant break from hockey books that focus on the big stars. Between the covers were the stories of Harnarayan Singh, one of the announcers on Hockey Night in Canada in Punjabi, sportscaster Andi Petrillo, Hilary Knight of the United States Women's Hockey team, and others who have had to overcome challenges in order to achieve their dream of participating directly or indirectly in the game of hockey.
Some of the chapters feature individuals who faced racism, sexism, or discrimination based on sexual orientation as they pursued their hockey dreams in a sports culture that has, in the past, often been less than welcoming. Other chapters, such as the one dealing with a program to introduce the game to Syrian girls and boys newly arrived in Canada, demonstrate the positive potential of sports as a way of bringing people together.
For the most part, the book was an interesting read that provided insight into different perspectives. Rather than being research-heavy, the book was based on interviews with the individuals involved. Most were interesting enough, although was one chapter that I found myself skipping past after a few paragraphs and another that I didn't find particularly appealing.
Not so long ago, I started reading an autobiography of a hockey star who is now a television announcer, and stopped part-way through because the whole description of the sports culture, taken for granted by the author and conveyed as the norm, turned me off. This book, at least, shows that hockey has room for many people and many ways of being. For that reason alone, it's a worthy endeavour.
Some of the chapters feature individuals who faced racism, sexism, or discrimination based on sexual orientation as they pursued their hockey dreams in a sports culture that has, in the past, often been less than welcoming. Other chapters, such as the one dealing with a program to introduce the game to Syrian girls and boys newly arrived in Canada, demonstrate the positive potential of sports as a way of bringing people together.
For the most part, the book was an interesting read that provided insight into different perspectives. Rather than being research-heavy, the book was based on interviews with the individuals involved. Most were interesting enough, although was one chapter that I found myself skipping past after a few paragraphs and another that I didn't find particularly appealing.
Not so long ago, I started reading an autobiography of a hockey star who is now a television announcer, and stopped part-way through because the whole description of the sports culture, taken for granted by the author and conveyed as the norm, turned me off. This book, at least, shows that hockey has room for many people and many ways of being. For that reason alone, it's a worthy endeavour.
October 11, 2018
I'm not a big fan of hockey (I don't follow it but I go to the occasional game) but I do like reading stories about real people and that's why this book caught my eye.
This book is a collection of stories about people connected to hockey and most are Canadians ... players, reporters, coaches, doctors and referees.
The stories include:
* Ben Fanelli, a player who had an on-ice head injury and ended up starting a foundation to help empower others with similar injuries
* Craig Cunningham, a player who suffered an acute cardiac event moments before the opening face-off in a game and ended up having to have his leg amputated (he too established a foundation)
* Hilary Knight, a female hockey player on Team USA who took a stand and demanded the equal rights afforded the male players
* Harnarayan Singh, an East Indian hockey fan who fulfilled his dream of broadcasting and hosting Hockey Night Punjabi
* Brock McGillis, the first professional hockey player to openly come out as gay
* Kevin Brown, a referee whose throat was cut during a fight between two hockey players in a game, which caused a stroke
Though I'd never heard of anyone discussed in this book, I found the stories inspirational. I liked the writing style and found there was just enough enough information. After I read a story, I sometimes Googled the person to find out more information and see where they are today.
Hockey fans will enjoy this book. Non-fans (like me) will also like this book and it deals with real people.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/10...
This book is a collection of stories about people connected to hockey and most are Canadians ... players, reporters, coaches, doctors and referees.
The stories include:
* Ben Fanelli, a player who had an on-ice head injury and ended up starting a foundation to help empower others with similar injuries
* Craig Cunningham, a player who suffered an acute cardiac event moments before the opening face-off in a game and ended up having to have his leg amputated (he too established a foundation)
* Hilary Knight, a female hockey player on Team USA who took a stand and demanded the equal rights afforded the male players
* Harnarayan Singh, an East Indian hockey fan who fulfilled his dream of broadcasting and hosting Hockey Night Punjabi
* Brock McGillis, the first professional hockey player to openly come out as gay
* Kevin Brown, a referee whose throat was cut during a fight between two hockey players in a game, which caused a stroke
Though I'd never heard of anyone discussed in this book, I found the stories inspirational. I liked the writing style and found there was just enough enough information. After I read a story, I sometimes Googled the person to find out more information and see where they are today.
Hockey fans will enjoy this book. Non-fans (like me) will also like this book and it deals with real people.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/10...
December 22, 2018
The intro from Bob McKenzie is the only thing raising this above a 1 star rating. I was excited to continue reading when McKenzie was taking a critical look at the privileges that have afforded him the successful career he has. I hoped that the following stories would recognize that the culture of hockey in Canada (and beyond) is far from perfect and profile some heroes who have persisted in spite of this.
Instead, we were given some short fluff pieces telling us the simple plot points of a few different people of interests journeys. Far too much detailing of “and then we won this game, and then we lost that game, but thankfully we came back and won the last game.” There is also very little critical thought to the feelings and experiences of the individuals, or any real analysis of the impact hockey culture had on them beyond “isn’t hockey great!”
If anything, there were a few stories leaving me want to know more of the story, which I guess is the most positive thing I can say. I’d love to see Simon and Schuster take another shot at this, but tell fewer stories and dig into them much deeper.
Instead, we were given some short fluff pieces telling us the simple plot points of a few different people of interests journeys. Far too much detailing of “and then we won this game, and then we lost that game, but thankfully we came back and won the last game.” There is also very little critical thought to the feelings and experiences of the individuals, or any real analysis of the impact hockey culture had on them beyond “isn’t hockey great!”
If anything, there were a few stories leaving me want to know more of the story, which I guess is the most positive thing I can say. I’d love to see Simon and Schuster take another shot at this, but tell fewer stories and dig into them much deeper.
January 29, 2020
Quite frankly this book stunk. I gave it one star because of the 15 short stories..two are interesting.
I just wasn't a fan of the Hilary Knight story. Nothing against women's hockey, but she just sounded ungreatful with a lot or complaints. "
Some stories barely even relate to hockey.
Wayne Simmonds and Ben Fannelli have interesting stories.
Its an easy read but even then its not worth the time. Its just very fluffy and most of the stories are centered around controversy. Like womens hockey, women in sports media, immigrats inclusion in hockey, as examples.
As a hockey fan who is likely the target audience for this book, I cant imagine many people coming away inspired or wishing this book kept going after page 245.
I just wasn't a fan of the Hilary Knight story. Nothing against women's hockey, but she just sounded ungreatful with a lot or complaints. "
Some stories barely even relate to hockey.
Wayne Simmonds and Ben Fannelli have interesting stories.
Its an easy read but even then its not worth the time. Its just very fluffy and most of the stories are centered around controversy. Like womens hockey, women in sports media, immigrats inclusion in hockey, as examples.
As a hockey fan who is likely the target audience for this book, I cant imagine many people coming away inspired or wishing this book kept going after page 245.
January 26, 2021
Short stories told from the perspective of various ‘everyday people’. Best chapters were the intro, the last story and the acknowledgements, as they were the only pieces written by Bob Mackenzie or Jim Lang themselves. If you want to read a book about hockey, written by an insider, it’s not this book. If you have a young person struggling with overcoming adversity, looking for inspiration, they might enjoy a few of these passages.
My father in law received volume 2 of Everyday Hockey Heroes. I’ll read the intro.
My father in law received volume 2 of Everyday Hockey Heroes. I’ll read the intro.
February 21, 2024
I read the second volume of this first and loved it. This one was still good, I just thought the second one was a lot better because it had better stories, that were more in depth, interesting, and longer. While this one had few short stories and wasn't as diverse in the stories as the second one.
December 7, 2018
Genuinely inspiring. Not your typical hockey book - that’s a compliment, by the way - and well worth your time.
December 31, 2018
Simmonds story was the most interesting, and that's the first chapter in the book. I'd love to read more stories following that thread, but the other stories were mostly misses.
January 22, 2019
Beautiful stories for all hockey fans
February 4, 2025
Good read, entertaining
January 16, 2021
🌈 Part of my 2021 Reading Rainbow Challenge : White
May 1, 2024
A delightful plethora of stories that link hockey to the real world. A well-written anthology.
January 8, 2021
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for sending me this advanced readers copy!
This book is filled with lots of personal stories from hockey heroes, both on and off the ice. I am not the greatest hockey fan, but did find this book interesting and inspirational. I would definitely recommend this book to someone who follows hockey (since they would see many familiar names). However, this book is not strictly for those who like hockey, some of these stories can be relatable to many of us. Overall, an enjoyable read!
This book is filled with lots of personal stories from hockey heroes, both on and off the ice. I am not the greatest hockey fan, but did find this book interesting and inspirational. I would definitely recommend this book to someone who follows hockey (since they would see many familiar names). However, this book is not strictly for those who like hockey, some of these stories can be relatable to many of us. Overall, an enjoyable read!
March 24, 2020
A collection of short essays by hockey personnel, this looks at people who have overcome various challenges to get to where they are in hockey. McKenzie had a variety of individuals included here, from players (Wayne Simmonds), to media (Andi Petrillo), to medical personal. Each story shows a strong commitment both to hockey and to the individual themselves, and how they have been successful at whatever they are at.
November 18, 2021
Bob McKenzie, who is an amazing ambassador for the game of hockey, does a wonderful job of telling all of these heroes stories. Opening my eyes of how much the game of hockey can mean to people. While being able to provide so much for so many and their families .
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews