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All Roads Home: A Life On and Off the Ice
A poignant and inspiring memoir of the people and challenges that shaped the life and career of Canada's most decorated Indigenous athlete.
Over the course of his incredible career, Bryan Trottier set a new standard of hockey excellence. A seven-time Stanley Cup champion (four with the New York Islanders, two with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and one as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche), Trottier won countless awards and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was named one of the NHL's Top 100 Players of All Time.
Trottier grew up in Val Marie, Saskatchewan, the son of a Cree/Chippewa/Metis father and an Irish-Canadian mother. All Roads Home offers a poignant, funny, wise, and inspiring look at his coming of age, both on and off the ice. It is a unique memoir in which Trottier shares stories about family, friends, teammates, and coaches, the lessons that he has learned from them, and the profound impact they have had in shaping the person he has become.
Some of the incredible characters featured in the book include Trottier's father Buzz; legendary Islanders coach Al Arbour; teammates Clark Gillies and Mike Bossy; and the Penguins' Mario Lemieux, to name but a few. He'll also talk about the high school English teacher and guidance counsellor who helped him develop self-confidence and encouraged him as a writer: Governor General's Award-winning poet, Lorna Crozier.
All Roads Home will also include a Foreword from bestselling author Jesse Thistle (From the Ashes) and two very special Afterwords: one from Trottier's daughter, Lindsy Ruthven, and the other from his life-long friend, beloved hockey great Dave Tiger Williams.
Over the course of his incredible career, Bryan Trottier set a new standard of hockey excellence. A seven-time Stanley Cup champion (four with the New York Islanders, two with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and one as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche), Trottier won countless awards and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was named one of the NHL's Top 100 Players of All Time.
Trottier grew up in Val Marie, Saskatchewan, the son of a Cree/Chippewa/Metis father and an Irish-Canadian mother. All Roads Home offers a poignant, funny, wise, and inspiring look at his coming of age, both on and off the ice. It is a unique memoir in which Trottier shares stories about family, friends, teammates, and coaches, the lessons that he has learned from them, and the profound impact they have had in shaping the person he has become.
Some of the incredible characters featured in the book include Trottier's father Buzz; legendary Islanders coach Al Arbour; teammates Clark Gillies and Mike Bossy; and the Penguins' Mario Lemieux, to name but a few. He'll also talk about the high school English teacher and guidance counsellor who helped him develop self-confidence and encouraged him as a writer: Governor General's Award-winning poet, Lorna Crozier.
All Roads Home will also include a Foreword from bestselling author Jesse Thistle (From the Ashes) and two very special Afterwords: one from Trottier's daughter, Lindsy Ruthven, and the other from his life-long friend, beloved hockey great Dave Tiger Williams.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 25, 2022
24 people are currently reading
260 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
November 13, 2022
For anyone who didn't get to watch Trottier play--imagine if Sidney Crosby traded a small amount of his skill (maybe 5-10%), for the ability to throw thunderous body checks, disproportionate to his size. Trottier really was THAT good (and that important), to hockey back in the late 70's and early 80's.
What has always stuck with me about Trottier is that back in the early 1980's, many people argued that he was better than Wayne Gretzky. In the same way the young Michael Jordan was being compared unfavourably to Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the late 80's, Wayne Gretzky and his young upstart Oilers team were dogged by comparisons to the legendary Islanders Dynasty, and their "cherubic and chunky" captain, Bryan Trottier.
Here's the New York Times in 1982:
Bryan Trottier of the Islanders is the center with whom Gretzky is most often compared. ''We're two different kinds of players,'' Gretzky said, choosing his words carefully. ''What he does, he does better than anyone else in the N.H.L., and I have tremendous respect for him. He's a great player.
''The thing he has that I don't have is the strength - he knocks people over. ''I don't play that style, and because I don't, people say I'm weak defensively. But that's not the way I play. There are things Bryan Trottier can do that Wayne Gretzky can't do, but I like to think there are some things I can do that Bryan Trottier can't do.''
Doesn't it seem crazy to hear Wayne Gretzky defensively suggest that he MIGHT be able to do some things in hockey that Bryan Trottier can't do?
Here's another article excerpt from the Christian Science Monitor in 1983, written during a Stanley Cup Showdown where Trottier and the Islanders had the upper hand:
"Until Gretzky joined the NHL, there was little doubt that Trottier was the best center in the game. Since then, the two have costarred in the best debate since the experts took sides between Gordie Howe and Maurice Richard in the 1950 s.
Islander Coach Al Arbour is on record as claiming he wouldn't trade Trottier for Gretzky. The way the playoffs have gone so far in the Islanders' bid for their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup, it's getting easier to understand Arbour's position."
Gretzky went on to pretty definitively settle that argument in the end, but it really speaks to Trottier's greatness that he was the standard that Wayne Gretzky was compared against, when he first entered the league.
Anyway, enough hockey history! All Roads Home is a straightforward hockey memoir from the greatest Indigenous hockey player in NHL history. This memoir is hardly "poignant" or "wise" as the blurb insists, but it is a nice little memoir for hockey fans, particularly for those old enough to remember watching him play. I enjoyed hearing stories about Trottier's lifelong friendship with Tiger Williams, learning more about the Islanders dynasty years, and reading about the intriguing moment in Trottier's career where he was washed up, but still contributed in his own small way to back-to-back cups for the Penguins in the early 90's.
What has always stuck with me about Trottier is that back in the early 1980's, many people argued that he was better than Wayne Gretzky. In the same way the young Michael Jordan was being compared unfavourably to Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the late 80's, Wayne Gretzky and his young upstart Oilers team were dogged by comparisons to the legendary Islanders Dynasty, and their "cherubic and chunky" captain, Bryan Trottier.
Here's the New York Times in 1982:
Bryan Trottier of the Islanders is the center with whom Gretzky is most often compared. ''We're two different kinds of players,'' Gretzky said, choosing his words carefully. ''What he does, he does better than anyone else in the N.H.L., and I have tremendous respect for him. He's a great player.
''The thing he has that I don't have is the strength - he knocks people over. ''I don't play that style, and because I don't, people say I'm weak defensively. But that's not the way I play. There are things Bryan Trottier can do that Wayne Gretzky can't do, but I like to think there are some things I can do that Bryan Trottier can't do.''
Doesn't it seem crazy to hear Wayne Gretzky defensively suggest that he MIGHT be able to do some things in hockey that Bryan Trottier can't do?
Here's another article excerpt from the Christian Science Monitor in 1983, written during a Stanley Cup Showdown where Trottier and the Islanders had the upper hand:
"Until Gretzky joined the NHL, there was little doubt that Trottier was the best center in the game. Since then, the two have costarred in the best debate since the experts took sides between Gordie Howe and Maurice Richard in the 1950 s.
Islander Coach Al Arbour is on record as claiming he wouldn't trade Trottier for Gretzky. The way the playoffs have gone so far in the Islanders' bid for their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup, it's getting easier to understand Arbour's position."
Gretzky went on to pretty definitively settle that argument in the end, but it really speaks to Trottier's greatness that he was the standard that Wayne Gretzky was compared against, when he first entered the league.
Anyway, enough hockey history! All Roads Home is a straightforward hockey memoir from the greatest Indigenous hockey player in NHL history. This memoir is hardly "poignant" or "wise" as the blurb insists, but it is a nice little memoir for hockey fans, particularly for those old enough to remember watching him play. I enjoyed hearing stories about Trottier's lifelong friendship with Tiger Williams, learning more about the Islanders dynasty years, and reading about the intriguing moment in Trottier's career where he was washed up, but still contributed in his own small way to back-to-back cups for the Penguins in the early 90's.
December 6, 2022
I am not a huge hockey fan, but I bought this book because of a positive article in the Globe & Mail. It’s a sweet book, written by a very humble man. In addition to being voted “one of the 100 greatest hockey players” in history, Trottier is a great story teller. I hope the book will be widely read by hockey fans!
March 15, 2025
Pretty straightforward athlete biography. It was interesting to get insight on the perspective of Indigenous athletes in pro hockey (especially in the 70s-80s).
May 19, 2023
As a member of the New York Islanders in the early 1980’s, Bryan Trottier was a key member of their teams who won four consecutive Stanley Cups. He won two more in the early 1990’s as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins and one more in 2001 as an assistant coach for the Colorado Avalanche. He was named as one of the 100 greatest NHL players during the league’s centennial anniversary in 2017 and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. However, his family member are never far from his mind and this memoir show what family means to him.
Throughout the book, it is clear to the reader or listener that Trottier is very much a positive person and that family is most important in his life. He talks lovingly about all of his children and how they are living successful lives. Even though he was divorced twice, there is never a bitter or mean word said about either of ex-wives. His tributes to his parents, both during their lives and at their deaths, are very touching. It was quite different to read such a memoir.
It was also clear he was proud of his Indigenous heritage. Many others looked to him for inspiration and while he was not outspoken about the struggles of his people, he would make them proud and never forgot that he was representing them.
This positivity is not limited to family. No matter what part of his hockey career he talks about – junior hockey, his time with the Islanders and Penguins, his coaching in the AHL and in Colorado and even as head coach of the New York Rangers (a job he held less than one full season) he NEVER talked in the negative. The last job was the one that really surprise me in how he did not have one iota of bitterness toward the team or its GM Glen Sather. It’s a consistent theme through the book – Trottier was very grateful for all of his opportunities.
Of course, the best passages are about his time with the Islanders and his roommate on those teams, another Hall of Fame player, Mike Bossy. It was fun to listen to the stories about the back and forth between these two all time greats and just as great to hear the description of their play on the ice. Having the good fortune to have seen these two and their team produce one of hockey’s greatest dynasties was a treat and listening to this audio book was almost as good.
Throughout the book, it is clear to the reader or listener that Trottier is very much a positive person and that family is most important in his life. He talks lovingly about all of his children and how they are living successful lives. Even though he was divorced twice, there is never a bitter or mean word said about either of ex-wives. His tributes to his parents, both during their lives and at their deaths, are very touching. It was quite different to read such a memoir.
It was also clear he was proud of his Indigenous heritage. Many others looked to him for inspiration and while he was not outspoken about the struggles of his people, he would make them proud and never forgot that he was representing them.
This positivity is not limited to family. No matter what part of his hockey career he talks about – junior hockey, his time with the Islanders and Penguins, his coaching in the AHL and in Colorado and even as head coach of the New York Rangers (a job he held less than one full season) he NEVER talked in the negative. The last job was the one that really surprise me in how he did not have one iota of bitterness toward the team or its GM Glen Sather. It’s a consistent theme through the book – Trottier was very grateful for all of his opportunities.
Of course, the best passages are about his time with the Islanders and his roommate on those teams, another Hall of Fame player, Mike Bossy. It was fun to listen to the stories about the back and forth between these two all time greats and just as great to hear the description of their play on the ice. Having the good fortune to have seen these two and their team produce one of hockey’s greatest dynasties was a treat and listening to this audio book was almost as good.
January 28, 2024
Personally, I always find it interesting following the life of a professional hockey player, especially one that is Canadian. Following the life of Bryan, learning about his heritage and native roots, I left as though I was watching a movie. Listening to this as an audio book, made the words flow. You could hear the sorrow and joy of everything that happened in Bryan’s voice from when he was drafted into the NHL, to when he realized that he could not longer play.
November 7, 2022
As a kid growing up in the 80’s, Bryan Trottier was a house-hold name, and not only within the province of Saskatchewan. As he broke through to the NHL, hockey fans would know him as a fierce competitor and a force to be reckoned with on the ice. With determination, his name would be attached to (but not limited to) League’s Top Scorer, MVP, and inductions into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, National Aboriginal Achievement Award, and of course the Hockey Hall of Fame. And In addition to all that, as a player and coaching staff, he was a part of winning the Stanley Cup (the holy grail of the hockey world) seven times…yes, SEVEN times!
ALL ROADS HOME explores Bryan Trottier’s life on and off the ice. Which includes stories of his early hockey career as a small-town Saskatchewan boy of Metis heritage, while enduring heckles of racist taunts with bouts of loneliness.
This book is perfect for those who love great hockey stories, and for those who will appreciate connections through his Indigenous stories.
ALL ROADS HOME explores Bryan Trottier’s life on and off the ice. Which includes stories of his early hockey career as a small-town Saskatchewan boy of Metis heritage, while enduring heckles of racist taunts with bouts of loneliness.
This book is perfect for those who love great hockey stories, and for those who will appreciate connections through his Indigenous stories.
December 11, 2022
A great book and one that was long overdue for Trots.
November 18, 2022
A seven time Stanley Cup champion with the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Colorado Avalanche, Trottier recounts his road from Saskatchewan farm boy to NHL All-Star in his memoir, ALL ROADS HOME.
Trottier’s career ended just after I turned ten years old in 1994, so it’s safe to say I missed the bulk of his best years. That said, he isn’t someone I hear much about despite the legendary stats he put up over his long career. You know he’s a special player when Gretzky said that there were things Trottier could do that he couldn’t!
It’s no secret that I prefer a book written about a specific era or subject in hockey more than I do the straight-up player memoir, but this one did intrigue me. When you think about the 1980s in the NHL, the first team that always comes to mind is the Edmonton Oilers. And why not? They had a dynasty. But you know what team won 4 straight cups? The Bryan Trottier-led New York Islanders.
Trottier recounts the tough road travelled to establish a championship dynasty in the early 80s. The decade contained an offensive explosion the likes of which we will never see again (Gretzky had 92 goals and 210 points in the 1981-1982 season alone!) which required players to often push themselves beyond what they believed was humanly possible. Bryan writing of teammate Mike Bossy requiring someone to both carry him into the arena and tie his skates before getting on the ice and scoring three or more goals was mindblowing.
ALL ROADS HOME is more or less your paint-by-numbers player memoir. That’s not a knock at it, really. I mean, if you’ve read enough of these books like I have, it’s about what you’d expect. There isn’t really anything offensive here nor is there anything particularly exciting. If you’re a big Islanders fan who followed Bryan during his heyday, it’s likely going to be fun to relive the glory days, just like how I felt as a Leafs fan reading both Doug Gilmour or Wendell Clark’s stories.
Trottier’s career ended just after I turned ten years old in 1994, so it’s safe to say I missed the bulk of his best years. That said, he isn’t someone I hear much about despite the legendary stats he put up over his long career. You know he’s a special player when Gretzky said that there were things Trottier could do that he couldn’t!
It’s no secret that I prefer a book written about a specific era or subject in hockey more than I do the straight-up player memoir, but this one did intrigue me. When you think about the 1980s in the NHL, the first team that always comes to mind is the Edmonton Oilers. And why not? They had a dynasty. But you know what team won 4 straight cups? The Bryan Trottier-led New York Islanders.
Trottier recounts the tough road travelled to establish a championship dynasty in the early 80s. The decade contained an offensive explosion the likes of which we will never see again (Gretzky had 92 goals and 210 points in the 1981-1982 season alone!) which required players to often push themselves beyond what they believed was humanly possible. Bryan writing of teammate Mike Bossy requiring someone to both carry him into the arena and tie his skates before getting on the ice and scoring three or more goals was mindblowing.
ALL ROADS HOME is more or less your paint-by-numbers player memoir. That’s not a knock at it, really. I mean, if you’ve read enough of these books like I have, it’s about what you’d expect. There isn’t really anything offensive here nor is there anything particularly exciting. If you’re a big Islanders fan who followed Bryan during his heyday, it’s likely going to be fun to relive the glory days, just like how I felt as a Leafs fan reading both Doug Gilmour or Wendell Clark’s stories.
December 25, 2022
Really enjoyed this book. Easy to read. A great gift idea for any hockey fan who ever watched him play.
August 29, 2023
This is a great book.Enjoyed it cover to cover!
January 16, 2023
This is a great book. The book was more about the person and less about hockey. I found it a surprisingly good book from an amazing hockey player. Very proud individual proud of his heritage, proud of what he accomplished in hockey, and his biggest achievement was being a fighter, he wasn’t always perfect but he’s pretty close, great book you should read it.
November 16, 2023
I was an Islanders fan as a kid and and became a Penguin fan after meeting Gary Rissling at a hockey camp in the 80s, so was really looking forward to getting an inside look at not only one of the great players in hockey history, but the teams of that era and some of the stories to fill in my love of the history of hockey. Unfortunately, that is not what I found.
Yes, it was interesting to read about Trottier's background and family back on the farm, but once the book started to focus more on his hockey career, it really fell off. He had such an amazing career and crossed paths with so many great teams and players, you would think there would be an abundance of anecdotes to tell about. There isn't. This book constantly left me saying to myself...."and.....?" At one point, he even mentions all the stories that could be told, but leaves it at that. Don't get me wrong, there are a few small anecdotes, but we are always left hanging. How do you go through all those cup runs and have hardly anything to say about any of them and the opposition other than the usual platitudes?
After the family history and a few scant very tame anecdotes here and there, this book was really uninteresting and anti-climactic overall. I'm actually surprised it was published. Even the way it is put together made me shake my head. A lot of what we do get seems pretty random and not always connected to anything particular. There is one entire anecdote talking about a shelf in the dressing room that was used to hold tape etc and how one time it all came down. That took up about a page and was plunked into a chapter for apparently no reason. There is a lot of stuff like that throughout. It's almost like Brunt took Trottier's random thoughts and found a spot for them just to fill up pages.
If you want to know more about Trottier, get this book from your library and just read the first few chapters. There is very little to be gained by reading the rest.
Yes, it was interesting to read about Trottier's background and family back on the farm, but once the book started to focus more on his hockey career, it really fell off. He had such an amazing career and crossed paths with so many great teams and players, you would think there would be an abundance of anecdotes to tell about. There isn't. This book constantly left me saying to myself...."and.....?" At one point, he even mentions all the stories that could be told, but leaves it at that. Don't get me wrong, there are a few small anecdotes, but we are always left hanging. How do you go through all those cup runs and have hardly anything to say about any of them and the opposition other than the usual platitudes?
After the family history and a few scant very tame anecdotes here and there, this book was really uninteresting and anti-climactic overall. I'm actually surprised it was published. Even the way it is put together made me shake my head. A lot of what we do get seems pretty random and not always connected to anything particular. There is one entire anecdote talking about a shelf in the dressing room that was used to hold tape etc and how one time it all came down. That took up about a page and was plunked into a chapter for apparently no reason. There is a lot of stuff like that throughout. It's almost like Brunt took Trottier's random thoughts and found a spot for them just to fill up pages.
If you want to know more about Trottier, get this book from your library and just read the first few chapters. There is very little to be gained by reading the rest.
March 4, 2023
The most interesting parts of this very pedestrian biography are the times Trottier delves into his Native heritage and background. The hockey stuff is okay, but the glaring omission is his stint in Roller Hockey International, which was a chapter of his life I was very much looking forward to glimpsing.
Unless you're an Islanders fan, I'd say this is skippable.
Unless you're an Islanders fan, I'd say this is skippable.
March 14, 2023
Holy boring Batman. This reads like an in between periods interview, cliches, love for everything, and as vibrant as milk toast. If you are looking for great insider stories, something interesting or new, this isn’t it. Love Trottier and his story, but this book will leave you with nothing more than accolades and that he was a good buddy with Tiger. Expected better with Brunt involved.
November 26, 2022
Superficial play by play that missed the real insights for his life in hockey as a superstar.
February 5, 2023
This book was the best book I’ve ever read! I might be biased. In all honesty, though my favorite sports team was the Habs of Montreal, I was also so appreciative of the NY Islanders’ hockey, especially in 1977, while playing Midget Major AA hockey in Canada. And my favorite player on that NYI team was the author, Bryan Trottier, a humble, smaller, First Nation, prairie-farm boy who worked hard. Feeling kinship to him was easy, myself being small in stature with a need to knock silly the bigger hockey opponents, who took liberties often with their +50 lbs advantage. Despite his superstar mantle, Trots just seemed like such a nice guy. I remember clearly seeing a post-game interview, where he was sincerely sorry for breaking my Montreal Canadien Captain’s shoulder with a vicious body check. After being shown the video, he apologized to the TV audience “ Oh Geez, I feel bad. I didn’t realize I hit him that hard.” Watching his contrition, I laughed so hard, and henceforth in my own hockey games, began apologizing to opponents immediately after crunching them as hard as I could. Clearly my new role model, right?
So this book might read as a simple hockey autobiography, with nothing salacious, or jaw-dropping bombs, but it is filled with funny stories that especially light the lamp for a hockey fan. It gives great insights into culture of the 70’s, farm life in small-town western Canada, bright lights on NYC, family relationships, treatment for depression, and the life of a hockey player…. all told in such an honest, intelligent writing style. I wish he weren’t so humble though. With such great achievements, any neophyte to that era would not be able to tell how special Bryan Trottier was to the game of hockey. It is shocking to me that this was written in 2022, when he retired so long ago (28 years ago). What took so long? Humility.
And I didn’t realize was that his Dad was half-Cree and half-Métis, i.e., a full-blooded First Native Canadian. Prejudice in hockey is well known, despite Canadian politeness in general. Being such a good player draws even more attention, though the name Trottier sound French, and Bryan Trottier picked up the fairer skinned looks of his Irish-Canadian mother. I think it would have been great for the NHL to have promoted that heritage of it’s Number 1 Star (Hart, Art Ross, Con Smythe, MVP, Calder, Clancy, Stanley Cup x7) way back then, but no one knew that at that time. Sad to recently find that Canada had such a shameful past with treatment of the First Nation and their kids. Advertising Brian Trottier by the NHL would no doubt have helped smooth the harsh, though sometimes, subtle edges of racial discrimination in Canada, and especially in the United States. I myself, have seen (and experienced firsthand) that ugliness, in and out of the dressing room. Glad it’s receiving attention now, and glad that hockey is playing a role in that social change! Trottier is only positive about the progressive thinking we’ve started towards in hockey. His ambassador role is finally in play.
On the fun side, Trotts rolls out so many fun anecdotes you’ve never heard before… as though it’s an all-day Spittin’ Chicklets podcast, eh 😂. And as a non-book side story (both hilarious and inappropriate), just google the viral clip of “Trottier chirping Bellows” to get the locker-room perspective to this warrior. Soooo funny too, hearing (YouTube interviews) how he has to try to explain it to school kids.
Oh, and another nice side highlight: there’s a new Bryan Trottier Award for recognizing the indigenous athlete in any sport… Kudos, eh!… His (and Tiger Williams’) volunteer work speaking overtook his joy for playing and coaching…. & if you want to cry, just google him singing his original song to his daughter at her wedding!
This is such a treat of hockey story of a life well-lived. I’m sending my book to Trottier today to ask for an inscription of “ Oh Geez, I feel bad. I didn’t realize I hit him that hard.” 😂
So this book might read as a simple hockey autobiography, with nothing salacious, or jaw-dropping bombs, but it is filled with funny stories that especially light the lamp for a hockey fan. It gives great insights into culture of the 70’s, farm life in small-town western Canada, bright lights on NYC, family relationships, treatment for depression, and the life of a hockey player…. all told in such an honest, intelligent writing style. I wish he weren’t so humble though. With such great achievements, any neophyte to that era would not be able to tell how special Bryan Trottier was to the game of hockey. It is shocking to me that this was written in 2022, when he retired so long ago (28 years ago). What took so long? Humility.
And I didn’t realize was that his Dad was half-Cree and half-Métis, i.e., a full-blooded First Native Canadian. Prejudice in hockey is well known, despite Canadian politeness in general. Being such a good player draws even more attention, though the name Trottier sound French, and Bryan Trottier picked up the fairer skinned looks of his Irish-Canadian mother. I think it would have been great for the NHL to have promoted that heritage of it’s Number 1 Star (Hart, Art Ross, Con Smythe, MVP, Calder, Clancy, Stanley Cup x7) way back then, but no one knew that at that time. Sad to recently find that Canada had such a shameful past with treatment of the First Nation and their kids. Advertising Brian Trottier by the NHL would no doubt have helped smooth the harsh, though sometimes, subtle edges of racial discrimination in Canada, and especially in the United States. I myself, have seen (and experienced firsthand) that ugliness, in and out of the dressing room. Glad it’s receiving attention now, and glad that hockey is playing a role in that social change! Trottier is only positive about the progressive thinking we’ve started towards in hockey. His ambassador role is finally in play.
On the fun side, Trotts rolls out so many fun anecdotes you’ve never heard before… as though it’s an all-day Spittin’ Chicklets podcast, eh 😂. And as a non-book side story (both hilarious and inappropriate), just google the viral clip of “Trottier chirping Bellows” to get the locker-room perspective to this warrior. Soooo funny too, hearing (YouTube interviews) how he has to try to explain it to school kids.
Oh, and another nice side highlight: there’s a new Bryan Trottier Award for recognizing the indigenous athlete in any sport… Kudos, eh!… His (and Tiger Williams’) volunteer work speaking overtook his joy for playing and coaching…. & if you want to cry, just google him singing his original song to his daughter at her wedding!
This is such a treat of hockey story of a life well-lived. I’m sending my book to Trottier today to ask for an inscription of “ Oh Geez, I feel bad. I didn’t realize I hit him that hard.” 😂
March 15, 2025
I picked this up from the Indigenous authors section of a bookstore in Victoria, BC, not knowing—even as a diehard Islanders fan!—that Bryan Trottier is the most decorated Indigenous athlete of all time. I then becoming totally absorbed in his story.
Trottier and Brunt have managed to write a memoir that both hits all the important points that readers expect from a sports memoir—detailed run-downs of each game of those 19 record playoff series wins, funny and heart-warming stories about old teammates, and an interesting look in to the transition from player to coach and then retiree—while also writing a story that centres almost totally on family, loyalty, and the concept of ‘home’. I had tears in my eyes at more than a few points, most notably when Trottier recounts a conversation he had with his father after a young Bryan tried to quit hockey due to homesickness: “You know, you can always come home.”
I just loved all of it. Trottier’s love for his kids, his friends, his teammates and colleagues really shines through in this memoir. He manages to name almost every single guy he ever played hockey with, from junior to the NHL, without skipping a beat. There is a real respect in how he talks about rival teams when detailing the events of each playoff series. So humble and respectful without an ounce of ego.
Trots was already one of my favourite legacy Islanders, along with Mike Bossy. I only wish that #22 could have lived to read this book in its completeness. I reckon he would have laughed at some of the stories Trottier has told about him in here. One can only hope he has access to it somewhere up at the great hockey rink in the sky.
Trottier and Brunt have managed to write a memoir that both hits all the important points that readers expect from a sports memoir—detailed run-downs of each game of those 19 record playoff series wins, funny and heart-warming stories about old teammates, and an interesting look in to the transition from player to coach and then retiree—while also writing a story that centres almost totally on family, loyalty, and the concept of ‘home’. I had tears in my eyes at more than a few points, most notably when Trottier recounts a conversation he had with his father after a young Bryan tried to quit hockey due to homesickness: “You know, you can always come home.”
I just loved all of it. Trottier’s love for his kids, his friends, his teammates and colleagues really shines through in this memoir. He manages to name almost every single guy he ever played hockey with, from junior to the NHL, without skipping a beat. There is a real respect in how he talks about rival teams when detailing the events of each playoff series. So humble and respectful without an ounce of ego.
Trots was already one of my favourite legacy Islanders, along with Mike Bossy. I only wish that #22 could have lived to read this book in its completeness. I reckon he would have laughed at some of the stories Trottier has told about him in here. One can only hope he has access to it somewhere up at the great hockey rink in the sky.
January 3, 2023
a common approach to the dozens of hockey books I've read over the years.
I find early life and discovery interesting.
The book then turns in the direction of descriptions of games/series won and lost and the ups and downs of a career in the NHL. Standard stuff.
Rarely are the authors critical or insightful of these events if at all.
A glaring omission in the book, in my opinion, for example, is Trottiers' 2 failed marriages. Not any description of these events whatsoever.
So it's a hockey book, not a life story.
From a distance, I enjoyed the dynasty that was the New York Islanders and the participation of the players and the personalities I always admired even to the point where I had a friend who named her son Bryan. Same spelling.
Trottier is a terrific person, and father apparently, and a tremendous player on one of the greatest teams in NHL history.
However, Tiger, as great as he was, Trottier is not the best player Saskatchewan ever produced. Number 2 perhaps? (although I agree SK does produce the best players).
I find early life and discovery interesting.
The book then turns in the direction of descriptions of games/series won and lost and the ups and downs of a career in the NHL. Standard stuff.
Rarely are the authors critical or insightful of these events if at all.
A glaring omission in the book, in my opinion, for example, is Trottiers' 2 failed marriages. Not any description of these events whatsoever.
So it's a hockey book, not a life story.
From a distance, I enjoyed the dynasty that was the New York Islanders and the participation of the players and the personalities I always admired even to the point where I had a friend who named her son Bryan. Same spelling.
Trottier is a terrific person, and father apparently, and a tremendous player on one of the greatest teams in NHL history.
However, Tiger, as great as he was, Trottier is not the best player Saskatchewan ever produced. Number 2 perhaps? (although I agree SK does produce the best players).
April 19, 2024
A Class Act
I have read a lot of books that have chronicled the stories of hockey legends, and while it started a little bit slow for me, it gained momentum and had me dialed in soon enough. I particularly liked when Mr. Trottier shared his road to the Cup, and all it took to not only get there but to also maintain that level of greatness. It is clear that Mr. Trottier is loved by all and gives back much more than he takes. Having been an Islanders fan since my childhood and having had posters and pictures all over my room, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and "getting to know Bryan" along the way. Kudos to you, sir, for raising an amazing family, excelling at your sport, and remaining humble along the path to such heights. All should take a page from your "songbook" and the world would be better because of it. Thank you for sharing your story!
I have read a lot of books that have chronicled the stories of hockey legends, and while it started a little bit slow for me, it gained momentum and had me dialed in soon enough. I particularly liked when Mr. Trottier shared his road to the Cup, and all it took to not only get there but to also maintain that level of greatness. It is clear that Mr. Trottier is loved by all and gives back much more than he takes. Having been an Islanders fan since my childhood and having had posters and pictures all over my room, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and "getting to know Bryan" along the way. Kudos to you, sir, for raising an amazing family, excelling at your sport, and remaining humble along the path to such heights. All should take a page from your "songbook" and the world would be better because of it. Thank you for sharing your story!
November 17, 2022
If you like hockey memoirs, you will enjoy this book. Bryan Trottier has had a fascinating life, that's for sure. For me the most interesting part of his story was his description of his childhood, with two very devoted parents and wonderful family. While living on the farm was hard work, Trottier considered himself lucky, despite all the chores he had to do, because he always could count on three meals a day. His father was a very talented man, both athletically and musically. In looking at Bryan's school report card, his dad didn't look at the mark, but at the effort grade. Trottier's story is fascinating, and very positive. It seems he never met a coach he didn't like.
February 14, 2023
A fun read if you're a hockey fan - particularly if you remember the early '80s.
Everyone likes a small town to big city lights story, and this one fits the bill. Brian Trottier, hockey superstar from Val Marie, Saskatchewan, finds success on Long Island, playing for the New York Islanders. Trottier, Bossy and company had a four-year streak of lifting the Stanley Cup. My only criticism of the book is that I'd expected more inside stories (beefs with refs, hotel room hijinks, fist fight tales, etc.)
An enjoyable read for the sports fans out there.
Everyone likes a small town to big city lights story, and this one fits the bill. Brian Trottier, hockey superstar from Val Marie, Saskatchewan, finds success on Long Island, playing for the New York Islanders. Trottier, Bossy and company had a four-year streak of lifting the Stanley Cup. My only criticism of the book is that I'd expected more inside stories (beefs with refs, hotel room hijinks, fist fight tales, etc.)
An enjoyable read for the sports fans out there.
February 15, 2023
Charming story for anyone who loves a Canadian, down to Earth true story. Having been to Grasslands National Park, and growing up on the prairies, this book has a great deal to relate too - even if you don't know much about hockey. I learned a great deal - 7 Stanley Cups and proud to be of "Metis" heritage, Bryan's Mom told him to ignore all the racist comments as people were just jealous of Bryan and his family. A lot to be jealous of - Bryan's family is athletic, musical and hardworking. A true story of success, because they were raised to give all the effort they could.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2023
Considering some memoirs are so long and drawn out I think Trottier did a great job keeping his story interesting and concise. You can really feel his passion through his writing. If you’re an Islanders fan or a fan of 70s/80s hockey this will probably appeal to you a lot more than myself but I still appreciate his insight and experiences.
August 17, 2025
Listened on audiobook. I really enjoyed this book, listening as a Rangers fan it was a shame to listen to so much Islanders success but the way the stories were delivered was really interesting. Having read a few books from Oilers perspectives of this period, it was really interesting to hear it from an Islanders perspective. Great read.
November 8, 2022
Full disclosure, I was privileged to watch Trots in his prime and appear with him as a guest on a local cable show twice..
This was an interesting first person account of a trip from the “ wilds” of Saskatchewan to the NHL as a player and coach.
This was an interesting first person account of a trip from the “ wilds” of Saskatchewan to the NHL as a player and coach.
November 25, 2022
I love reading biographies of athletes I actually grew up watching and this one is no different. It was so different to get the dirt on what Trottier went through growing up and becoming one of the best NHLers of all time.
December 4, 2022
Quick, easy read. Stories of growing up in small town Saskatchewan on a big ranch were interesting - but most of this memoir were surface level, easy breezy stories of a guy who grew up playing hockey, was real good at it, and found himself with a great life doing it.
April 14, 2023
A fun journey through the life of Bryan Trottier. As good as he was on the ice, his humility might be his best trait. While he manages to share some of his accolades (there's a lot of them), it was always swarmed by praise for those around him. A Hall of Fame guy!
August 21, 2023
4.25 stars
6 Cups as a player
1 Cup as a coach
Calder Trophy Winner 1976
Art Ross Trophy Winner 1979
Hart Trophy Winner 1979
Conn Smythe Winner 1980
Inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame 1997
Trots was a beast!
Read his story.
6 Cups as a player
1 Cup as a coach
Calder Trophy Winner 1976
Art Ross Trophy Winner 1979
Hart Trophy Winner 1979
Conn Smythe Winner 1980
Inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame 1997
Trots was a beast!
Read his story.
June 12, 2025
This is a good depiction of Bryan Trottier's life. it details his effort to get to the NHL and then his journey to be a champion. It is heartfelt and interesting. The book really picks up in the 2nd half as his career develops and matures. if you are a sports fan, it is worth your time.
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