Pucks on pages: Hockey books worth reading

Looking for more ways to satisfy your hockey appetite while the NHL remains paused? Hungry for more New York Rangers?

We all miss the New York Rangers and NHL hockey. The networks are trying to fill the void by serving replays of classic (and not so classic) games. Websites like Blue Line Station are revisiting Blueshirts history. But if you desire a broader look at the game, why not grab a book?

There are thousands of books about hockey and dozens about the Rangers. Here are just a few that we recommend devouring until we get hockey back. We’ll start with a book most consider to be best ever written about the game.

The Game – Ken Dryden

We’ll be taking a look at some great hockey books during the hiatus pic.twitter.com/sptXD5De2i

Revised a few times since its original copyright in 1983, this is the Stanley Cup of hockey books. Dryden, a Cornell University graduate and winner of six NHL championship rings,  provides a compelling look to what it was like playing in hockey-mad Montreal and for tyrannical coach Scotty Bowman.

The book’s most recent edition was published in 2013, and covers the NHL’s growth and his transition from Hall of Fame goaltender to the Canadian Parliament and officer of the Order of Canada. You can order a new or used copy, as well as the audio version here.

Our next must-read is a condensed version of the century-old NHL that will have you reaching for tissues as you read — that’s how much and how hard you’ll be laughing.

The Down Goes Brown History of the NHL – Sean McIndoe

A humorous, informative and sarcastic review of the league. Don’t just take our word. Check out veteran hockey writer Greg Wyshynski’s shout out, as found on the book’s back cover: “This is the book that Sean McIndoe was born to write, if only because the history of the NHL requires heavy doses of skepticism and sarcasm to prevent nausea. …(McIndoe is) like the guy at the pub giving you a master class in hockey history, except he’s funnier and smarter than your drunk (rear) will ever be.” The book is available here in several formats, including audio and Kindle.

Next are two books every New York Rangers fan should read (or read again; they’re just that good).

100 Things Rangers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die – Adam Raider with Russ Cohen

A very compelling and easy read, this essentially a New York Rangers’ media guide but loaded with anecdotes that no team would ever publish. Readers are treated to every facet of the Blueshirts’ storied history, from the early championship teams to the current squad led by franchise goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

Also highlighted are the team’s announcers and the late national anthem singer John Amirante, as well as “Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!” and suggestions for where to dine before a game.  It even takes shots at Rangers’ rivals with chapters titled “Fish Sticks, Anyone?” and “Beat the Crapitals”! You can obtain a new, used, or Kindle edition here.

Like hockey? Think you know all about the New York Rangers? Not so fast! Check out this book! pic.twitter.com/8jcMKBxkyC

Our next Rangers’ book takes readers back to the Emile Francis era and the powerhouse Blueshirts’ teams of the early-1970s.

We Did Everything But Win – George Grimm

An informative, fun, and (at times) sad account of the New York Rangers under coach and general manager Emile Francis. Grimm documents how “The Cat” transformed the Blueshirts from perennial losers to a team that made the playoffs for nine consecutive seasons, including the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals.

It also serves as a tribute to the many great Rangers of that era, including the “G-A-G” and the “Bulldog” lines, “Stemmer”, “Sarge” and the Vezina-winning goalie tandem of Eddie Giacomin and Gilles Villemure. The book is available here in Kindle and hard cover.

Up next, a memoir by a hockey writer who was believed to be the longest-serving beat man covering the major North American leagues.