From novels to memoirs to books that probe the culture of the game, here's our pick of the top hockey books.
11. Zamboni Rodeo: Chasing Hockey Dreams from Austin to Albuquerque
Follow the Austin Ice Bats through a year in the desert, with its interminable bus rides and slushy, half-empty arenas. Jason Cohen provides an unvarnished look at life in the minor leagues, where careers are ephemeral and woefully short on glamour and big money.
12. Original Six: True Stories from Hockey's Classic Era
As the introduction says, this is a hockey book that goes for "emotional rightness over historical expertise." Six writers put their imaginations to work on great tales from the NHL's early days. Unlike many hockey books, this one avoids cheap sentiment and squishy nostalgia (most of the time, anyway), but still celebrates the romance and drama of the game.13. Crossing the Line: Violence and Sexual Assault in Canada's National Sport
Laura Robinson's book is frightening and indispensable. Canadian junior hockey, the breeding ground for NHL dreams, is revealed as an insular subculture where abuse takes many forms. Teenaged players, encouraged to shed inhibitions, nurture aggression and enjoy their privileged status, sometimes turn into abusers themselves. Many teams have curtailed hazing rituals since this book first appeared in 1998, but the junior hockey culture remains largely intact.