Ice Time: A Canadian Hockey Journey

In Ice Time, Hockey Night host Scott Russell gives book time not to the professional stars, but to the supporting cast that forms the game's national backbone and gives hockey its Canadian character. As Russell movingly writes, "The roots of hockey are found deep in the Canadian soil, and while harvesting takes place at the NHL level, the cultivation has occurred much closer to home. All the great ones are in agreement: the game unfolds beyond the surface and so much transpires because of unsung heroes--those who provide the foundation and make the precious ice time possible in the first place." Who are these people? They are people like former NHL player Lorne Davis, who now scours the rinks of Saskatchewan in hopes of discovering the next Gretzky, Orr, Howe, or Hull. Or Angela James, long a stalwart of the national women's team, who was denied the chance to play growing up in the '70s simply because she was a girl. Or Bob Ridley, who doubles as radio voice and driver for the Medicine Hat Tigers. Or Andy Sullivan, the can't-miss kid from Newfoundland who preferred to stay home, find a job, and play hockey with the guys rather than chase professional glory. The one nod to the NHL is Ron Ellis, Russell's own boyhood idol. He appealingly bookends Ice Time with companion pieces on the former Maple Leaf, opening with a look back at what Ellis meant to him growing up and closing with an affectionate reminiscence of finally meeting his hero.