Canada has produced some incredible athletes over the years, a veritable conveyor belt of names that have touched on everything from the NFL to baseball to the Summer Olympics, from speed skating to sprinting and beyond. No matter the achievements of baseball players, MVPs, world record setters and skiers, it is the quest for the Stanley Cup that sits at the heart of Canada's top sports players, and a whole heap of excellent audiobooks on hockey are waiting to be enjoyed. From Quebec to Vancouver via Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and the rest, these are the must-listen titles when it comes to Canada's sporting icons.
Despite not winning the Calder Trophy (his rivalry with Alexander Ovechkin started from the very beginning), Sidney Crosby's rookie season was one of the most remarkable in NHL history. Sid the Kid became the first rookie to top both 100 points and 100 penalty minutes, establishing himself as the next great story in Canada's national obsession. Anointed as the next Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby ensured in his rookie season that the shadow of The Great One would not hold him back.
Crosby's incredible rookie season is revisited in this excellent audiobook, one that will inspire nostalgia and admiration in hockey fans worldwide. Crosby has become more than simply a hockey player, and the 2005/06 season is remembered as one of the great statements in ice hockey history and arguably the year that saved a struggling Pittsburgh Penguins franchise. The Stanley Cups, all-star games, Olympic gold medal golden goal and records are well-known, and it all started here.
From the next Wayne Gretzky, let’s get back to the original. Wayne Gretzky is the greatest hockey player in the history of the sport, a man whose NHL records inspire awe in fans and newcomers alike. Gretzky still has more assists than anyone else has points, after all. Gretzky's exploits with the Edmonton Oilers put that franchise on the map, while his famous move to the Los Angeles Kings did more to establish hockey in California than anything before or since. Getting a hockey team in LA was one thing, but getting Wayne Gretzky there? Incredible.
99: Stories of the Game is the story of Wayne Gretzky from the very beginning, from early steps on a backyard rink in Brantford to winning Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers and beyond. Expertly narrated by Mike Chamberlain, 99: Stories of the Game is an absolute must-listen for sports fans worldwide and a fascinating insight into one of the great Canadian athletes of all time.
Frequently lauded as one of the great sports books of all time, The Game sparkles in audiobook form. Narrated by Ken Dryden himself, The Game pulls back the curtain on life as a goalkeeper in the NHL, following Dryden and the dominant Montreal Canadiens during the 1978/79 season, a year that ended with Dryden hoisting the Stanley Cup above his head for the sixth and final time.
The Game is a stunning look into the life of an elite athlete, the highs and lows of life on the road and a candid insight into what it takes to make it to the top of your industry. Ken Dryden won multiple Vezina trophies, played in All-Star games and everything else, but The Game shows that behind the success is an incredible amount of dedication and sacrifice. Dryden is the perfect narrator for this iconic Canadian tale.
He might not have mastered the art of wearing a tie, but few voices in hockey are as respected as Brian Burke's. Despite never playing in the NHL, Burke has done it all as a general manager, winning the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks and leaving his stamp on the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames. When Brian Burke is talking about hockey, people listen.
Burke's Law sees the man talk about a lot more than hockey, from his early days in Rhode Island to life as a father, LGBT rights activist and plenty more. Burke is a gifted storyteller and a titan of integrity, pulling no punches when it comes to his time in Toronto and all the rest. Sports audiobooks don't come much more honest and open than this one, but what else would you expect from Burke?
Sean Avery has never been the type to hold back, and Offside is the former NHL player at his most, well, Avery. The former Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and LA Kings left-winger's indiscretions are well-documented, but less is known about the man behind the agitation, the fights, the quotes and the rest. Offside pulls the curtain back on Sean Avery, from his childhood in Ontario to that storied NHL career and beyond.
There is plenty of boasting throughout, but look beyond the self-aggrandising and you'll find a different side to the hockey enforcer, be it the same-sex marriage advocate or his other philanthropic endeavours. Sean Avery divides opinion, but Offside is an audiobook that everyone should pay attention to.
Bobby Hull's name is spoken of in hockey circles in revered tones. Undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever play the game, Hull had the hockey world at his feet when everything fell apart in a most dramatic way. Hull defected from the NHL to the WHA, becoming the first hockey player to sign a million-dollar contract in the process, but it was all downhill from there. Bobby Hull went from hockey's Golden Jet to its most frustrating figure, a record-breaking forward who seemed to be broken himself.
Written by Gare Joyce and fantastically narrated by Bernard Clark, The Devil and Bobby Hull tells the story of the Golden Jet in incredible detail, making it an unpausable must-listen for any hockey fan worth their salt. The Ontario native was a pioneer in Canada's national sport, and this audiobook is a deep dive into the life and times of a hugely influential all-star.
In 1958, Willie O'Ree changed ice hockey forever. By striding out onto the ice for the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens, the boy from New Brunswick achieved a dream that had been beyond previous generations of hockey lovers. By becoming the first Black player in NHL history, O'Ree broke the mould and became one of the most iconic Canadian athletes in the process.
Simply titled Willie, this audiobook tells O'Rees story in magnificent detail. It is a story that needs to be listened to, expertly narrated by sportscaster Everett Fitzhugh, the story of a boy with a dream who changed the world. Jerome Iginla provides an excellent forward to Willie, making this an audiobook that is as engaging as it is important.
While the many magnificent audiobooks on this selection will appeal to sports fans across the nation, Call Me Indian is one that every Canadian should listen to. It is an incredible tale of trauma and courage, detailing Fred Sasakamoose's journey from the horrors of residential schooling to becoming the first Indigenous person with treaty status to play in the NHL. When Sasakamoose made his debut for the Chicago Blackhawks against the Boston Bruins in November 1953, First Nations people didn't yet have the right to vote in Canada.
Tremendously narrated by Cree chief Wilton Littlechild, Call Me Indian is a startling tale of grit and determination against seemingly insurmountable odds, shedding light on the darker side of Canadian history through the incredible achievements of an iconic Canadian athlete. Fred Sasakamoose's story is one that needs to be heard.
Arguably the greatest female hockey player in history, Hayley Wickenheiser did it all when it mattered most, from Olympic gold medals to World Championships and all the rest. When the lights were brightest, Wickenheiser brought her A-game, establishing herself as one of the greatest Canadian athletes of all time. What's more, Wickenheiser was also the first Canadian woman to play men's professional hockey in a position other than goalie. Not bad for a girl from Saskatchewan.
Over the Boards is the story of a first-ballot Hockey Hall of Fame icon as told by the superstar herself. Narrated by Katie Ryerson, Over the Boards is packed with inspirational stories, thoughtful advice and all the bumps and bruises that are part and parcel of any hockey career, let alone one of the most decorated in the history of the sport. A national team icon who dominated at several Olympic Games with Most Valuable Player awards at every turn, Hayley Wickenheiser has one heck of a story to tell.
Ice hockey history is filled with incredible players, from Wayne Gretzky to Sidney Crosby, but individuals don't win Stanley Cups—teams do. Hall of Fame icon Mark Messier understands that better than most, and No One Wins Alone is an in-depth look at the remarkable career of one of hockey's most inspiring leaders. The Alberta native won five Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers and one more with the New York Rangers, establishing himself as a truly great Canadian athlete along the way.
He couldn't have done it without his teammates (having Wayne Gretzky certainly didn't hurt), and No One Wins Alone is a celebration of the greater whole, be it in the NHL or with the best of the best on Team Canada. Narrated by Will Reeve (Messier himself narrates the prologue and epilogue), this account of Messier's ability to bring out the best in his contemporaries makes for an inspiring listen.
Of course, there is plenty found in the annals of Canadian sporting history that hasn't taken place on ice. One of the great point guards in NBA history, South Africa-born but Regina-bred Steve Nash carved out an incredible career for himself with the Phoenix Suns, breaking and setting records seemingly at will. Nash's three-point shooting was incredible, his ability to find assists out of nowhere changed the game, and he remains a huge influence on basketball players today.
At just under an hour, this audiobook is the perfect introduction to one of the most influential Canadian athletes on the planet. Steve Nash has taken a Hall of Fame career and accentuated it with some Hall of Fame human behaviour since retiring, making major contributions to a wide range of philanthropic causes before returning to the sport. David L. Stanley takes care of the narration, but Steve Nash is definitely the hero here.
Okay, enough non-ice hockey content, back to the rink. Ken Dryden is one of the most gifted storytellers in the history of the NHL, and Scotty sees his exceptional abilities put to the task of evaluating the life and legacy of Scotty Bowman. The greatest coach in the history of the NHL? The Montreal native is almost always the first name considered, and his achievements speak for themselves. Nine Stanley Cups with three different teams are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Bowman's incredible career, one that spanned an impressive five decades.
Scotty is the story of the man behind the bench, an in-depth look into a boy from Verdun who became a veritable titan of the sport. Dryden is a fantastic narrator and the gravitas of his voice does justice to the lofty Canadian icon at the heart of this audiobook. Scotty Bowman was one of Canada's greatest sporting superstars, that's for sure.
One more Dryden work to finish off, but one with a very different approach than The Game and Scotty. Game Change dives into the complex world of brain injuries in ice hockey, with the life and death of NHLer Steve Montador at the heart of it all. Vancouver-born Montador died in 2015 at the age of just 35 after a career of playing and fighting for several NHL franchises, including the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers.
Head and brain injuries are arguably the biggest problem facing ice hockey moving forward. It is an incredibly complex subject, which makes Dryden's work here all the more impressive. Game Change might not be focused on one of Canada's most iconic names, but the subject matter is at the heart of the nation's obsession. This is an important piece of work, and Dryden's excellent narration makes it one of the great sporting audiobooks to come out of Canada, North America and the whole world.
