Hockey Card Stories

Book excerpt: “Nobody enjoys the full kaleidoscope of the game quite like Kenny, from banana blades and ’70s staches to air-brushed, mistake-laden hockey cards.” —Jeff Marek, Sportsnet Hockey host and Marek vs. Wyshynski podcast co-host Hockey Card Stories reveals what was really going on in your favorite old hockey cards through the eyes of the players depicted on them. Some of the cards are definitely worth a few bucks, some a few cents—but every story told here is priceless. Sportsnet’s Ken Reid presents the cards you loved and the airbrushed monstrosities that made you howl, the cards that have been packed away in boxes forever, and others you can’t believe ever existed. Whether it’s a case of mistaken identity or simply a great old photo, a fantastic 1970s haircut and ’stache, a wicked awesome goalie mask or a future Hall of Famer’s off-season fashion sense, a wide variety of players—from superstars like Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, and Phil Esposito to the likes of Bill Armstrong who played only one game in the NHL—chime in on one of their most famous cards. “Hockey Card Stories is a sports fan’s dream—humorous, detailed and nostalgic. I hope there’s more where this came from.” —Terry Ryan, author of Tales of a First-Round Nothing “Bright, funny and filled with a real love of the sport and a genuine affection for its great characters.” —Stephen Brunt, author of Searching for Bobby Orr and Prime Time Sports cohost “When Ken is passionate about a topic, he’s the most knowledgeable individual in the room . . . in this book, you’ll quickly appreciate his passion for hockey cards . . . What a nerd.” —Evanka Osmak, Sportsnet Connected co-anchor