A captivating memoir from Canada’s foremost hockey historian and a beloved NHL commentator

It’s been 85 years since Brian McFarlane first laced a pair of skates and tested the black ice on a tiny pond. And then he discovered the joy of hockey. Ultimately, there would be grade school hockey, high school hockey, junior hockey, college hockey, and, miraculously, two decades with the NHL Oldtimers anchoring his life. He was the rank amateur playing on a line with the Big M and Norm Ullman, facing off against icons like Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay at Maple Leaf Gardens — even scoring a goal. He suited up at the Montreal Forum, elbow-to-elbow against John Ferguson, before thousands of fans. (There was even a stint with the Flying Fathers who ordained him a “Bishop” after a hat trick.) Off the ice, in 1960, McFarlane was the first Canadian to be a commentator on CBS’s coverage of the NHL. He also survived 25 years of Hockey Night in Canada — despite confrontations with Punch Imlach, Harold Ballard, Bobby Hull, and Eddie Shack. Now, in this revealing autobiography, he remembers it all. For Brian McFarlane, it has been a helluva life in hockey.

Sales and Market Bullets

• Hockey Hall of Famer Brian McFarlane is an expert on the sport and a broadcasting legend. In this book, he shares how Hockey Night in Canada was cemented as a national tradition.
• Since 1968, McFarlane has written over 90 books on hockey, selling over 1.3 million copies.
• A former Junior A player and All-American center at St. Lawrence University, McFarlane faced off against the likes of the late Jean Béliveau. He still holds several St. Lawrence scoring records, including most career goals (101). For 17 seasons, he played with the NHL Oldtimers — the squad’s only amateur.

Audience

• 25-65 year-old hockey fans
• Gift buyers (especially for Father’s Day)
• Biography and memoir readers
• Nostalgic fans of the history of Canadian hockey

Promotional Plans

• Work with author to leverage existing sports media relationships
• Pitch to hockey specific websites, radio, TV, and podcasts
• Pitch excerpts, interviews, and features to hockey and sports publications
• Social media targeting of nostalgic hockey fans, broadcasters etc.