Sneak Peek At Upcoming 2014 Hockey Book Releases

The other day we talked about Gordie Howe's new autobiography being released later in 2014. Which got us thinking - what other hockey books can we expect in 2014? There's a number of interesting titles forthcoming:

New Don Cherry Autobiography

Straight Up and Personal: The World According to Grapes - Known for his opinions--and unabashed expression of them--Don Cherry has been causing debate for decades. Topics on "Coach's Corner" sometimes veer away from sports and on to other matters that are near and dear to Cherry's heart: the war in Afghanistan and politics, among many others. In Straight Up and Personal, Cherry shares his thoughts on a broader range of issues than he ever has before. He shares some of his personal experiences on and off the ice, and offers the lessons he's learned along the way. This is Don Cherry: straight up and personal.

Hockey's Ultimate Insider

Hockey Confidential: Inside Stories from People Inside the Game - Over 500,000 hockey fans follow Bob McKenzie on Twitter and millions more on TSN—no one has the access or breadth and depth of experience when it comes to the hockey. Now in his very first book on the NHL, Bob goes behind the scenes, covering the inside stories, the lesser-known personalities and the events that shape Canada’s game. He talks to Bobby Orr about Connor McDavid (touted as “the next Crosby”), reveals the actual stats that NHL coaches and scouts use, and explores what it’s like to be Don Cherry’s son. Entertaining, insightful and a damn good read, Hockey Confidential is a must for every hockey fan.

Lots and lots of Leafs (of course)

We Are Your Leafs: The Toronto Maple Leafs Book of Greats The Toronto Maple Leafs official book of the greatest players and coaches from yesterday and today! We Are Your Leafs is the first book in an eight-book partnership between Fenn/Random House and the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of the team's forthcoming centennial celebration plans. By Michael Ulmer

Leafs '65: The Lost Toronto Maple Leafs Photographs - From celebrated author and sports journalist Stephen Brunt comes a beautifully illustrated, elegiac tribute to the Toronto Maple Leafs of yesteryear. Acclaimed writer Stephen Brunt's essay on the '65 training camp -- based on interviews with team members -- Leafs '65 is the ultimate tribute to the Stanley Cup-winning Toronto Maple Leafs, to a forgotten era of hockey, and to a moment in Canadian history that will resonate with any reader.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Their Defining Moments -This book shares over 100 Maple Leaf moments that defined, started, or rejuvenated a career. This up-to-date volume of work tells the story behind each amazing player and is packed full of Hall of Famers and other great stars of the past and present.

Written in Blue and White - The Toronto Maple Leafs Contracts and Historical Documents from the Collection of Allan Stitt

Another Gretzky Book

Facing Wayne Gretzky: Players Recall the Greatest Hockey Player Who Ever Lived - Far from a conventional biography, Facing Wayne Gretzky offers perspectives and testimonials from opponents and teammates alike, including Denis Potvin, Kelly Hrudey, Rob Blake, and many more. Never has another hockey player achieved what “The Great One” did on the ice, and it is unlikely that one will soon. This book details what it’s like to face the best player who ever skated, illuminating his passing ability, his deceptively effective shot, and his inventiveness both with the puck and without.

Rethinking 1972

Coming Down the Mountain: Rethinking the 1972 Summit Series - A comprehensive look at the 1972 Canada-USSR Hockey series and the way that Canadian mythology has been built around it, including essays on topics such as the impact of the summit series on the development of women's hockey, an analysis of media perspectives from the series and how the summit series helped to form Canada's identity abroad. This collection will be written in accessible prose, allowing it to read and enjoyed by a devotee of the game who is not an academic.

Here's a few upcoming releases that have very little information about them other than titles and, in some cases, cover images:

Hockey Card Stories: True Stories from the Players on Your Favourites
Changing the Game: A History of NHL Expansion
It's Our Game by Michael McKinley
Bench Bosses: The NHL's Coaching Elite
50 Greatest Redwings
Boy on Ice: The Life and Death of Derek Boogaard
The Great Defender: From the Canadiens to Coaching and Everything In-between - My Total NHL Experience by Kevin Shea