The Down Goes Brown History of the NHL

October 15, 2018

The National Hockey League (NHL) has existed for a century. To followers of the sport, the NHL has regularly been vexing owing to its bouts of instability, occasional work stoppages, and constant rules tinkering. McIndoe, creator of the popular hockey website Down Goes Brown, is a passionate fan of the sport, and regales readers with the often-strange history of the league. Brief chapters follow a chronological order highlighting key periods and events. Interspersed among these chapters are short interludes that tell of odd happenings, such as the instance when the owners of the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs came surprisingly close to having their clubs swap cities. Most knowledgeable fans will be familiar with the topics covered, but this does not make the work less appealing. Newer or younger hockey enthusiasts will appreciate hearing the stories for the first time. VERDICT McIndoe writes with great wit, and his book fills a need for an anecdotal account of the NHL.--Brian Renvall, Mesalands Community Coll., Tucumcari, NM

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