The NHL: 100 Years of On-Ice Action and Boardroom Battles

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The National Hockey League, established in a Montreal hotel room on November 26, 1917, has much to celebrate as it nears its centenary. Each year, millions from Montreal to Miami and Edmonton to Anaheim attend games, while many more watch on TV, with top players earning multi-million dollar salaries. Throughout its first century, the NHL has faced ups and downs, experiencing setbacks, triumphs, and numerous crises. Several franchises have faltered, failed, or folded, and the board of governors has included a mix of wealthy eccentrics and contentious figures. Remarkably, the NHL has had only five presidents and one commissioner, with four key leaders guiding its direction over ninety-plus years. This narrative explores two ongoing struggles: the fierce competition on the ice and the behind-the-scenes efforts to maintain the league's stability. D'Arcy Jenish gained unprecedented access to unpublished league files, including board meeting minutes, and conducted extensive interviews with league executives, including commissioner Gary Bettman and former president John Ziegler, along with owners, coaches, and player representatives. He uncovers the true story behind significant contemporary events in a definitive chronicle that every serious hockey fan will want to read.