From its earliest days on frozen ponds, hockey has been a sport of speed and elegance, but also one demanding courage and physical will. The Hockey Book goes deep into the heart of the game, celebrating with astounding photographs and insightful words the great players and the inspiring teams, as well as an ethos-robust and selfless-that defines the sport as much in its dynamic present as it did in hockey's hardscrabble (and helmetless) past.

An in-depth look into the origins of how each NHL team was named, received their logo and design, with interviews by those responsible. Written by those most knowledgeable, you'll learn why every hockey team to every play in the National Hockey League looks the way it does. Nothing unites or divides a random assortment of strangers quite like the hockey team for which they cheer. The passion they hold within them for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Boston Bruins allows them to look past any differences which would have otherwise disrupted a perfectly fine Thanksgiving dinner and channels it into a powerful, shared admiration for their team. We decorate our lives with their logos, stock our wardrobe with their jerseys, and, in some cases, even tattoo our bodies with their iconography and colors. They’re so ingrained in our lives we don’t even think to ask ourselves why Los Angeles celebrates royalty; why Buffalo cheers for not one, but two massive cavalry swords; or why the Broadway Blueshirts named themselves for a law enforcement agency in Texas (or why they even wear blue shirts, for that matter). All that and more is explored in Fabric of the Game, authored by two of the sports world’s leading experts in team branding and design: Chris Creamer and Todd Radom. Tapping into their vast knowledge of the whys and hows, Creamer and Radom explore and share the origin stories behind these and more, talking directly to those involved in the decision processes and designs of the National Hockey League’s team names, logos, and uniforms, pouring through historical accounts to find and deliver the answers to these questions. Learn more about the historied Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, as well as the lost but not forgotten Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques, all the way to the lesser-known Kansas City Scouts and Philadelphia Quakers. Whichever team you pledge allegiance, Fabric of the Game covers them in-depth with research and knowledge for any hockey fan to enjoy.

Some 15,000 women are graduates of Mercy High School in southeastern Michigan. Since 1945, when it opened as Our Lady of Mercy High School in northwest Detroit, its graduates have embodied the school motto: "Women Who Make a Difference." In 1965, the school moved from its original building on the Mercy College campus to a mid-century modern building 11 miles away in the Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills. The school was established by the Sisters of Mercy, a Roman Catholic religious order with 6,200 sisters worldwide. Among its graduates are luminaries in the arts, medicine, sports, business, government, and military service. The Mercy Marlins sports teams have won numerous state championships in swimming, basketball, hockey, softball, lacrosse, golf, and other sports. This book commemorates Mercy High's 75th anniversary and reflects the impact of "Mercy Girls" on their communities, country, and around the world.

Steve McNair is the Tennessee Titans star quarterback, who joined the team when it was the Houston Oilers. He was the first-round draft pick in 1995 and led them to the AFC Championship in 1999. Previously, Sports Illustrated awarded him their Offensive Player of the Year title in his sophomore year at Alcorn State University. He was also All-Southwestern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year in his junior and senior years, won the Walter Payton Award for top Division I-AA player award and won the Eddie Robinson Trophy for the top black college player.

To mark the fiftieth anniversary of "The Hockey News, a committee of fifty of the most respected observers of the game - including Dick Irvin, Bob McKenzie, Harry Neale, Jim Matheson, Scotty Bowman, Al Arbour, Glen Sather, and Roger Nielson - selected the top 50 NHL players of all time. The identity of the player who received the most votes was no surprise: Wayne Gretzky. The names of the next four might also have been predicted, although the order in which they were ranked - Bobby Orr, followed by Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux and Maurice Richard - has caused heated argument. Without question, however, the names that make up the rest of the list, and the order in which they are ranked, could keep all true hockey fans engaged in debate for years. When the original list was published in "The Hockey News, it inspired every possible reaction, from enthusiastic approval to indignant rage. Each great player has his own fans eager to make the case for higher placement. Now, in this splendid full-colour collector's book, the list has been expanded to include the top 100 NHL players of all time and the debate can be renewed again with vigour.

The Toronto Maple Leafs did NOT make the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2010-2011. Still, the author saw something special beginning to emerge as the season unfolded. After a successful start in October, a series of events saw the team plunge to the bottom of the standings, Then circumstances slowly changed, and the Maple Leafs steadily regained standing until time finally ran out, and the playoffs eluded them. The season concludes with what the author sees as a rebirth of hope for coming hockey seasons in Toronto. This book follows the Maple Leafs from the day they named a new Captain for the club until the team's quest for the playoffs comes to an end. Every game is reported upon. Events are analyzed. The contributions of all players are critiqued and evaluated. Problems are pointed out, and possible solutions are put forward. Readers who follow the fortunes of the Toronto Maple Leaf franchise should enjoy reading the story of this past season, and comparing their perspectives of the team with those of the author.