Hockey Superstars, 1993-1994

Dave Jenkinson is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba and the author of the “Portraits” section of Emergency Librarian.

Romanuk, a broadcaster for TSN, has produced two books in one. The
“meat” of this hockey sandwich consists of 16 glossy, full-color
mini-posters of National Hockey League superstars. No criteria are
provided for Romanuk’s choice of 12 forwards and four goalies (no
defencemen or Wayne Gretzky!). On the back of each poster, which
resembles an oversized hockey card, is a box of “tombstone” data
plus two columns of chatty prose containing brief biographical
information and quotations by and about the player. Because of trades,
two superstars, Ron Hextall and Sergei Makarov, are illustrated wearing
their former clubs’ uniforms while being identified as members of
other teams.

The print sandwich’s “bread” consists of two matte-paper
“Record Keeper” sections, each six pages in length, which call for
readers to “fill-in-the-blanks” by, for example, recording their
favorite team and keeping track of its progress throughout the season,
or by predicting final team standings and the Stanley Cup winner. Though
the book invites readers to record the names of the NHL’s major
individual awards, it inexplicably omits the Conn Smythe Trophy. Space
is also provided for young hockey-playing readers to record their
personal and team seasonal statistics. Additionally, two pages describe
and, via drawings, illustrate the hand signals referees use to indicate
rule infractions. The book concludes with a brief trivia quiz.

Because of its consumable nature, this slim volume will more likely be
found in the personal collections of hockey fans in Grades 3 to 7 than
on library shelves. Recommended.