Hockey Trivia for Kids

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.

The Canadian Oxford Dictionary defines “trivia” as “unimportant
but interesting or amusing tidbits of factual information, especially on
a particular subject.” While the book’s title asserts “hockey”
as its focus, Zweig actually means trivia about the sport as played
principally by the National Hockey League, both now and during its long
past.

Although the collection does not appear to have any obvious organizing
structure, it includes some recurring titled categories. “Cup
Capers” appears 13 times, with each anecdote dispensing some fact
about the Stanley Cup, such as the misspelled names found engraved on
it. Each of the 18 “Name Games” explains how a different NHL team
received its name. Eight “By the Numbers” tables provide statistics
about such things as which goalies have won the Vezina Trophy the most
frequently. More than two dozen brief “Did You Know?” offerings
dispense such vital information as the fact that 36 pucks are frozen
prior to a Leafs game at the Air Canada Centre. Dotted throughout the
book are explanations of the origins of some of the NHL’s major
individual awards (including the Lady Byng Trophy), as well as the
origins of such traditions as octopus-throwing in Detroit. Individuals
are not overlooked; trivia is presented about players like Wayne Gretzky
and Mario Lemieux and others connected to the game, such as broadcaster
Foster Hewitt and coach-turned-colour-guy Don Cherry.

The very readable text is broken up by cartoon-like drawings and
captioned black-and-white photos, including one of the first Zamboni.
Recommended.