Young Leafs by Gare Joyce

Young Leafs by Gare Joyce

An in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at how Auston Matthews and a gang of talented young hockey players are breaking from Toronto's troubled sporting past and rekindling the city's love for its team.

Auston Matthews made history on October 12, 2016 by becoming the first player in the modern game to score four goals in his NHL debut. It was a momentous occasion for the talented young All-Star, but it was equally important for his newly adopted city and its storied, century-old team.

That night marked the dawn of a new era for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team had a long and colourful history, and it had always been foundational to the city's image. But years of losing seasons had tarnished the team's reputation and left even the most diehard fans questioning their loyalty. It seemed that each passing year brought more of the same: more mediocrity, more heartbreak, more disappointment.

But the team's management had a plan, one that would take them where others feared to go: a total rebuild. Piece by piece, they were assembling a group of young, talented players who would reshape the team. With the arrival of Auston Matthews, the team's first overall draft pick in over twenty years, it seemed that the Leafs were ready to break with their past.

Young Leafs follows the team through that remarkable season, tracing the divergent journeys of the players leading up to their unlikely campaign. Matthews--the prodigy with the unorthodox path to the NHL. Marner--the baby-faced talent with immense skill and an infectious energy. Nylander--the son of a former hockey professional, now looking to make his own mark. Reilly--the youngster with the mind of a general. Kadri--the maturing leader once billed as the team's saviour.

As the ups and downs of the season unfold, the team tries to overcome the ghosts of its past and write a new future, one that is far from certain. Can a group of precocious kids bond together and become winners? Will they be able to carry the hopes of a city? Most important, will Toronto finally have a reason to believe again?

Gare Joyce has written for ESPN The Magazine and espn.com for the last eight years and was previously the hockey columnist with the Globe and Mail. Seven of Joyce's stories have appeared on the notable list in the Best American Sports Writing Series. He has won four National Magazine Awards and been a finalist 20 times in categories ranging from sports to science, politics to arts, and column-writing to memoir. Joyce is the author of six books, including The Ovechkin Project with Damien Cox (Wiley, 2010). His short fiction has appeared in an anthology published by Dave Eggers's McSweeney's group, and his first crime novel, The Code will be published by Penguin Canada in January 2012.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781501169922
ISBN 10	1501169920
Title	Young Leafs
Author	Gare Joyce
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Simon & Schuster
Year published	2018-10-02
Number of pages	240
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable