Game Change

The Life and Death of Steve Montador, and the Future of Hockey

By: Ken Dryden

Narrated by: Ken Dryden

Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BC NATIONAL AWARD FOR CANADIAN NON-FICTION
A GLOBE AND MAIL BEST BOOK

From the bestselling author and Hall of Famer Ken Dryden, this is the story of NHLer Steve Montador—who was diagnosed with CTE after his death in 2015—the remarkable evolution of hockey itself, and a passionate prescriptive to counter its greatest risk in the future: head injuries.

Ken Dryden’s The Game is acknowledged as the best book about hockey, and one of the best books about sports ever written. Then came Home Game (with Roy MacGregor), also a major TV-series, in which he explored hockey’s significance and what it means to Canada and Canadians. Now, in his most powerful and important book yet, Game Change, Ken Dryden tells the riveting story of one player’s life, examines the intersection between science and sport, and expertly documents the progression of the game of hockey—where it began, how it got to where it is, where it can go from here and, just as exciting to play and watch, how it can get there.

©2017 Ken Dryden (P)2017 Penguin Random House Canada

Critic reviews

"Game Change is excellent. Well written. Well researched. Well reasoned. Informative. Intriguing. Thought provoking.” (Bob McKenzie, TSN)

“Game Change [is] a powerful and convincing examination of hockey's failure to address the growing issue of concussions.” (Roy MacGregor, Globe and Mail)

"Game Change . . . is about the brain and head shots and concussions. But more than that, the thread that carries you through this well-crafted story is the life of Steve Montador . . . who was destroyed too young by injury and circumstance.” (Steve Simmons, Ottawa Citizen)

Mandatory listening for hockey fans!

I’ve been a fan all my 57 years and never understood or appreciated the seriousness or impact concussions can have on players, both during their playing years, and later in life. This was an eye opener for me. It’s passionately written and read by Dryden. It brought a tear to my eye on several occasions.

Change is good

Hockey, for the casual fan – the guy who catches the highlights while at the bowling alley bar or tunes in for a period when the local team hits the playoffs – can be defined by one all-encompassing element of play: the fight.

That diehard fan? Fighting, save for the occasional benches-clearing melee that lasts the entire third period (like that unforgettable Flyers/Senators brawl from 2004), is passé and even a time waster. For the diehard, it’s all about the speed, the slapshot, the butterfly save, the hat trick. The play and the score are what truly matters. And Ken Dryden, former Montreal Canadiens goalie and Maple Leafs president, now author, would agree. With his latest, Game Change, Dryden skates deep into another issue: concussions that come as a result of body checking, and yes, fighting.

Game Change is an entertaining, enlightening read. The book is also an important one, and topically so. In Game Change, Dryden explores the life and career of Steve Montador, an everyman defenseman who played for six NHL teams and whose career ended as a result of multiple concussions. Montador died in 2015 after suffering from the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease commonly known as CTE, an acronym anyone who saw the Will Smith movie Concussion should recall.

Dryden cleverly disguises his treatise with an enjoyable look into hockey history, how the game started, and how it has evolved. Within is also Montador’s story: how he played, how he trained, and most importantly, how he loved the game. Yet, similar to the fighters and goons of the game, Dryden does not pull any punches as he throws down his gloves to present his call to arms: no hits to the head. No excuses.

Dryden writes like a hockey player. His sentences are short and clipped, he often repeats highlights he finds important to ensure the reader takes notice. He is also passionate, writing from the heart, even when he is talking about the mind. To do so, he presents interviews not only from scientists and doctors who share his philosophy of changing – and only slightly at that – the game of hockey to preserve the quality of life for the player, but also talks to players. Former Bruin Marc Savard, Flyers captain Keith Primeau, and someone named Sidney Crosby all share their stories and fears and recovery from post-concussion syndrome, how it has changed their play, and their lives.

Game Change is written for the casual fan, but the diehard will enjoy the deep cuts. More importantly, and even more important than hockey, the respect for life offered within is shown as a universal constant. That players, with their athleticism, their passion, their talent, are much more than just a product. Theirs is a life that should be cherished and celebrated. Dryden believes that is a constant on which everyone can agree. Unless, of course, you are NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

great!

this was a great hockey book. great job ken dryden! i hope to see more hockey books soon

insightful

Hockey fans will love this book. Everyone who reads this will learn about the passion and motivation that drives the players. You will also see that the league is working to prevent brain injury. Hopefully anyone who has assumptions about the sport will read this.

Compelling Story

Ken Dryden's "Game Change" deals with CTE and it's devastating impacts. Insightful and heartbreaking. Mr Dryden's narration is excellent and his perspectives and prospective solutions very much worth hearing. Exceptional!

Thinking Time

It’s difficult to describe how important this book is to me. As a lifelong hockey fan, former player, and as someone currently recovering from a concussion; this has allowed me to hear perspective on my favorite sport and allow me to feel a level of comfort about my condition that I didn’t think was possible. Mr. Dryden is an impressive author and his narration is incredibly engaging.

read it

Compelling story, worth a go. I need fifteen words, so you should get it right now.

The best book about hockey concussions

The book tells the story Steve monador and his rise to professional hockey and struggle with brain injuries and the social impact on him and his friends and family. The progression on hockey is outlined and how to change the game so it can continue with further damage to it's players

Meet Steve Montador..

Mourn Steve Montador. Another crucial hockey classic from Ken Dryden. If you missed The Game, the 20th Anniversary edition is an Audible exclusive!

changed how I look at hockey.

I will forever love the sport of hockey. This book forever changed how I will see it.