BOWER: A LEGENDARY LIFE is the story of the life and career of beloved Toronto Maple Leafs legend, Johnny Bower.

While Johnny was not able to put pen to paper to tell his life story in his own words prior to his passing in 2017, author Dan Robson took on the task of sorting through Johnny’s ninety-three years and encapsulating it into the definitive biography of the vaunted goaltender.

Much had to be cleared up, or at the very least, shed light on. Johnny’s actual age has always been a bit of a mystery given that he was purposely vague about it as he enlisted to fight in the second World War as a minor (he certainly was not alone in that regard). Robson also had to clear up the history surrounding Johnny’s name change (born Kiszkan), as there had been various reasons given throughout the years by Johnny (a whole chapter is dedicated to this).

One of the more shocking revelations – and this may have been well known by those more familiar with Johnny’s career – was that Johnny had played his entire career with rheumatoid arthritis, which I cannot wrap my head around. Playing in that much pain and discomfort while also dealing with the litany of facial injuries that come without wearing a mask made him one tough customer for sure. Despite his legendary status today, the road to the NHL was not an easy one for Johnny. He played professionally for sixteen seasons before finally landing in Toronto and securing a spot as a full time NHLer. He was long considered the best goaltender not in the NHL, but grew frustrated with call-ups and relocations, choosing rather to stay in the minor leagues where he would have stability.

Robson does his best to put together a comprehensive history of one of the game’s most adored athletes. The book is filled with amazing stories surrounding his depression-era upbringing in rural Saskatchewan, his side-hustle running a restaurant with Gordie Howe, and his post-playing days in Toronto. Avoiding the trappings of game-by-game and play-by-play recaps, BOWER: A LEGENDARY LIFE is one of the better player-focused hockey books I’ve read.