In professional hockey, enforcers are often as popular with fans as the stars who cash the big paycheques. Called upon to duke it out with a fellow troublemaker, or to shadow (and bruise) an opponent’s top scorer, these men get the crowds out of their seats, the sports-radio shows buzzing, and the TV audience spilling their beers in excitement. Don’t Call Me Goon gives the mayhem-makers their due by sharing their overlooked stories and contributions to the game. Drawing on a wealth of knowledge, research, and interviews, Oliver and Kamchen highlight the players who have perfected the art of on-ice enforcing from old timers like Joe Hall and Red Horner; to legendary heavy-hitters like Tiger Williams, Stu Grimson, and Bob Probert; to fan favourites like Tie Domi and Georges Laraque; and contemporaries like Arron Asham and Brian McGrattan. Don’t Call Me Goon also explores the issues that plague the NHL’s bad boys — suspensions, concussions, controversy — and looks ahead to the future of tough guys in the fastest game on ice.
