Shawn Thornton was an unlikely NHL success, to say the least. The Oshawa, Ontario native was picked late in the OHL and later thought he was being pranked when the Toronto Maple Leafs called him to say he'd been selected in the seventh round of the 1997 NHL draft. After years spent working and maturing in the AHL, Thornton would go on to play 14 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, and Florida Panthers, winning two Stanley Cups along the way.
For the first time, in this candid memoir, Thornton opens up about his life in hockey and beyond, from his early days as an unrated prospect to the leadership lessons he learned in the minors, from the most difficult on-ice brawls to the ecstasy of reaching the sport's most celestial heights.
Fans will not want to miss this story of perseverance and finding one's own path.
| Foreword |
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vii | |
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| Prologue |
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xiii | |
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Chapter 1 Of John Wayne and Boom Boom Shamoon |
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1 | (16) |
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17 | (16) |
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Chapter 3 Bird Dog and the Rock |
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33 | (12) |
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Chapter 4 From Winter to Summer |
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45 | (12) |
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Chapter 5 Michel, Montreal, and Me |
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57 | (14) |
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Chapter 6 Shipping Up to Boston |
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71 | (20) |
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Chapter 7 The Pittsburgh Penguins and Me |
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91 | (10) |
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101 | (6) |
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107 | (10) |
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Chapter 10 The Merlot Line |
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117 | (10) |
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Chapter 11 My Buddy Tuukka |
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127 | (10) |
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137 | (8) |
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Chapter 13 An Identity Is Born |
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145 | (8) |
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Chapter 14 The Run to the Cup |
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153 | (24) |
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Chapter 15 My Day(s) with the Cup |
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177 | (10) |
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187 | (12) |
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Chapter 17 The Elephant in the Room |
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199 | (14) |
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213 | (14) |
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227 | (16) |
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Chapter 20 Changing Careers |
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243 | (8) |
| Epilogue |
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251 | |
Shawn Thornton played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, and Florida Panthers during his 14 seasons in the NHL. He joined the Panthers executive staff following retirement and currently serves as the team's Chief Commercial Officer.
Dale Arnold is the host of Boston Bruins television broadcasts on NESN. He recently retired after 30 years as a sports talk show host in Boston. He is the only person to have done play-by-play for all five Boston professional sports teams (Bruins, Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics, and Revolution). He is also the author of If These Walls Could Talk: Boston Bruins.
