Living the Hockey Dream: Interviews and Personal Stories from NHL Superstars and Other Lovers of the Game

Sports writer Brian Kennedy collects the heartwarming and sometimes comical memories of how NHL stars and hockey journalists ''grew up hockey:''

Bobby Hull: ''I had three things going for me. I could skate, I could shoot, and I was strong. My parents gave me the start, and I put the muscle on my frame and developed my skating ability. When I got open, I could shoot the puck. That's all I needed.''

Wayne Gretzky: ''[My dad] would stand in the big window and watch me. The odd time he'd come out and tell me some things, but mostly he just stayed in there and watched. I was by myself most of the time...almost all day long. It's the best way to learn.''

Jordin Tootoo: ''I want to be true to my roots. I'm a kid who is doing what he loves, but at the same time, I go home to enjoy the wildlife and the land. That's who I am, and I never want to forget it.''

Bobby Clarke: ''...all I ever wanted to do was put my skates on and go out on the ice. I loved hockey, and I would do anything to play hockey. All day, every day, we played.''

Cammi Granato: ''I was obsessed with the game. Playing hockey was completely normal for me. At school I daydreamed about hockey all the time. Nobody could ever take that away from me.''

Jim Pappin: ''I remember certain things about the Cups I won, and everything about the ones I lost. There were two of them. Winnipeg takes away a lot of memories, but when you lose, you never forget.''

Ian Laperriere: ''It's not a trophy. It's more like a business card. [My face] tells people what I do. They ask, 'Are you a boxer?' And I say, 'No, I'm a hockey player.' I like it when people ask me that.''