Bøger af Craig Custance

Draft Day meets Burke’s Law in this incisive and entertaining behind-the-scenes look at hockey’s highest ranks.Why do some franchises consistently win, while others may never get to see their players’ names etched on the Cup? Why do some teams draft poorly and others draft all-star teams? Why do some teams just seem to know how to win? In The Franchise, The Athletic’s Craig Custance delves into the stories about thepeople who make the biggest decisions in hockey. For more than three years, Custance travelled far and wide to connect with the inner circle of hockey, from the owner’s suite of the Carolina Hurricanes to a private championship ring ceremony with the Vegas Golden Knights to a country club for a breakdown of the Pittsburgh Penguins.He had frank conversations with new Leafs’ GM Brad Treliving and former Leafs’ GM Kyle Dubas, and discussed the revolution in women's hockey with three-time Olympic medal winner and Devils’ executive Meghan Duggan. For fans of any stripe, there are stories behind memorable trades and the biggest free agent signings, and insights into how some of the most successful teams of the last two decades were built. There are never-been-told details about trade demands, a prominent hire that one general manager regretted immediately, and how one general manager risked his life to sign a player he thought could change the course of his NHL team. The Franchise will change the way you look at hockey. Custance shows that it all starts at the top, not on the ice. The players win, but it’s the people up in the box who break down every aspect of their teams, execute the hard decisions, and make the magic happen. This is essential reading for every hockey fan who wants to get beyond the x’s and o’s in an absorbing testament to why teams win.

They are motivators, key strategists, tough bosses, and choreographers. They can be branded as heroes, ousted as scapegoats, quietly valued as friends, and everything in between. It's all in the job description for an NHL head coach. In Behind the Bench, ESPN's Craig Custance sits down for film sessions and candid conversations with some of the game's most notable modern luminaries-names like Mike Babcock, Joel Quenneville, Dan Bylsma, Todd McLellan, Ken Hitchcock, and Claude Julien-all of whom share their singular views on topics ranging from leadership secrets to on-ice game plans. Dissect some of hockey's greatest moments with the men who set the pieces in motion. Go straight to the source on what it's like to manage a dressing room full of the league's top stars or execute line changes with everything at stake. Signature games, including Stanley Cup finals, Olympic gold medal clashes, and World Championship contests-both wins and losses-are reflected upon and broken down in detail, making this essential reading for current and aspiring coaches, players, and hockey fans alike.