Yzerman: The Making of a Champion

Rating:
Summary: Good but Not Great
Review: I read Hunter's book on Scotty Bowman and thoroughly enjoyed it. Likewise, "Yzerman" is a good book told by this strong storyteller. The factual errors (noted here in other reviews) brought the breezy read to a screeching halt for me, but it didn't prevent me from liking it and sending my copy on to friends. If you're a Detroiter (or a transplant) you'll enjoy the look back on Yzerman's early days with the Wings - which went largerly unnoticed thanks to the Tigers surge in the standings. The factual stuff is the only reason I give it a four-star and not a five. I highly recommend the Bowman book.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but too many errors
Review: I really want to give this book five stars, but I can't.

Overall this book is not bad, but there are far too many inexcusable errors. In addition to the ones the other reviewrer listed, here are some I found -

*Steve Yzerman did not become an American citizen in 1991, but in May of 2001

*Game 5 of the 2004 Calgary series, in which Steve took a puck to the eye, took place in Detroit, not Calgary

*The Wings swept Anaheim in the second round of the 1997 playoffs, not San Jose

These are very simple facts to check - a quick internet search and/or a few phone calls could get the details right. These glaring errors are too obvious to overlook. Even though Hunter didn't talk to Steve himself for the book, he talked to enought people who know Steve and have played on various teams with him over the years, so that cannot be used as an excuse for not checking his facts.

One of the things I did like about the book is how Hunter goes into great detail (almost too much so) outlining all the wheels that had to be set in motion in order to bring Steve Yzerman to the Red Wings, and then keep him here.

Which brings me to another issue. I was expecting more of a straightforward biography. I understand the book is about how Steve Yzerman was made into the three-time Stanley Cup champion, Olympic Gold Medal winner and great team captain he is today. And I understand that in order to present this story, background information about how certain aspects of the NHL work is necessary. But Hunter goes off on tangents that last for pages and while they give you a good sense of hockey history, I believe he could have said what he wanted with far fewer pages.

Also, Steve's family is barely mentioned. I found that to be a bit strange.

"Yzerman: The Making of a Champion" was not what I expected it to be and I was a bit disappointed. Even though I did find it a fascinating and quick read, I cannot recommend it due to the numerous errors.


Rating:
Summary: An Echoing Of Sentiments
Review: I was about to write a review as soon as I finished reading this book because I was so eager to put something else on the page because of the two unfair and extremely negative reviews. DON'T PAY ATTENTION AND I DON'T KNOW WHO FOUND THEM HELPFUL PLEASE!!! The book is a Masterpiece and for a more thorough explantion please refer to the other five star review they said it perfectly. Thank You Douglas Hunter for this work I LOVED IT!!!
Masterpiece all the way. STEVIE Y ROCKS!!!!

Rating:
Summary: A Review You Can Trust
Review: Quite simply this book is a Masterpiece. I am so thankful and happy and appreciative that the author (Douglas Hunter) wrote this remarkable tale of the rise to glory by Steve Yzerman. You know it would have been hard for me to believe that I could love and respect and appreciate Stevie Y any more than I already did, the man is a true inspiration. But after reading this book, I DO! I DO! I DO! LOVE AND RESPECT AND ADMIRE AND APPRECIATE HIM EVEN MORE!!! Stevie Y is special and Mr.Hunter captures exactly why in this Masterpiece of literature. There would not be a "Hockey Town" painted on the Red Wings ice without Stevie Y. There would not be thousands of fans in the Joe celebrating life and the restoration of a franchise as the Red Wings with the victory of a 97 and 98 and much later on 02 Stanley Cup. By the way I think the 02 Red Wings are the greatest hockey team of all-time and one of the greatest sports teams of all-time and I am a fan of every sport so I have seen a lot of great teams. The reading is quick and enjoyable and fascinating at all times. The atmospere and situation is perfectly set. It's almost like a Hollywood movie that no one could believe as fiction but in real life we rejoice it as a sign that maybe this world does want some of us to be happy. The endless disappointments, the tears of Stevie Y on two seperate occasions because of two game seven losses when a Cup was exspected. To the tears of joy and the smile on Stevies face when he raised that cup in ELATION. It's all chronicled here in these pages. You will not be disappointed.
Buy this book and let yourself go, let yourself get lost in a story that should live through the ages, the story of Steve Yzerman and what it took to make him a CHAMPION.

Rating:
Summary: Shoddy reporting, lazy editing
Review: The book does have some interesting interviews that make it worth skimming. Gerard Gallant's and Bob Errey's comments are good examples of this.

Overall, though, the book is disjointed in its structure. Even worse, it contains too many factual inconsistencies or outright errors to count. Some necessary corrections that I can think of off the top of my head:

* Kevin Stevens never played for the New Jersey Devils and he certainly never was a "key figure" in their "Stanley Cup success."

* Steve Yzerman did not miss the first 23 games of the 1993-94 season because of a herniated disc in his neck. The injury occurred eight games into the season, and he missed 24 games.

* Steve Yzerman has, in fact, been a postseason NHL All-Star. He was named the first-team center after the 1999-2000 season.

* While the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche have participated in a fair number of brawl-filled games, they never have been involved in a "bench-clearing" brawl.

This is just a taste of some of the errors in the book. It's difficult to go more than 10-20 pages without coming across such errors.

Overall, this could have been a much better book had the author done a more thorough job with his reporting and if the book had been placed in the hands of far more skilled and knowledgeable editors.