Bower

The story of how heart and determination created one of hockey’s greatest legends

Johnny Bower came to be known as one of the greatest Toronto Maple Leafs of all time, but he started from humble beginnings. He taught himself how to play hockey on the frozen rivers of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, using a tree branch his father had sharpened into a stick and a cut-up old mattress for goalie pads. He’d spend hours in the frigid air, learning to catch the puck in mittened hands, never dreaming that he would one day share the same ice as his Saturday-night idols.

But share it he did, playing in the minors for more than a decade before joining the Maple Leafs for the team’s storied four Stanley Cup victories in the ’60s. He was known as a tough, ageless player who wanted nothing more than to be in the crease, night after night. He spent 11 seasons with the Leafs, playing well into his 40s, although many believed he was older.

After Bower’s retirement, his legend only grew—he became one of the most beloved Leafs alumni, an icon for his performance on the ice and his generous heart off it. In Bower, bestselling author Dan Robson shares the never-before-told stories of Johnny’s life and career, drawing on extensive interviews with his wife, Nancy, and his immediate family, close teammates like Leafs greats George Armstrong and Bob Baun, and the friends who knew and loved him best.