{"product_id":"portrait-of-a-hockey-scribe","title":"Portrait of a Hockey Scribe: Life on Press Row","description":"\u003cul class=\"tabs\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n \u003ca class=\"active\" href=\"#tab1\"\u003eDescription\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#tab2\"\u003eAuthor\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#tab3\"\u003eDetails\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n \n \u003cul class=\"tabs-content\"\u003e\n \u003cli class=\"active\" id=\"tab1\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA memoir tracking a child’s worship of sportswriters, \u003ci\u003ePortrait of a Hockey Scribe\u003c\/i\u003e is a cautionary tale about getting exactly what you want — for Joyce, a seat in Maple Leaf Gardens’ press box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoyce spares himself no embarrassment in cataloging his persistently humbling beginnings — from washing out in journalism school to working a dead-end job at a tabloid. After quitting the business and working as the Shamrock Tavern’s doorman, Joyce gets back in the game writing on spec for a sports monthly. The apprenticeship was rife with blunders, but it also landed him lunch with King Clancy and Wendel Clark at the Gardens and a private audience in the executive office of the new NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. In a few short years, \u003ci\u003eThe Globe and Mail\u003c\/i\u003e hired Joyce as its hockey columnist even though he had only ever seen a half dozen live NHL games.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book takes readers behind the scenes: with Larry Murphy, when he was Leafs fans’ scapegoat, and Pat Burns, when his firing loomed, to the last games at the Boston Garden and the Forum. These, however, are all a prelude for the final puck drop at the Gardens, when memories flood back and, with them, regrets about the price a scribe pays for a free seat on press row.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"color: #ff0000;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAvailable September 22, 2026. PRE-ORDER NOW!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-top: 20px;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"sans-serif-special\"\u003eBUY FROM:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/Portrait-Hockey-Scribe-Life-Press\/dp\/1770418717\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0719\/2207\/files\/Amazon.ca_Button_77f55393-2cbc-407a-8a35-fd767e9ae248.png\" width=\"100\" height=\"30\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Portrait-Hockey-Scribe-Life-Press\/dp\/1770418717\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0719\/2207\/files\/Amazon.com_Button_74eac223-be95-45f8-898c-b5754c7edbce.png\" width=\"100\" height=\"30\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/portrait-of-a-hockey-scribe-gare-joyce\/1149827399\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0719\/2207\/files\/B_N_Button_eda69837-b34b-4f02-a66d-9270330d32db.png\" width=\"100\" height=\"30\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.booksamillion.com\/p\/Portrait-Hockey-Scribe\/Gare-Joyce\/9781770418714\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0719\/2207\/files\/BAM_Button_101988c0-7e4b-442d-ab2b-556219f35ef2.png\" width=\"100\" height=\"30\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/portrait-of-a-hockey-scribe-life-on-press-row-gare-joyce\/ef65c05eb28d9291\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0719\/2207\/files\/Bookshop_Button.png\" width=\"100\" height=\"30\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.indigo.ca\/en-ca\/portrait-of-a-hockey-scribe-life-on-press-row\/9781770418714.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0719\/2207\/files\/Indigo_Button_8ac82365-74c6-462b-a9c1-f29926314ee1.png\" width=\"100\" height=\"30\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.mcnallyrobinson.com\/9781770418714\/gare-joyce\/portrait-of-a-hockey-scribe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0719\/2207\/files\/McNally_Button_b2df9a42-e2e8-4e84-9aa6-cbbbfdb6392f.png\" width=\"100\" height=\"30\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.kobo.com\/ca\/en\/ebook\/portrait-of-a-hockey-scribe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0719\/2207\/files\/Kobo_Button_2219341d-eeb9-486d-b01d-4aeeb45141df.png\" width=\"100\" height=\"30\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"small-grey-text\"\u003e\u003ci\u003ePrice may vary by retailer\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-top: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCheck availability at your local Canadian independent bookstore:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"tbm_shop_local\" data-options=\"{\n 'api_key' : '5XHiEK69GWj88UM4tjoZ9DkEoo9MFauV',\n 'product_code' : '9781770418714',\n 'distance_km' : '100',\n 'label' : 'Shop Local',\n 'request_location' : 'true',\n 'image' : 'https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0719\/2207\/files\/Shop_Local_Button.png'\n }\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n \u003cscript src=\"https:\/\/bookmanager.com\/public\/api\/tbm-shop-local.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n \u003cp style=\"font-size: 12px;padding-top: 10px;\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eRemember that most stores can easily order books they don’t currently have in stock.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"padding-top: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"sans-serif-special\"\u003eBUY FROM ECW PRESS:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli id=\"tab2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGare Joyce \u003c\/b\u003ehas written for dozens of publications and media outlets in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. He has been featured in \u003ci\u003eBest American Sports Writing\u003c\/i\u003e, the television series \u003ci\u003ePrivate Eyes\u003c\/i\u003e was adapted from his mystery novel, \u003ci\u003eThe Code\u003c\/i\u003e, and he has won the Canadian National Magazine Award four times. He lives in Kingston, ON.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli id=\"tab3\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePublished: September 2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eISBN: 9781770418714\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDimensions: 6 x 9 in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePages: 344\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n \n \u003c!-- split --\u003e\n \n \u003cdiv class=\"grid__item large--one-half review\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If Canadian sportswriting were a team, Gare Joyce would be the goalie. He sees the game differently, unlike all the other key players in the game. He reads the play differently, understands the angles, the individual skills, the flaws, and the emotional wrench of losing and winning. Nothing gets past him. He’s unique. He’s brilliant. He’s Gare Joyce, sportswriter supreme.” — Roy MacGregor, columnist for The Globe and Mail and bestselling author of The Home Team\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“More than anything, Gare Joyce is so much fun to read. Here is a masterwork that describes in hilarious detail his life in reading and writing — how he became a scribe, how he worshipped the press-box legends, and as you will soon see, how he became a master of an endangered if not dying art.” — Peter Golenbock, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Bronx Zoo\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBums\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eBaseball Heaven\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Told with Gare Joyce’s signature style, this hilarious and self-deprecating memoir goes behind the curtain of the sports world and is as entertaining as it is informative and revealing. A fantastic work of literature.” — Jason Priestley, actor and director\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n \n \u003cdiv class=\"grid__item large--one-half review\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Gare Joyce is my favourite. I marvel at his skill. I love his new memoir — devoured it in one sitting.” — Donal Logue, actor, \u003ci\u003eGotham\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Tao of Steve\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Gare Joyce may have created a new genre with his sportswriting memoir, \u003ci\u003ePortrait of a Hockey Scribe\u003c\/i\u003e: a cautionary tour de force. Thirty-nine of its 40 chapter titles begin with the word “Don’t.” The other begins with “Never.” There are dozens of lamp-lighting moments of unflinching, hip-checked prose. Here’s one: As soon as legendary Maple Leaf Bob Pulford drew a deep breath, his face turned crimson. If he had played for the Montreal Canadiens, it would have looked like he had pulled his sweater over his face, like Bazooka Joe. Don’t miss the chance to devour this book. And by don’t, I mean never.” — Bill Scheft, author, former sportswriter, former winger for David Letterman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Gare Joyce’s \u003ci\u003ePortrait of a Hockey Scribe\u003c\/i\u003e is a rollicking ride through the misadventures of one of Canada’s greatest sportswriters. With a unique talent for seeing the story beyond the obvious, Joyce turns his lens to the often self-important world of chronicling self-important games. As always, Joyce wields a deft touch for wit and irony, often turning those gifts on himself. But this is much more than a collection of entertaining tales from an illustrious scribe. It is the story of the mythologies we chase and the truths discovered in the balance of that restless pursuit.”—Dan Robson, The Athletic\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Joyce, Gare","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44887509172339,"sku":"9781770418714","price":26.95,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Accessible ePub","offer_id":44887509205107,"sku":"9781778526183","price":18.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"PDF","offer_id":44887509237875,"sku":"9781778526190","price":18.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0719\/2207\/files\/genericcover_web.jpg?v=1772645600","url":"https:\/\/ecwpress.com\/products\/portrait-of-a-hockey-scribe","provider":"ECW Press","version":"1.0","type":"link"}