Undrafted
Hockey, Family, and What It Takes to Be a Pro
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- $24.99
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- $24.99
Publisher Description
True stories and hard-won lessons about a life of hockey, from a Stanley Cup champion and top analyst.
As a child growing up in Toronto, Nick Kypreos lived for hockey and dreamed of following in his idols’ footsteps to play in the NHL. Hockey was an important part of the Kypreos household. It was largely through the game that his immigrant Greek parents acclimatized to their new lives in Canada, and from a young age “Kyper” proved he was more than good enough to move through the ranks. But he was never a top prospect—he didn’t even attend the NHL draft when he became eligible. And yet, through dedication and constant improvement, he made it to the show.
Kypreos built a career on his tireless work ethic and made a name for himself for always having a positive influence on team morale. A medium-weight fighter, he squared off with the league’s toughest players, including Chris Simon, Joey Kocur, Tony Twist, and Scott Stevens—anything to give his team an edge. Ultimately, he was brought to the New York Rangers to help them win the Stanley Cup in 1994—their first in fifty-four years—with the legendary Mark Messier. And then he got to live his other dream: playing for his hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
When a concussion forced him to retire early, it changed his life. But the lessons he’d learned on the ice over eight seasons helped him build a new career as a top hockey analyst and personality for Sportsnet. For twenty seasons he provided unique insight on the evolving game, and a player’s perspective on the biggest discussions of the day.
Revealing, fun, and brutally honest, Undrafted shows the challenges of being a pro player. It’s a story of the resilience it takes to prove yourself every night, and how the right attitude can lead to the greatest success, not only in the arena, but in life.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Former NHL player Kypreos takes a granular if cursory look at his life in this uneven memoir. Born in 1966, he recounts his childhood growing up in Canada as part of a close-knit Greek family, and describes how hockey enabled his immigrant father to feel more Canadian. Kypreos began playing the sport in elementary school and joined a minor league team at age 12. In 1985, he got his big break when he was invited to compete for a roster spot with the Philadelphia Flyers, and he later enjoyed a stint with the New York Rangers' Stanley Cup winning 1994 team. Kypreos's on-ice belligerence ("We lined up for a face-off and... I whacked him twice really hard to send a message back that I wouldn't be intimidated") ended his career in 1997 after he suffered a particularly bad head injury during a preseason game. Soon, though, he was hired as a commentator by the Canadian sports network Sportsnet, where he worked for 21 years. Accounts of his playing days are strong, yet he provides little insight into what aspect of the game was so appealing to him. Nonetheless, hockey fans will appreciate this inside look.
Customer Reviews
Undrafted
Very good story and brilliantly written!