Breaking the Ice

“This should be required reading for all hockey parents, coaches, young athletes, administrators, and serious fans willing to examine the game beyond nostalgia, tradition, and the scoreboard.” — Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“Breaking the Ice is an unflinching look inside hockey’s broken machine. Through his unique lens, Justin Davis examines the underlying culture of this beloved game — in all its beauty and brutality — to reckon with the cost of that collision. It is a piercing account of what hockey gives and everything it takes. Honest but hopeful, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves this sport and wants to make it better.” — Dan Robson, senior enterprise writer for The Athletic and bestselling author
“In Conflicted Scars, Justin Davis did one of the hardest things a former player can do — take an honest look at himself and the game he loves. It wasn’t always pretty. In this follow-up, Davis goes even deeper into hockey culture and the experiences that shape those who play it, exploring a simple question with complex answers: What’s worth keeping, and what still needs to change? Through interviews and thoughtful reflection, he examines the strengths, flaws, and contradictions of the game, challenging hockey fans to think differently about its future.” — Jeff Marek, host of The Sheet with Jeff Marek and co-host of The Hockey Lifers
“I’ll admit it — I’m a hockey romantic. But as anyone who loves the game knows, even the truest romances have their ups and downs. No relationship is perfect, and hockey is no exception. But man, I love it. So does Justin. And he wants to make it better. So do the people who play it. Like the game itself, players are complex. Justin shows us that those on the fringe — the third and fourth liners, the grinders, and even those who never quite made it — may hold the real answers to what it will take to make hockey better for all of us.” — Ken Reid, Sportsnet Central anchor and bestselling author

Justin Davis is a former educator, professional hockey player, and author of the bestselling memoir Conflicted Scars. After being drafted by the Washington Capitals, leading the 1999 Memorial Cup in scoring, and hoisting the trophy with the Ottawa 67’s, Justin graduated from Western University as the school’s all-time points leader. He is a player mentor and chaplain in the OHL and lives in Guelph, ON, with his wife, Jessie, and his three kids, Josh, Grace, and Avery.

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