There are a few good sports biographies but fewer great ones. This is one of the greats and from a first time author at that!

Huge points for author Todd Denault using Klein and Reif's Hockey Compendium (possibly the best hockey analysis book ever done) and their massive save percentage database stats to prove just how great Plante was in an era when they only had goals against average as the stat du jour. Denault, though, doesn't fall into the trap of just using stats nor of ignoring GAA in the context of the era. He just strikes the right balance.

To be honest, I knew a lot about Plante, his wandering, knitting, asthma and his introduction of the modern mask to netminding. What I was looking for in this book was to fill me in on the pre- and post-Habs era especially his time with the Leafs and Blues and his Hasek-like ability to play outstanding goal into his 40s.

We get that in spades here. I was surprised to learn so many things such as the fact as juniors many of the stars of the '60s did get a chance to play the Soviets which makes the early shock at the Soviets' play in the 1972 Summit Series sort of bizarre given all this prior contact on the ice at the amateur level.

Without giving any more away on the surprises you'll find about the "good ole days" of the Original Six, just be assured you'll garner great sympathy for the man Jacques Plante over and above his skills on the ice.