Today, I'm reviewing Six Shooters: Hockey's Sutter Brothers, by Dean Spiros.

Seeing two brothers in the NHL is pretty cool. Mark and Marty Howe did that. If you've got three brothers that made it to the NHL, that's pretty amazing. The Barclays and the Plagers can boast three brothers in pro hockey at the same time. But six? All six lasting for several years in the NHL? That's the amazing story told in Six Shooters.

Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Rich and Ron all grew up in Viking, Alberta. They all played major junior hockey for the Lethbridge Broncos in the WHL. They all had varying degrees of success in the NHL. Some won Stanley Cups, some didn't. Some played longer than others.

But when it's all said and done, when everything is looked at in the grand picture, there will not be anyone in the NHL who coached a Sutter, or played along side a Sutter, who would ever say that any of the six Sutter brothers were anyone less than the hardest working player on that team.

The book is presented pretty much in two sections. First, the entire chronology of the six boys heading on their ways to the NHL. Each of them provides insight as to their own journey, as well as talking about their brothers. Along the way, their parents and the Rosses, with whom all of the Sutters stayed while playing hockey in Lethbridge, provide even more background into the life of a Sutter.

Second, each of the brothers writes a chapter about his NHL career, his playing days, and for the older men, some of what has happened since leaving the playing ranks. Keeping in mind that the book came out in about 1990, the twins, Rich and Ron, are still playing.

It's an amazing book about an amazing family. You don't have to know a lot about hockey, you just have to value hard work, because that's what being a Sutter is all about.


Amazon link:     http://www.amazon.com/Six-Shooters-Hockeys-Sutter-Brothers/dp/0138126038/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351629679&sr=1-8&keywords=six+shooters

Barnes and Noble link:   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/six-shooter-spiros/1000360767?ean=9780138126032

Powell's City of Books does not have any copies in stock at this time.