Today's book review is The Ultimate Bad Boys by Stan Fischler.

This is a little bit of a departure from most book reviews that I have done. Instead of a story-type approach, this book instead starts out with a series of interviews with well-known “tough guys” in the NHL, keeping in mind that the book is dated at about 1999. Each of the players speaks candidly about subjects such as growing up, playing hockey at various levels, who they have fought against and opinions on the toughest people they have faced. In my opinion, these interviews make the book worth reading.

2^nd, there is a section where three well-known hockey writers rank the so-called “tough guys” in various categories, and then show them by total points. Granted, the totals are subjective, but I believe that the way each writer defends his position gives you, the reader, a chance to make a judgment on those rankings.

There is a brief section on the current “heavyweight champ” Tony Twist, as well as a section on the TKO Quartet, four of the toughest people playing in the 80s and 90s; Marty McSorley, Bob Probert, Joey Kocur, and Tie Domi. I readily agree that, in their prime, any of those four could be considered the best fighters on any given night.

There is a section on single games that have become known for major or multiple fights, as well as “the All-Time dirtiest, toughest team.”

This book can readily appeal to the fan of the fights, as well as to everyone else, because not only are these players capable of knocking others out, so many of these fighters can actually play the game as well.

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Bad-Boys-Greatest-Fighters/dp/1894020359/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364861729&sr=1-1&keywords=the+ultimate+bad+boys

Link to Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ultimate-bad-boys-stan-fischler/1003050845?ean=9781894020350