Breaking the Ice

Seven Lives, One Game, and The Fight for the Game of Hockey

Published by ECW Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

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About the Book

Former pro hockey player Justin Davis explores the dark corridors of hockey culture to demonstrate that hockey isn’t broken — but it is as complex as real life. Through interviews with enforcers, players, coaches, agents, and journalists, Breaking the Ice takes stock of what hockey is and imagines what it might be.

Jon “Nasty” Mirasty and Zenon Konopka, two of the toughest men to ever play professionally, offer their contrasting opinions on the physical toll the game took on their bodies. Investigative journalist Rick Westhead and NHL super-agent Allan Walsh reflect on their long journeys inside and outside hockey, their vital roles as agents of change, and the opportunity to make the game better. Chris Nowinski, CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, discusses ongoing research into brain injuries, CTE, and the safety of playing contact sports. Steffany Hanlen, the first woman to become an NHL power skating and strength coach, provides insight into youth hockey and gives essential advice to any minor hockey parent. Finally, Andrew Long recounts the horrific event that changed his life forever and forced him out of the limelight and into the shadows.

After exposing the dark underbelly of junior hockey in his memoir, Conflicted Scars, Justin Davis is now determined to find a path forward by telling the stories of others. Breaking the Ice is an indispensable guide to parents of hockey hopefuls and players climbing the ranks of professional hockey.

About the Author

Product Details

  • Publisher: ECW Press (October 20, 2026)
  • Length: 248 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781770418332

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Raves and Reviews

“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

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