In his book Ice Capades, Sean Avery brings readers down to ice level and gives them a glimpse of professional hockey life beyond the generic behind-the-scenes anecdotes
If there was one thing I took away from reading Sean Avery’s memoir Ice Capades, it was that you should never judge a book by its cover. A hockey pest by trade, Avery made his presence known around the NHL using his mouth but also his hockey skills. And in today’s NHL that is becoming faster and more skilled each day, Avery’s services would be valued heavily in my opinion because of his unique ability to throw star players off of their game. But what makes this memoir so interesting is Avery’s passion for adventure beyond the rink.
Ice Capades is hardly just about hockey. Avery was never an elite player, although he does claim to be the most famous 3rd liner while he was playing in the NHL. Ice Capades gives you an inside look at what it’s like being a professional hockey player and shows readers a different kind of stardom. Avery fearlessly lived life to the fullest during his NHL career and took advantage of every opportunity that presented itself to him.
What really hooked me while reading Ice Capades was Avery’s voice. He touched on many sensitive subjects and really spoke his mind, which may or may not be appropriate for all ages. With the little I knew about Avery, I was surprised how in depth he got when it came to interpersonal relationships. There was so much that I didn’t know about Avery that comes at you so fast, the chapters seem to fly by.
For the general hockey fan, you will love Avery’s stories of being a young player in the Detroit Red Wings system and him proving his value on a veteran team. His ups and downs with the minor leagues is typical of any young player, but his determination to be physically ready every year combined with his integrity made him a unique player. Avery goes in-depth about every coach he’s had, his team mates, and even team executives. He does a great job discussing issues like salary cap, the lockout, and is even pretty open about his salary.
As a fan of the arts, I was very impressed with his interests in music and fashion. Fans generally don’t get to read about hockey player’s personal interests but seeing Avery mention bands like Sparta, Radiohead, and Dashboard Confessional was really cool. His love for vinyl and attending music festivals took his mind off of hockey and made him a more well-rounded individual. Avery also spoke in length about his internship with Vogue Magazine, an opportunity he created for himself out of passion and curiosity. His crazy stories of interacting with celebrities and high-profile fashion icons do not disappoint.
On a deeper level, Avery touched on some issues today like gay marriage, homophobia, CTE, drugs, and addiction that really resonated with his strong character. Being a player known for his antics on the ice, a lot of people including me assumed he was the same off the ice which just isn’t true. Avery even says he loved playing the villain but that wasn’t who he truly was.
I took about a week to read Ice Capades and am glad I spaced it out because I didn’t want to put the book down. If you’re a hockey fan, this book will probably be more than you expected. But if you’re more than just a hockey lover, this book is satisfying on many more levels. As much as you hated Avery when he lined up against your favorite team years ago, you may respect him a lot more after reading his memoir.
Here is a link to Ice Capades on Amazon if you’re interested
You can follow Sean on Twitter at @imseanavery