The Hockey Handbook, by Lloyd Percival, revised by Wayne Major,  Robert Thom and Larry Sadler

Originally published in 1951, the Hockey Handbook is still relevant to players today. Percival was a student of all sports but he loved hockey best. He was the first author to study the game scientifically and put his research into practical use.

The Hockey Handbook contains chapters on: skating, puck control, scoring, offense, defense, goaltending, coaching and training.

Percival’s book needs to be read in small sections because it contains a tremendous amount of detailed advice. Players should read the chapters that apply to them and find a few points to work on during each practice or game.

The Hockey Handbook does not contain many illustrations or play diagrams that are included in many contemporary hockey books. However, the fact that this book has stayed on the shelves of bookstores for over 40 years shows it contains a wealth of timeless wisdom about playing winning hockey.

Sports Illustrated Hockey - Learn to play the Modern Way, by Jack Falla and Heinz Kluetmeier

This book is a superb resource for beginners because it contains simple and straightforward explanations of the basics of hockey. It is well edited and the layout makes for easy reading. The pictures included are carefully designed to illustrate the text. It is written to be useful to both players and coaches. Because this is a Sports Illustrated book, it is updated frequently and contains much of the latest thinking on hockey.

Hockey - Learn to play the Modern Way contains chapters on: Rink, rules and equipment, skating, stick handling, shooting, offense, defense, goaltending, conditioning, coaching, and building your own backyard rink.

Falla's book does not include advanced hockey techniques such as cycling and neutral zone traps, but it is still an excellent addition to the beginning ice hockey player's library.

Gold Medal Ice Hockey for Women and Girls
Tricia Dunn and Katie King

Members of the 1998 USA Olympic Team provide an excellent introductory book on women's no-check hockey.  The book contains both great instruction and an inspiring story of the team’s journey to the Gold Medal.

Hockey for Dummies, by John Davidson and John Steinbreder

The Dummies series of books has a wide range of titles and is intended for audiences that are new to a topic. Hockey for Dummies is essentially designed for the new hockey fan - not the new player. It focuses on the NHL and has many anecdotes and tips from NHL star players.

Hockey for Dummies does not include a comprehensive review of the basics (skating, shooting, offense etc.) so it is not a text for beginners. However, for the experienced fan or player it does contain many specifics that are fun and useful. For example, it provides the most comprehensive explanation of the neutral zone trap available in hockey books today.

Hockey for Dummies is a fun book to read and great place to find NHL tips to share with your teammates.

The Hockey Playbook, by Michael Smith

The Hockey Play Book is for an excellent resource for teams once the basics have mastered.  It has wonderful illustrations of the flow of players in a variety of situations.   If your adult team has a chance to practice, you can benefit by working on a few plays from this book at each practice.

Complete Hockey Instruction, by Dave Chambers

Complete Hockey Instruction is truly complete!  This book by Dave Chambers includes chapters on “Designing Efficient Practices”, “Skating”, “Passing and Receiving”, “Shooting”, “Stick handling and Puck Control.”  It includes chapters on the play of the forwards and defensemen as well as conditioning, mental training and nutrition.  Dave Chambers was an assistant and head coach for the Nordiques (now the Avalanche) and the Minnesota North Stars (now Dallas Stars).