The instant #1 national bestseller

Curtis Joseph, known affectionately to hockey fans around the world as Cujo, was an unlikely NHL superstar. The boy from Keswick, Ontario, didn’t put on a pair of skates until most kids his age were already far along in organized hockey, and he was passed over by every team in the NHL draft. Despite an unorthodox start, he would go on to play eighteen seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Phoenix Coyotes and Calgary Flames; be ranked among the all-time greats in several key categories; and win an Olympic gold medal while representing Canada. Joseph is a legend in Toronto, where his fandom rivals that of other beloved Leaf greats, and he’s widely thought of as one of the best goalies of all time.

For the first time, in this revealing memoir, Joseph talks about his highly unusual upbringing and what led him to put on his first pair of skates. Written by Kirstie McLellan Day, the world’s top writer of hockey books, this book surprises and entertains, and shares on- and off-the-ice tales no fan has heard before: the untold story behind the legend.

Curtis Joseph was born in Richmond Hill and grew up in Sharon, Ontario. He played for Notre Dame College in Saskatchewan and the University of Wisconsin but went undrafted. He eventually became an all-star with the St. Louis Blues and went on to play for Edmonton, Toronto, Detroit, Phoenix and Calgary before winding up his career with the Leafs. He won a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Joseph is an ambassador for the Maple Leafs and received the King Clancy Memorial Trophy after establishing Cujo’s Kids Charitable Foundation and Cujo’s Crease Satellite Anesthesia Room, both at SickKids Hospital. He’s husband to Stephanie and a dad of seven. Follow him on Twitter @Cujo.

Curtis Joseph's profile page

RON MACLEAN, host of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada for 28 years, began his broadcasting career in 1978 as an all-night DJ in Red Deer, Alberta. In 1984, he moved to Calgary to host Calgary Flames telecasts. MacLean joined CBC in 1986, where he hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs’ telecasts on HNIC, before becoming the full-time national host, and popular co-host of "Coach’s Corner" with Don Cherry in 1987. He has also hosted CBC’s coverage of the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, the World Cup of Hockey, the Calgary Stampede and Battle of the Blades. MacLean has been recognized with ten Gemini Awards for excellence on television. The co-author of the bestseller Cornered, he lives with his his wife, Cari, in Oakville, Ontario. Follow him on Twitter @RonMacLeanCBC and @hometownhockey_.

KIRSTIE MCLELLAN DAY ranks among the top hockey book writers in the world thanks to the three national bestsellers: Theo Fleury’s #1 bestselling memoir Playing With Fire, Bob Probert’s Tough Guy and Ron MacLean’s Cornered. She's currently working with Marty McSorley on his upcoming Hellbent. Her other books include Above and Beyond, a comprehensive family and business history of cable magnate J.R. Shaw; Under the Mat, a memoir with Diana Hart of the Hart wrestling family; and No Remorse, a true-crime novel. Kirstie is a mother of five and lives with her husband, television producer Larry Day, in Calgary. Together they own one of Canada’s most successful television companies, Pyramid Productions. Visit her online at www.kirstiemclellanday.com and follow her on Twitter @kmclellanday.

Kirstie McLellan Day's profile page

“An intriguing look at an interesting life . . . brimming with Joseph’s glass-half-full positivity.” — Toronto Star

“Staggering.” — The Athletic

“An incredible story about one legendary Leaf.” — Breakfast Television

“A fascinating story.” — Matt Galloway, CBC’s Metro Morning

“They don’t come much more resilient, athletic, and classy than Curtis Joseph . . . a wry, moving account of his turbulent upbringing as an adopted child, his rise through the game’s ranks, and his most notable achievements in the planet’s best league.” — The Score

“Cujo lifts the lid on a harsh childhood and the odds he beat making it to hockey’s highest level.” — Global News

“I don’t know a lot about goaltending and the life they live, but I know one thing: Curtis Joseph was a team guy all the way! Enjoy his book. He is a good man.” — Wayne Gretzky

“Curtis is a Leaf legend. I always loved being around the Joseph family. Curtis was such a good role model for kids our age. The way he carried himself on and off the ice was something to admire. I definitely learned from him.” — Connor McDavid

“There is so much about Joseph’s story that makes his NHL career so unlikely.” — Peterborough Examiner

“A revelatory look at the goaltender’s life and career.” — Quill & Quire