Hilarious, brutally honest and controversial, this bestselling memoir follows one of hockey’s most colourful characters through his twenty years in the business—on the ice and off

Whether he was scoring top-shelf goals or crushing an opponent into the boards, Jeremy Roenick—widely known as J.R.—was never shy about the way he played hockey. As much as he mixed it up in front of the net, J.R., an NHL veteran of twenty years with five different teams, often found himself in the middle of controversy off theice as well. Above all else, J.R. was an entertainer, never afraid to dance on the blue line to liven up a game or to spend time with the fans. Now, as a hockey broadcaster and media personality, Roenick continues to inspire debate as he lights up call-in show phone lines with his rare mix of raw wit and cutting commentary.

In J.R., Roenick reveals all, from his early hockey days commuting to games across the continent; to his time with the Chicago Blackhawks, the Philadelphia Flyers and his other teams; to skating with the American team in international competition; to acting as judge on Battle of the Blades. Elaborating on the events and opinions that he is known for, including his famous media battle with Patrick Roy, his claims of a bias against American players, his accusation that USA Hockey had “blackballed” him, and his thoughts on Wayne Gretzky and the Phoenix Coyotes, Roenick tells it as only he can, in his own words.

JEREMY ROENICK was born in Boston and raised in hockey rinks across the northeastern United States. A high draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, Roenick was known for his combustible behaviour on and off the ice. He served as a judge on the number one CBC Television show Battle of the Blades and is a popular hockey commentator and media personality. He is the author (with Kevin Allen) of the bestseller J.R. Follow him on Facebook, on www.roenicklife.com and on Twitter @jeremy_roenick.

KEVIN ALLEN covers hockey for USA Today and has written numerous books about the game, including Star-Spangled Hockey, Without Fear (with Bob Duff), J.R. (with Jeremy Roenick) and My Last Fight (with Darren McCarty). He was president of the Professional Hockey Writers Association from 2002 to 2014 and remains on its executive committee. In 2013, he received the Lester Patrick Trophy for contributions to U.S. hockey. In 2014, he was honoured by the Hockey Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Toronto.

Jeremy Roenick's profile page

CHRIS CHELIOS spent twenty-six seasons in the NHL as a member of the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and Atlanta Thrashers. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. He currently serves as advisor to hockey operations with the Red Wings. He and his wife, Tracee, have four children.

KEVIN ALLEN covers hockey for USA Today and has written numerous books about the game, including Star-Spangled Hockey, Without Fear (with Bob Duff), J.R. (with Jeremy Roenick) and My Last Fight (with Darren McCarty). He was president of the Professional Hockey Writers Association from 2002 to 2014 and remains on its executive committee. In 2013, he received the Lester Patrick Trophy for contributions to U.S. hockey. In 2014, he was honoured by the Hockey Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Toronto.

Kevin Allen's profile page