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Gretzky to Lemieux: The Story of the 1987 Canada Cup
Gretzky, Lemieux, Messier, Coffey, Fuhr, all on the same team — in their prime. The greatest collection of hockey talent ever assembled, playing the games of their lives.
Three epic 6-5 contests between Canada and the Soviet Union decided the ’87 Canada Cup.
Canada evened the series, after the Soviets won Game 1, when Gretzky’s fifth assist of the game set up Lemieux’s hat trick, ending Game 2 in double overtime. Game 2 is widely considered one of the greatest hockey games ever played.
With time running out in Game 3, after Canada battled back from a 3-0 deficit, Team Canada coach Mike Keenan sent the Gretzky / Lemieux / Hawerchuk line on the ice for a faceoff in Canada’s end. The rest is history as Gretzky, Lemieux, and Larry Murphy rushed up the ice, Gretzky skating on the left wing, setting up Lemieux’s game-winner in the slot with 1:26 left in the game. Gretzky’s pass to Lemieux, followed by Lemieux’s goal, is one of the most memorable plays in hockey history.
Gretzky to Lemieux captures the on-ice drama that led to the historic three-game final, and the stories behind it. Ed Willes adds depth and weight to the games by revealing the rebellion among Soviet hockey stars in the early days of Glasnost and a crumbling Soviet Union; the trouble brewing for Alan Eagleson; the ascendancy of Mario Lemieux; and the end of the glorious Gretzky era in Edmonton.
Packed with interviews of players and coaches, Gretzky to Lemieux tells the full story of the greatest hockey ever played.
Three epic 6-5 contests between Canada and the Soviet Union decided the ’87 Canada Cup.
Canada evened the series, after the Soviets won Game 1, when Gretzky’s fifth assist of the game set up Lemieux’s hat trick, ending Game 2 in double overtime. Game 2 is widely considered one of the greatest hockey games ever played.
With time running out in Game 3, after Canada battled back from a 3-0 deficit, Team Canada coach Mike Keenan sent the Gretzky / Lemieux / Hawerchuk line on the ice for a faceoff in Canada’s end. The rest is history as Gretzky, Lemieux, and Larry Murphy rushed up the ice, Gretzky skating on the left wing, setting up Lemieux’s game-winner in the slot with 1:26 left in the game. Gretzky’s pass to Lemieux, followed by Lemieux’s goal, is one of the most memorable plays in hockey history.
Gretzky to Lemieux captures the on-ice drama that led to the historic three-game final, and the stories behind it. Ed Willes adds depth and weight to the games by revealing the rebellion among Soviet hockey stars in the early days of Glasnost and a crumbling Soviet Union; the trouble brewing for Alan Eagleson; the ascendancy of Mario Lemieux; and the end of the glorious Gretzky era in Edmonton.
Packed with interviews of players and coaches, Gretzky to Lemieux tells the full story of the greatest hockey ever played.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2007
3 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Ed Willes
5 books8 followersSports columnist Ed Willes was born in Ottawa in 1955. Growing up, he moved across the country living in Ottawa, Montreal, Regina, Chilliwack, Toronto, Kingston, and Victoria. He remained in Ottawa to complete his third year of journalism BA at Carleton, but, alas, never obtained his degree.
Willes' first newspaper posting was for the Medicine Hat News in 1982 when he covered the WHL Tigers, minor league Blue Jays, rodeo, and more curling than he cares to remember.
In 1996, Willes moved to Regina where he reported on the WHL Pats and Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was working on a feature about a woman darts thrower when he was offered a columnist job at the Winnipeg Sun.
In Winnipeg, he spent two years as the General Columnist before moving on and becoming the Jets beat writer and hockey columnist. This stint led him to cover the tragic demise of the Jets while he also took on the role of the first beat writer for the IHL Manitoba Moose.
After Winnipeg, Willes spent a year as a freelance writer in Montreal appearing regularly in the New York Times.
Willes was finally drafted to The Province in the fall of 1998.
Aside from his extensive writing career, Willes boasts a single-digit handicap in golf, an encyclopedic knowledge of pre-1982 pop music and an "inexplicable fascination with movies and popular culture as a whole."
Willes' first newspaper posting was for the Medicine Hat News in 1982 when he covered the WHL Tigers, minor league Blue Jays, rodeo, and more curling than he cares to remember.
In 1996, Willes moved to Regina where he reported on the WHL Pats and Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was working on a feature about a woman darts thrower when he was offered a columnist job at the Winnipeg Sun.
In Winnipeg, he spent two years as the General Columnist before moving on and becoming the Jets beat writer and hockey columnist. This stint led him to cover the tragic demise of the Jets while he also took on the role of the first beat writer for the IHL Manitoba Moose.
After Winnipeg, Willes spent a year as a freelance writer in Montreal appearing regularly in the New York Times.
Willes was finally drafted to The Province in the fall of 1998.
Aside from his extensive writing career, Willes boasts a single-digit handicap in golf, an encyclopedic knowledge of pre-1982 pop music and an "inexplicable fascination with movies and popular culture as a whole."
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 22, 2021
In 1987, the power structure of international hockey was beginning to undergo a seismic shift. The Soviet Union national team, which had long been the most powerful team in the world, was beginning to crack as players were looking to either play elsewhere or became bolder in the criticism of their system thanks to the political shifting of their country.
The other powerful nation in hockey, Canada, was also undergoing a change of leadership among the players as Wayne Gretzky was widely considered to be the best player in the National Hockey League while an up-and-coming player named Mario Lemieux was thought to be the one person who could possibly match Gretzky. When these two nations met in the finals of the Canada Cup series in September 1987, it produced some of the best hockey played in that era, with the two players in the title working together to score the winning goal in the third game. The three games in those finals, along with some great storylines, are described in this book by Ed Willes.
Just a glance at the rosters of both teams makes a reader realize that this was a special series as many all-time greats were playing for both teams. Instead of listing them in this review, it should just be noted that Willes does a very good job of writing about the star players of both squads as well as the contributions of those who may not be as recognizable to the casual fan. The coaching methods of both coaches, Mike Keenan for Canada and Viktor Tikhonov for the Soviet Union. It was widely believed that the latter's decisions in the third game may have led to the ultimate victory by Canada, but Willes doesn't make that claim – instead he lets the reader make that decision. Willes does offer thoughts and analysis as well as recaps, and together they make for excellent reading.
It should also be noted that all three games in the series ended up with a score of 6-5 – the first game was won by the Soviet Union and the next two by Canada. Those scores are reflective of the wide-open offensive that was typical for professional hockey at that time and was very thrilling for fans to watch. This book, even though it is nearly 15 years old, is still worth the time to read to look back on a thrilling series that many still talk about nearly 35 years later.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
The other powerful nation in hockey, Canada, was also undergoing a change of leadership among the players as Wayne Gretzky was widely considered to be the best player in the National Hockey League while an up-and-coming player named Mario Lemieux was thought to be the one person who could possibly match Gretzky. When these two nations met in the finals of the Canada Cup series in September 1987, it produced some of the best hockey played in that era, with the two players in the title working together to score the winning goal in the third game. The three games in those finals, along with some great storylines, are described in this book by Ed Willes.
Just a glance at the rosters of both teams makes a reader realize that this was a special series as many all-time greats were playing for both teams. Instead of listing them in this review, it should just be noted that Willes does a very good job of writing about the star players of both squads as well as the contributions of those who may not be as recognizable to the casual fan. The coaching methods of both coaches, Mike Keenan for Canada and Viktor Tikhonov for the Soviet Union. It was widely believed that the latter's decisions in the third game may have led to the ultimate victory by Canada, but Willes doesn't make that claim – instead he lets the reader make that decision. Willes does offer thoughts and analysis as well as recaps, and together they make for excellent reading.
It should also be noted that all three games in the series ended up with a score of 6-5 – the first game was won by the Soviet Union and the next two by Canada. Those scores are reflective of the wide-open offensive that was typical for professional hockey at that time and was very thrilling for fans to watch. This book, even though it is nearly 15 years old, is still worth the time to read to look back on a thrilling series that many still talk about nearly 35 years later.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
December 31, 2019
311219: i had forgotten this book, but not the pleasure of those three games. possibly the last time i could appreciate sports ‘innocently’, that is, not simply money. of course, this is so long ago now, many young men will never know this joy. is this momentary nature not essential to sport? to now and not ever, but ever now?
December 29, 2019
"Gretzky to Lemieux" is an excellent book that recaptures the spirit of the greatest hockey ever played. Having watched the 3 game final of the 1987 Canada Cup Final myself, I was amazed at how well the author conveyed the roller coaster of emotions that occurred during those three 6-5 games. The level of hockey played in those games simply was the best ever. It was the famous Russian Green 5 man unit, led by Larianov and Festisov, the best in Russian Hockey history vs. The 2 greatest forwards to ever play the game, Gretzky and Lemieux, abley supported by stars like Messier, Bourque and Coffey. The book describes how the tournament was like a perfect storm coming together in 1987, which allowed all these players to meet at the height of their powers in a best of 3 final. The author also adds much to our understanding of the tournament with interviews of players and coaches, along with extensive background material on all the key people involved. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to any hockey fan.
April 20, 2023
2 1/2 stars. It's like the hockey version of The Dream Team. A decent read with a few fun moments. Unfortunately there are only so many ways one can describe a pass from Coffee to Gretzky to Lemuix before things start getting tedious.
November 20, 2019
excellent read. anyone who remembers the 1987 Canada cup will enjoy the read.
February 10, 2025
Review for Gretzky to Lemieux can be found on Hockey Blog In Canada.
August 6, 2014
Perhaps it was my imagination, or perhaps my opinions were coloured by another book of his that I have read before picking up this one (The Rebel League), but I found this book to have a wry and affectionate sense of humour that made it easy to digest and thoroughly enjoyable when it could have easily been a dry and direct account of the '87 Canada Cup.
This book was lent to me with the highest of praises and recommendations by a fellow sports book-o-phile upon learning my interest in similar books. (actually, he's a much more accomplished sports book reader than myself)
As with any book that broaches on a historical subject, as this ultimately is, the quality of the book and the strength of the story being shared is often the burden of the writer's. It is up to them to make it interesting and share in on knowledge that urges the reader to continue reading in their quest to learn more.
Many times, a writer fails on that mission. I can assure you that Ed Willes did not fail.
For one, I liked that it took a fairly original perspective rather than draw on the tales that is most often shared about the series, which is by and large the stories as told by Canadians and only Canadians. Granted while he did most of his story-building around the Canadian team and Gretzky in particular, he did make an effort to really delve into the Soviet machine of the day, particularly the KLM line, a line so terribly overlooked and under-appreciated by the game today.
I also really enjoyed the way he approached the Alan Eagleson angle of the story, and in a totally relatable tone as well. As someone who fell into hockey well after the Eagleson affair had found its conclusion, I certainly shared the feeling the author was portraying in recounting the many irregularities surrounding the former NHLPA head. And actually came out of it wishing to learn more about the whole nasty business.
I do have a few things to quibble about. I had wished he had discussed the road leading up to the penultimate series more fully, as I felt that it was almost there and then not there and was unsatisfied with the treatment of the other teams on behalf of them.
I also wished the business of Mike Keenan and the anger her built within the Canadian dressing room was better addressed, as I couldn't help feel a little cheated of its conclusion. Especially given in light of the fact that in today's NHL, that volatile style of coaching has for the most part died out.
Then again, today's NHL is very different from the NHL of 1987. And no more is that made clear than by the author in writing this fabulously interesting re-telling of the '87 Canada Cup.
This book was lent to me with the highest of praises and recommendations by a fellow sports book-o-phile upon learning my interest in similar books. (actually, he's a much more accomplished sports book reader than myself)
As with any book that broaches on a historical subject, as this ultimately is, the quality of the book and the strength of the story being shared is often the burden of the writer's. It is up to them to make it interesting and share in on knowledge that urges the reader to continue reading in their quest to learn more.
Many times, a writer fails on that mission. I can assure you that Ed Willes did not fail.
For one, I liked that it took a fairly original perspective rather than draw on the tales that is most often shared about the series, which is by and large the stories as told by Canadians and only Canadians. Granted while he did most of his story-building around the Canadian team and Gretzky in particular, he did make an effort to really delve into the Soviet machine of the day, particularly the KLM line, a line so terribly overlooked and under-appreciated by the game today.
I also really enjoyed the way he approached the Alan Eagleson angle of the story, and in a totally relatable tone as well. As someone who fell into hockey well after the Eagleson affair had found its conclusion, I certainly shared the feeling the author was portraying in recounting the many irregularities surrounding the former NHLPA head. And actually came out of it wishing to learn more about the whole nasty business.
I do have a few things to quibble about. I had wished he had discussed the road leading up to the penultimate series more fully, as I felt that it was almost there and then not there and was unsatisfied with the treatment of the other teams on behalf of them.
I also wished the business of Mike Keenan and the anger her built within the Canadian dressing room was better addressed, as I couldn't help feel a little cheated of its conclusion. Especially given in light of the fact that in today's NHL, that volatile style of coaching has for the most part died out.
Then again, today's NHL is very different from the NHL of 1987. And no more is that made clear than by the author in writing this fabulously interesting re-telling of the '87 Canada Cup.
July 7, 2015
It was an entertaining, fun, easy read that definitely made me want to actually watch this series again. However, it tends to over explain particular plays, essentially recreating the play by play in a perhaps overly hyperbolic way. But only another viewing of this series would confirm that for me. I would have liked to have heard a few more side stories about other teams in the tournament instead of this and perhaps shortened the last chapter which was mostly about Alan Eagleson.
January 7, 2014
This is a great book for any hockey fan. Willes paints a clear picture of training camp, the selection process and of each game. He is also able to provide the details of Alan Eagleson's rise to fame with hockey Canada and his ultimate fall. A very quick read.
March 7, 2011
Good book. As much as I hate to admit it, Gretzky helped Mario achieve greatness.
January 19, 2017
As an avid hockey fan, I read this book in two days. Clear descriptions of the players and games and effective use of quotes from players, coaches, and others involved.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews