McDonell, Chris 1960-

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McDONELL, Chris 1960-

PERSONAL: Born June 16, 1960, in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada; son of Alanson and Nora (a homemaker; maiden name, Hurley) McDonell; married Sue Gordon (a nurse), September 28, 1985; children: Quinn, Tara, Isaac. Ethnicity: "Scottish/Irish." Education: University of Western Ontario, B.A. Politics: "Groucho Marxist." Religion: Christian.

ADDRESSES: Home—41 Gunn St., London, Ontario, Canada M6G 1C6.

CAREER: Writer.

WRITINGS:

(Compiler) For the Love of Hockey: Hockey Stars'Personal Stories, Firefly Books (Willowdale, Ontario, Canada), 1997, revised edition, 2001.

Hockey's Greatest Stars: Legends and Young Lions, Firefly Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1999.

Hockey All-Stars: The NHL Honor Roll, Firefly Books (Buffalo, NY), 2000.

(Compiler) The Game I'll Never Forget: One hundredHockey Stars' Stories, Firefly Books (Willowdale, Ontario, Canada), 2002.

SIDELIGHTS: Chris McDonell's first book, For the Love of Hockey: Hockey Stars' Personal Stories, is a two-hundred-page collection of memories in the stars' own words. Hockey superstars like Gordie Howe and Brett Hull relate their often surprisingly inauspicious beginnings in the sport and write about what it was like to grow up playing the game. Others, like Paul Coffey and Bernie Geoffrion, reminisce about their active careers and the work habits that contributed to their success, while some comment on the highs and lows of being a professional athlete. These are not the memories of hockey's loyal fans. They are the very personal memories of the men who made their living on the ice.

In contrast, Hockey's Greatest Stars: Legends and Young Lions is McDonell's third-person commentary on the players he select as "greatest" within their specialties. His categorical sections distinguish among centers, wings, defense players, and goal tenders, and each section discusses the responsibilities of the position and the skills and talents required for success. McDonell's selections are drawn from hockey history and today's sports headlines. Each biographical entry summarizes a player's background and career, illustrated by color photographs, where available, or archival photographs in black and white. McDonnell also adds a career analysis and list of statistics. A special feature of Hockey's Greatest Stars is a section in which McDonnell profiles a handful of rising stars who, he predicts, have the potential to become the "young lions" of tomorrow.

In Hockey All-Stars: The NHL Honor Roll, McDonnell profiles nearly three hundred players who have been cited for an outstanding season of performance in the National Hockey League by the Professional Hockey Writer's Association since the 1930-1931 season. The entries, in alphabetical order, are of approximately equal length, regardless of the player's legendary status or the duration of his career. Each entry features a career summary, one or more photographs, statistics, and personal recollections, from the player himself where possible, or from the team members or various sports writers. A summary chart includes a season-by-season list of all team members for both first and second all-star teams.