This was a fun story to hear retold. The author was able to interview a lot of the players and staff on this super team (more than a dozen players in the Hall of Fame!), and it is clear how much winning a gold medal after 50 years meant to the players and the Canadian Hockey community. But at the same time it felt like surface look at the experience, heavy on superlatives and not much depth. We get a high level look at each game, but nothing in depth n tactics of exactly why the Canadians were able to win (other than overwhelming talent). The bulk of the book is about the talents that constructed and played, so it frequently ventures in hagiography. When writing about Gretzky, Lemieux, Sakic, Yzerman, et al. it is hard not to do. And the book does a good job capturing what made each player special. I would have just like more details into what made the team as a whole special (why did some line configurations work and others didn't? what was the plan to beat the US in the finals?) and what made the experience special (we get high level beats like a somber ride back from barely beating Germany and learn that a steak dinner with the women's team was fun, but no details). Good for what it was but I wanted more.

So sure this book can be dry if you don’t have an interest in the story (but then why are you reading it). I love a good sports story and this is one of those. The book is just matter of fact.