Hockey 101: Publications

Let's Play Hockey, left, and The Hockey News, right, have been enjoyed by many over the year's to keep up with the sport of hockey.  I have picked up a few copies of LPH and have this week's THN.

I read a lot of things, mainly books and over the years I have read quite a few.  Naturally, I found a few Hockey books, of which I am working through.  They are: Open Net by George Plimpton, and Home Game: Hockey and Life in Canada By Ken Dryden.

Besides those, I have come into possession of two hockey publications that I have found interesting and have enjoyed reading.  First, I have picked up several copies of “Let’s Play Hockey” a newspaper covering the sport, at Cedar Rapids Roughriders games.  Second, I picked up a copy of The Hockey News, one of the seven special issues put out.  Those are pictured in the photo here, though the LPH newspaper is dates back to late last fall.

Here is some basic information about those publications:

The Hockey News

Frequency — Weekly

Total Circulation — 100,058

First Issue — 1947

Based In — Toronto Ontario

The Hockey News is published 34 times a year.  They have several special issues:

1. Season Opener
2. People of Power and Influence
3. Future Watch
4. Draft Preview
5. Season In Review
6. The Best of Everything in Hockey
7. Yearbook

The magazine is available through print subscription and also has a website - www.thehockeynews.com.  THN covers primarily the National Hockey League (NHL), thought there are some sections that cover minor league, junior and international hockey.

The Hockey News was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Will Cote and is the most recognizable hockey publication in North America.

Let’s Play Hockey

Frequency — Weekly

Circulation — N/A.

First Issue — 1972

Based In — Minneapolis, Minnesota

Let’s Play Hockey was started in 1972 by the then rink-side announcer of the Minnesota North Stars NHL team, Bob Utecht.  He wanted to create a publication that would help spread the news on the every growing popularity of Hockey.  He named the newspaper after the famous words “LET’S PLAY HOCKEY” which he used before the opening faceoffs at the then stadium for the North Stars in Bloomington, MN.

The newspaper provides in-depth, comprehensive coverage of all levels of hockey.  The paper is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota the unofficial epicenter for the sport.  The newspaper is distributed throughout Minnesota, mainly at Hockey Shops around the state.

Website: www.letsplayhockey.com