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Book Review: Finding Murph by Rick Westhead

By Chris Baker

TORONTO, ON - MAY 11: Joe Murphy #17 of the Chicago Black Hawks skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during NHL playoff game action on May 11, 1995 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/Graig Abel Photography/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MAY 11: Joe Murphy #17 of the Chicago Black Hawks skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during NHL playoff game action on May 11, 1995 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/Graig Abel Photography/Getty Images) /
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Finding Murph by Rick Westhead
15 Apr 1998: Rightwinger Joe Murphy of the San Jose Sharks in action during a game against the Calgary Flames at the Canadian Airlines Saddledome in Calgary, Canada. The Flames and Sharks tied 3-3. Mandatory Credit: Ian Tomlinson /Allsport /

Finding Murph by Rick Westhead is a little bit of the “riches to rags” story you might come to expect.

Young hockey star comes up through the ranks on the back of a stellar childhood brought in no small part by a supportive family. A sudden injury dashes the dreams of both the family and the player.

Through grit and determination the star comes back with the help of some tremendous help from coaches, friends, and of course the family.

Except the comeback hasn’t happened.

Joe Murphy is, as of this year, still not back.

Rick Westhead covers the absolutely fabulous growing up, outstanding hockey career in the NHL, and downturn of Joe Murphy.

Joe Murphy became the first NCAA college player to be selected first overall when he was selected in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings.

He would spend 16 years in the NHL, win a Stanley Cup and has 779 games in the league. But if graphed his over all production would valley quickly and never recover after Murphy’s 1996-97 season with the St. Louis Blues.

Westhead goes into the full story in Finding Murph, which needs to be read by every player, and coach in the hockey world.

It should change the way the game of hockey is played from a game of brute force to one much more built on speed.

It will mean we as fans get to see our favorite players longer, the games will be faster paced, and maybe even the scores higher.

I would encourage anyone who is stuck in the old ways of “old time hockey” to read Finding Murph and see just how much the game of hockey has taken from Joe Murphy and continues to take from him.

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