Hellbent: An Autobiography

by Marty McSorley, Kirstie McLellan Day, Wayne Gretzky (Introduction)

Hockey coaches questioned Marty McSorley’s speed and skill at every level, but the unlikely, undrafted underdog made the NHL, becoming one of the most effective team players in the history of the league. In this riveting book, McSorley takes readers behind the scenes of his remarkable life for the first time, from a rough and tumble childhood growing up on a farm with nine brothers and sisters, to surprising and often hilarious locker room anecdotes. He shares inside stories of Stanley Cup victories with the Oilers dynasty, the trade that moved Gretzky to Los Angeles, a notorious court case in Vancouver where he faced assault charges for an incident on the ice, negotiations on the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, and what it was like to play with the greats—Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, Kelly Hrudey and many more. Hellbent is fast-paced, controversial, and thoroughly entertaining memoir that every fan of hockey will enjoy.

336 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2014

About the author

Martin James McSorley is a Canadian retired professional hockey player, who played in the National Hockey League from 1983 until 2000. A versatile player, he was able to play both the forward and defense positions.

A former head coach of the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League (2002–04), aside from his hockey career, McSorley has worked as an actor, appearing in several film and television roles. McSorley was a valued teammate of Wayne Gretzky during their years playing together for the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, where he served as an enforcer. In 2000, his on-ice assault of Donald Brashear with his stick, in which Brashear suffered a severe concussion, led to McSorley's suspension and eventual retirement from the NHL.