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Searching for Terry Punchout
Adam Macallister's sportswriting career is about to end before it begins, but he's got one last shot--a Sports Illustrated profile about hockey's most notorious goon, the reclusive Terry Punchout--who also happens to be Adam's estranged father. Adam returns to Pennington, Nova Scotia, where Terry now lives in the local rink and drives the Zamboni. Going home means drinking with old friends, revisiting neglected relationships, and dealing with lingering feelings about his father and dead mother--and discovering that his friends and family are kinder and more complicated than he ever gave them credit for. Searching for Terry Punchout is a charming and funny tale of hockey, small-town Maritime life, and how, despite our best efforts, we just can't avoid turning into our parents.
"Funny, quirky, sad and sweet. Searching for Terry Punchout is a story of friendship and family, of hockey heroes and small-town hangovers, of Zamboni lessons and thrift store beauty queens. Highly recommended!"
-Will Ferguson, author of The Shoe on the Roof
"Funny, quirky, sad and sweet. Searching for Terry Punchout is a story of friendship and family, of hockey heroes and small-town hangovers, of Zamboni lessons and thrift store beauty queens. Highly recommended!"
-Will Ferguson, author of The Shoe on the Roof
208 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2018
35 people are currently reading
651 people want to read
About the author
Tyler Hellard
1 book14 followersTyler Hellard is a Calgary-based copywriter, technology critic and author. His debut novel, Searching For Terry Punchout, was shortlisted for the 2019 Amazon Canada First Novel Award and the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 28, 2018
Searching for Terry Punchout is strong and active writing that led me into the world of a character I did not expect to embrace as fully as I did. While I enjoy male writers and fiction about guys, sports have rarely caught my interest. Nevertheless, this book worked well for me, even with its use of hockey as a creative element. I'm tempted to call it "guy's fiction," but I think this is writing for both genders.
June 23, 2018
When a story contains hockey, one last chance for redemption, a trip back home and some touching family moments, it is a story that is worth reading. All of these and more are contained in Tyler Hellard’s excellent debut novel.
Adam Macallister returns from Calgary to his small home town in Nova Scotia to write a story for Sports Illustrated about the player who holds the NHL record for most penalty minutes in a career, nicknamed Terry Punchout. His real name is Terry Macallister – Adam’s father. Between the time his career ended and the unplanned reunion with his estranged son, Terry has returned to his hometown and lived at the local rink where he works driving the Zamboni and on general maintenance of the rink.
On the trip back, Adam interviews his father and has many memories dredged up, both good and bad. The reader will easily connect with Adam, not only for family matters but also when he reunites with his high school friends, a girl for whom he pined and now has a son, and his brief attempt at playing hockey again. Terry is also a complex character and the reader will get into the mind of a hockey player who used to be considered an enforcer, even if fictional.
The story moves along nicely without going to fast or dragging along, making the reading very easy. Adam shares some interesting philosophical tidbits of life as well as comic lines. One example of the funny side of the book is when Adam describes the phrase “out west”: “Out west is the very specific term people on the east coast apply to everything between Toronto and Japan.” For an example of his philosophical views, try this one: “…I had to work out my own world view. What I came up with was this: everything in life is pass or fail.”
The story has a very interesting conclusion as well that will leave the reader satisfied and yet with questions at the same time. It is a story that is recommended for readers who enjoy hockey fiction, stories of family and of memories. It was certainly one of the best hockey fiction books I have read.
I wish to thank Invisible Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/201...
Adam Macallister returns from Calgary to his small home town in Nova Scotia to write a story for Sports Illustrated about the player who holds the NHL record for most penalty minutes in a career, nicknamed Terry Punchout. His real name is Terry Macallister – Adam’s father. Between the time his career ended and the unplanned reunion with his estranged son, Terry has returned to his hometown and lived at the local rink where he works driving the Zamboni and on general maintenance of the rink.
On the trip back, Adam interviews his father and has many memories dredged up, both good and bad. The reader will easily connect with Adam, not only for family matters but also when he reunites with his high school friends, a girl for whom he pined and now has a son, and his brief attempt at playing hockey again. Terry is also a complex character and the reader will get into the mind of a hockey player who used to be considered an enforcer, even if fictional.
The story moves along nicely without going to fast or dragging along, making the reading very easy. Adam shares some interesting philosophical tidbits of life as well as comic lines. One example of the funny side of the book is when Adam describes the phrase “out west”: “Out west is the very specific term people on the east coast apply to everything between Toronto and Japan.” For an example of his philosophical views, try this one: “…I had to work out my own world view. What I came up with was this: everything in life is pass or fail.”
The story has a very interesting conclusion as well that will leave the reader satisfied and yet with questions at the same time. It is a story that is recommended for readers who enjoy hockey fiction, stories of family and of memories. It was certainly one of the best hockey fiction books I have read.
I wish to thank Invisible Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/201...
October 21, 2023
What a pleasant surprise! Family dramas, small town, old friends, hockey… I mean what more can you ask for.
Easy, entertaining read!
Easy, entertaining read!
August 11, 2019
Funny, sarcastic, and poignant, this story packs a whole lot into a small space in the best possible way. It's about returning to your hometown, and realizing you're not as different as you hoped you were. And coming to terms with your past and your family and your friends. And a little bit about hockey and life in a small town. If you read this and don't laugh out loud you are not a real human ;) Read it!
October 28, 2018
Although I'm not a fan of hockey, I am a fan of family dramas and this one lives up to the hype. Father and son re-connect after years of estrangement and silence when the protagonist returns to his hometown to write an article for Sports Illustrated detailing his father's uniquely violent history as a hockey player. Poignant and self-deprecating humor mark this debut as a novel with secrets and pain that prove maybe you CAN go home again!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
January 30, 2026
A quick read set in a small town where people either stay forever or leave as fast as they can. Deals with hockey, relationships and family. Not sure how it ties into the theme of Canada Reads of “a book that builds bridges”. Between who??
December 20, 2025
thank you steve dangle for the rec. sorry about the game. good book
June 10, 2019
Bawango! She’s a beauty!
November 1, 2019
A fun, light read.
November 8, 2018
4 stars
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, any book with hockey as a main theme is already going to get high marks from me. :-) I am a HUGE hockey fan (Go Blues!) and there just aren't enough good books that feature hockey. This is a good, funny and touching book that I really enjoyed reading. I've never read anything by this author, but will definitely read more of his books.
Adam Macallister is from small town Pennington, Nova Scotia. He was raised by a single mother after she split from his father, a NHL enforcer nicknamed Terry Punchout. Adam and his father were never close, even after Adam's father's career ended and he returned to Pennington. Terry Punchout initially returned to his home town as a hero, but having lost his meager savings in a failed business venture with no Plan B, he eventually wears out his welcome in town and becomes a "has-been". Terry eventually takes a job driving the Zamboni and performing maintenance at the local ice rink.
When Adam's mother dies during his last year of high school, he packs his bag and leaves town without saying goodbye to anyone. He has no contact with anyone from his home town, not even his father. After college, Adam starts work as a sportswriter but is quickly laid off. With nowhere to go, and desperate to jump-start his career, he returns to his hometown with an idea to write a feature for Sports Illustrated about one of hockey's most notorious goons - his father. Now he just needs to get his father to cooperate.
The characters are charming and I really liked Adam. I enjoyed following his journey as he reconciles relationships with his friend, father and town. He discovers that his opinions about his friends and the town are a bit harsher than necessary, and that life in a small town is more complicated than expected. The book is witty and fun, while at the same time sad and touching.
I recommend you read this book.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, any book with hockey as a main theme is already going to get high marks from me. :-) I am a HUGE hockey fan (Go Blues!) and there just aren't enough good books that feature hockey. This is a good, funny and touching book that I really enjoyed reading. I've never read anything by this author, but will definitely read more of his books.
Adam Macallister is from small town Pennington, Nova Scotia. He was raised by a single mother after she split from his father, a NHL enforcer nicknamed Terry Punchout. Adam and his father were never close, even after Adam's father's career ended and he returned to Pennington. Terry Punchout initially returned to his home town as a hero, but having lost his meager savings in a failed business venture with no Plan B, he eventually wears out his welcome in town and becomes a "has-been". Terry eventually takes a job driving the Zamboni and performing maintenance at the local ice rink.
When Adam's mother dies during his last year of high school, he packs his bag and leaves town without saying goodbye to anyone. He has no contact with anyone from his home town, not even his father. After college, Adam starts work as a sportswriter but is quickly laid off. With nowhere to go, and desperate to jump-start his career, he returns to his hometown with an idea to write a feature for Sports Illustrated about one of hockey's most notorious goons - his father. Now he just needs to get his father to cooperate.
The characters are charming and I really liked Adam. I enjoyed following his journey as he reconciles relationships with his friend, father and town. He discovers that his opinions about his friends and the town are a bit harsher than necessary, and that life in a small town is more complicated than expected. The book is witty and fun, while at the same time sad and touching.
I recommend you read this book.
October 22, 2018
I was given a copy of Searching For Terry Punchout by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Reconnecting with an estranged family member, especially one that was once a famous/infamous household name, can go any number of ways. Adam Macallister takes us with him back to his hometown to hopefully save his sportswriting career by interviewing his own father, a once feared professional hockey “enforcer”. “The fight that ended my father’s career was legendary...that fight was regarded as no less than the greatest fight in the history of hockey...The fight became mythical-to hear people talk about it, you’d swear Terry Punchout slew a dragon, conquered a continent, and died the noblest of deaths. The very thing that destroyed his career was also his crowning achievement “. Adam’s own hockey career ended early, and badly, with “ that air of disappointment only parents emit (hanging) between us “. Besides sorting out their complicated father - son relationship, going home leads Adam to some awkward encounters with old friends and high school crushes.
I liked the premise of this novel and the writing style. The dialogue rang true and it was both nostalgic and funny. I was surprised to learn that this is the author’s debut novel and will look forward to future releases from him.
Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this entertaining new novel.
I liked the premise of this novel and the writing style. The dialogue rang true and it was both nostalgic and funny. I was surprised to learn that this is the author’s debut novel and will look forward to future releases from him.
Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this entertaining new novel.
December 5, 2018
"The nicknames cut in dressing rooms bleed into the rest of our lives. For all the romanticizing of hockey in this country, no one ever mentions that in places like Pennington, it's literally responsible for your identity."
Adam Macallister is an unemployed sportswriter who left Pennington, the small town in Nova Scotia where he grew up, a decade ago, after his mother's death. Estranged from his father, a former hockey player who holds the rather dubious record for most penalty minutes in an NHL career, Adam decides to return home to see if he can interview his dad for Sports Illustrated. (He's back in the news because his record is about to be broken by another player.) After leaving the NHL, Terry Macallister, better known by his nickname Terry Punchout, disappeared back into Pennington, where he now drives the Zamboni and works as the handyman at the local hockey rink. Of course, going back home also forces Adam to confront the past he's been trying to avoid ever since he departed without saying goodbye.
I'm not a hockey fan, but I do like family sagas, and this is a strong debut with a distinctly Canadian setting. The rhythms of life in a small, hockey-mad town and the relationship between Adam and his old friends from high school were well-portrayed.
Adam Macallister is an unemployed sportswriter who left Pennington, the small town in Nova Scotia where he grew up, a decade ago, after his mother's death. Estranged from his father, a former hockey player who holds the rather dubious record for most penalty minutes in an NHL career, Adam decides to return home to see if he can interview his dad for Sports Illustrated. (He's back in the news because his record is about to be broken by another player.) After leaving the NHL, Terry Macallister, better known by his nickname Terry Punchout, disappeared back into Pennington, where he now drives the Zamboni and works as the handyman at the local hockey rink. Of course, going back home also forces Adam to confront the past he's been trying to avoid ever since he departed without saying goodbye.
I'm not a hockey fan, but I do like family sagas, and this is a strong debut with a distinctly Canadian setting. The rhythms of life in a small, hockey-mad town and the relationship between Adam and his old friends from high school were well-portrayed.
October 16, 2018
I live in a hockey family and in a hockey part of the world, so as soon as I saw this title I couldn't request it fast enough... What fun - bittersweet and painful, just like hockey! It was like Beautiful Girls meets Slapshot - in the best possible way. As someone from a small town who also fled at the first opportunity - and also found herself back decades later - I could relate to this in ways that made me smile and tear up and laugh myself silly as I joined Adam on his journey home. Mine was a lot more sweet than bitter, but I could still totally relate to the clueless fascination he faced with those who had never left. The tale was well played and the characters were totally relatable and believable, even at their most ridiculous-seeming. This was a fun read with some life lessons snuck in (some subtly, some with the force of Punchout himself) for good measure...
My review copy was provided by NetGalley.
My review copy was provided by NetGalley.
February 1, 2026
13th read of 2026!
January: 13 books completed
2026: 13/100
Y'all. I had zero expectations for this book going into it, but this was so fantastic. The Canada Reads theme this year is "a book that builds bridges," and I truly believe this one accomplishes that. Steve Dangle made a brilliant choice in this book, and I hope he defends it well.
This reads as so quintessentially Canadian. From the way people talked to their day-to-day encounters. It effortlessly blends together hockey, found family, grief, personal growth, and builds up to this beautiful story of redemption. I absolutely loved the interview pieces and the backstories into each relationship shown. The ending gutted me in the best way.
It's funny, it's poignant, and it makes me surprisingly nostalgic for an era of hockey I never got to witness. Definitely recommend this, and now I have two contenders to cheer on. Hopefully, the other three shortlist titles are just as brilliant as the first two.
January: 13 books completed
2026: 13/100
Y'all. I had zero expectations for this book going into it, but this was so fantastic. The Canada Reads theme this year is "a book that builds bridges," and I truly believe this one accomplishes that. Steve Dangle made a brilliant choice in this book, and I hope he defends it well.
This reads as so quintessentially Canadian. From the way people talked to their day-to-day encounters. It effortlessly blends together hockey, found family, grief, personal growth, and builds up to this beautiful story of redemption. I absolutely loved the interview pieces and the backstories into each relationship shown. The ending gutted me in the best way.
It's funny, it's poignant, and it makes me surprisingly nostalgic for an era of hockey I never got to witness. Definitely recommend this, and now I have two contenders to cheer on. Hopefully, the other three shortlist titles are just as brilliant as the first two.
January 31, 2026
I'm a New Mexican who has never been to Canada but since I first discovered Canada Reads (thanks to Mattea Roach and my love for Jeopardy) I have been a Canada Reads completionist. Because Searching for Terry Punchout is one of the contenders for this year's (2026) competition, it's a given that I would read it. I'm only 2 books into the 5 but it's my top choice for now. I love that Canada Reads opens me to books beyond my typical picks. I normally would not seek out a book about hockey or a father/son story like this but I'm so glad I read it.
I feel like I learned a lot about a world that is not my own - Canada, hockey, etc. - while appreciating the universal messages of the story - things from our childhood might not always be what they seem, running away can just delay the inevitable - which is really what the best fiction should do.
I feel like I learned a lot about a world that is not my own - Canada, hockey, etc. - while appreciating the universal messages of the story - things from our childhood might not always be what they seem, running away can just delay the inevitable - which is really what the best fiction should do.
July 13, 2020
A very Canadian story,set in small town Nova Scotia, but with universal themes everyone can relate to. Family estrangement and hockey culture lightly treated as a son tries to understand his father and himself. It was an enjoyable read.
January 24, 2026
Canada reads longlist book # 4 for me. (Ebook)
This was an easy read, I think it will appeal to a wide audience, especially men who like hockey. The characters were likeable but I think the author could have dived deeper.
This was an easy read, I think it will appeal to a wide audience, especially men who like hockey. The characters were likeable but I think the author could have dived deeper.
January 22, 2026
great read! Canada Reads 2026 short listed.
April 16, 2020
Fluff book but a good read when you don’t want anything to heavy and you don’t mind it being predictable.
October 17, 2018
So much more than a hockey story! Everyone can relate to leaving home, outrunning the past, and trying to build a life of one’s own... but at some point, we all return home. While fists are flying both on and off the ice, Hellard’s characters are vulnerable, and real enough to get choked up about. Funny, clever, sad, and wise. A top shelf debut novel!
January 4, 2019
To a suburban big-city boy geek like me, small town hockey life is exotic & curious at best, or just plain alien. But in this concise, stripped down, spartan story, this life manages to speak to me very effectively. A lot of heart, and a lot of wit...I liked it very much.
July 5, 2019
I enjoyed this a lot. it reminded a lot of the simple ness and complications of relationships.
September 11, 2019
great characters.
January 13, 2026
This book resonated with me for a lot of reasons.
It's something really special that hits you in the gut and nurses you back afterward.
Definitely worth your time.
It's something really special that hits you in the gut and nurses you back afterward.
Definitely worth your time.
July 26, 2023
Fun little read!
January 28, 2026
Canada Reads 2026 Top 5 Finalist!
Man, I loved this one. Of all the books on the list, this one got me.
As someone who has left home, this is exactly how I imagine a return might feel. That mix of nostalgia, discomfort, pride, and the realization that you do not quite fit the place that shaped you anymore.
The story follows Adam Macallister, a struggling journalist who returns to his small Nova Scotia hometown to write about Terry Punchout, a former hockey star who also happens to be his estranged father. What starts as a profile slowly turns into a reckoning with family, small-town mythmaking, and the gap between who we pretend to be and who we actually are.
The characters were excellent and actually evolved, especially Adam and Terry. Terry starts as a local legend, almost mythic, and slowly becomes a very human, flawed man. The town itself felt alive. It breathed. It had history, grudges, kindness, and gossip. I dropped into this world fast and the pages just flew by.
At its core, this is a story about rises, falls, and redemption. It is also about class, masculinity, small-town identity, and the way communities build heroes and quietly forget them. It never felt preachy. Just human.
Why is it a great Canada Reads pick? Because it feels Canadian without trying too hard. Hockey, rural life, leaving and coming back, regional identity, strained family ties. This is stuff a lot of Canadians will recognize. It is accessible, reflective, and easy to discuss, which is exactly what Canada Reads claims to want.
Overall, an excellent book and easily one of my favorites on the longlist.
Canada Reads Rankings
1. Terry Punchout
2. Restaurant Kid
3. It's different this time
4. Julie Chan is Dead
5. The hunger we pass down
6. Foe
7. Crossroads
8. The cure for Drowning
9. Oxford Soju Club
10. Everything is fine here
11. A Minor Chorus
12. Celestina's House
13. Heated rivalry
Man, I loved this one. Of all the books on the list, this one got me.
As someone who has left home, this is exactly how I imagine a return might feel. That mix of nostalgia, discomfort, pride, and the realization that you do not quite fit the place that shaped you anymore.
The story follows Adam Macallister, a struggling journalist who returns to his small Nova Scotia hometown to write about Terry Punchout, a former hockey star who also happens to be his estranged father. What starts as a profile slowly turns into a reckoning with family, small-town mythmaking, and the gap between who we pretend to be and who we actually are.
The characters were excellent and actually evolved, especially Adam and Terry. Terry starts as a local legend, almost mythic, and slowly becomes a very human, flawed man. The town itself felt alive. It breathed. It had history, grudges, kindness, and gossip. I dropped into this world fast and the pages just flew by.
At its core, this is a story about rises, falls, and redemption. It is also about class, masculinity, small-town identity, and the way communities build heroes and quietly forget them. It never felt preachy. Just human.
Why is it a great Canada Reads pick? Because it feels Canadian without trying too hard. Hockey, rural life, leaving and coming back, regional identity, strained family ties. This is stuff a lot of Canadians will recognize. It is accessible, reflective, and easy to discuss, which is exactly what Canada Reads claims to want.
Overall, an excellent book and easily one of my favorites on the longlist.
Canada Reads Rankings
1. Terry Punchout
2. Restaurant Kid
3. It's different this time
4. Julie Chan is Dead
5. The hunger we pass down
6. Foe
7. Crossroads
8. The cure for Drowning
9. Oxford Soju Club
10. Everything is fine here
11. A Minor Chorus
12. Celestina's House
13. Heated rivalry
January 30, 2026
This book is one of the Canada reads short list books, a hockey fiction and one I quite enjoyed. It tells the story of a sports writer who is having a hard time with his career. In one last ditch effort to save it Adam sets out to find former hockey star, Terry punchout , who just happens to be his father. After fleeing his small town many years ago he finds himself face to face with friends he had ghosted, and contemplating what makes some people head away and others to stay. This book really hit me hard as being someone from a small town I have also had similar thoughts before. I really enjoyed meeting Terry ( and his dream job IYKYK ), although his situation made me a little sad . Overall I enjoyed the reminder that not everything is always as it seems. It did leave me with a few questions as it wasn’t as wrapped up as I would like , but it provided me with some food for thought and a new perspective about sticks vs boomerangs.
January 29, 2026
Adam Macallister, a journalist living in Alberta, was tasked with writing a story about Terry Punchout. Terry is a former NHL star who still holds the record for the most penalty time. » Beating people up on the ice became Terry's calling in life «. Now, he spends his days sleeping in the hockey rink of his hometown in Nova Scotia, driving the Zamboni, and scolding kids. He is also Adam’s father, whom Adam has not seen for ten years.
» Being an asshole isn't the same as being a bad person. I no longer believe my father is a bad person. «
The whole story is about coping with family, friends, loss, roots, and growing up. As the title suggests, it's about discovering one's father's true personality, who » could go years without talking to anyone and still be part of the fabric of this community «.
It's a great, emotional read with lots of funny stuff about rural Canada.
» Being an asshole isn't the same as being a bad person. I no longer believe my father is a bad person. «
The whole story is about coping with family, friends, loss, roots, and growing up. As the title suggests, it's about discovering one's father's true personality, who » could go years without talking to anyone and still be part of the fabric of this community «.
It's a great, emotional read with lots of funny stuff about rural Canada.
January 30, 2026
An excellent addition to Canada Reads 2026!
A story about family and community but make it hockey.
Anyone that grew up in a small Canadian town can relate to Pennington, NS and its cast of characters. There's the failure to launches, the folks that are the glue of the community, there are those of us that left and never returned and those that just, well, fell off the map.
Our protagonist, Adam, is directionless, both in his personal and professional life. With a truck full of possessions, he drives across the country to interview his father in one-last-chance redemption arc, but what will happen?
And the happening is where all the magic happens.
A story about family and community but make it hockey.
Anyone that grew up in a small Canadian town can relate to Pennington, NS and its cast of characters. There's the failure to launches, the folks that are the glue of the community, there are those of us that left and never returned and those that just, well, fell off the map.
Our protagonist, Adam, is directionless, both in his personal and professional life. With a truck full of possessions, he drives across the country to interview his father in one-last-chance redemption arc, but what will happen?
And the happening is where all the magic happens.
April 15, 2021
This book is really great. It's not a long read (I read it in two sittings) but it was entertaining and fun to read. It is firmly entrenched in the world of small-town Canada, small-town hockey, and the bruisers of the NHL from the 1970s and it captured all these elements perfectly.
It was also one of those books where I wasn't sure how it was going to end, or how I wanted it to end. Then when the ending came it wasn't at all what I was expecting but I thought it was great.
It was also one of those books where I wasn't sure how it was going to end, or how I wanted it to end. Then when the ending came it wasn't at all what I was expecting but I thought it was great.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews