My Wild Hockey Life

Hockey original Miro Frycer finally tells his story. As always, he is outspoken, straightforward and entertaining.

My Wild Hockey Life is not just another ordinary autobiography of a former top athlete that is primarily about scoring goals, winning trophies and telling funny stories from the dressing room. Miro's life is far more interesting. He lived and played on both sides of the Iron Curtain and was one of the first true defectors to the NHL. In his book, he describes his dramatic escape from communist Czechoslovakia to Canada and the difficulties of adjusting to a new world and a different game.

Frycer spent eight seasons in the NHL and was one of the most popular Leafs in the 1980s—partly because of his on-ice performances (he played in an NHL All-Star Game and was the highest-scoring Leaf in the 1985-86 season), partly because of his off-ice escapades (e.g., his personal war with hard-nosed coach John Brophy). With his typical sense of humor, he tells a story about the beautiful and ugly times with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Harold Ballard era and remembers famous teammates Peter Stastny, Borje Salming, Rick Vaive, Steve Yzerman and Mark Messier.

Last but not least, My Wild Hockey Life includes Miro’s recollection of his serious problems with alcohol in later years, as well as his new life after his liver transplant in 1999.