He was too small to make it to the National Hockey League, they decided. Too chippy and undisciplined to be of value to a team. Brad Marchand has proven them wrong, helping to lead the Boston Bruins to their first Stanley Cup in thirty-nine years, and scoring the winning goal for Canada in the deciding game of the 2016 World Cup final. Marchand's shorthanded goal with 43.1 seconds remaining completed a stunning comeback for Canada and made Marchand—a player fans loved to hate—a hero.

The 5' 9," 181-pound forward continues to surprise the skeptics, at one point in 2017 leading the NHL in scoring. Marchand, who grew up in Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, was named to the NHL All-Star team for the second straight year in 2018 even after missing eight games due to a concussion.

This full-colour book features personal interviews with "The Little Ball of Hate," who has matured since his days with the Halifax Mooseheads, as well as interviews with family and coaches, and over 40 photos of the star, including some previously unpublished.

Philip Croucher has written about sports in the Maritimes for more than two decades. He is the author of three books including the best-selling Road to the NHL, Winners: The New Generation of Maritimes Sports Stars, and Brad Marchand: The Unlikely Star. He is the bureau chief for Star Halifax and is the former sports editor of the Halifax Daily News.

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